Page 28 of The Alien's Pet

"I won't leave Karin."

"Then, at least, stand outside of the infirmary and let me work. I will provide hourly updates."

Korrev grudgingly did as he was told. He knew Karin was in the best hands.

Korrev was forced to sit outside the infirmary even if it irritated him to do so. The wait was painfully long, even though he knew Azis was one of the best healers out there. Karin would be fine. She had to be fine; otherwise, he was determined to make everyone else's lives painfully miserable. It still surprised him how much he had come to care for the misbehaving brat. He had never cared for anyone before, with the exception of Kyvan. Yet Karin had wormed her way into his heart, first, with her determination, then later, with her warmness when her guard was done. He closed his eyes, hating how helpless he felt.

If Karin were to die, he didn't know what he would do. It would be a cruel twist of fate if he had worked so hard to get her back, only to lose her at the very last second. Kyvan had been theonly one brave enough to ask why he didn't just give up when it became apparent she wouldn't be found so easily.

He had simply said he was not a person who wished to be outsmarted, but it had been a lie. Korrev had simply not wanted to lose her, but he was, of course, not going to confess it to anyone else. Not even Kyvan, even though he would understand better than anyone how he was feeling because he was so enamored with his little Alice.

For months, he had been worried sick that Karin was being mistreated, or worse, but it turned out she had been much closer than he had anticipated. This only just made him even more irritated. He should have checked abandoned planets as well. He was so stupid. Now, Karin could die because of his own foolishness.

No, he refused to accept the fact. So what if she had poisoned herself? He had gotten there in time and Azis was a genius. She would live. She had to live.

"Are you well? You look irritated."

Korrev had been so distracted, he hadn't even heard his best friend come in. To be honest, he had been avoiding Kyvan lately. Alice was heavily pregnant and due to give birth any day now.

He had been so miserable lately that being in the same room as Kyvan, who was so annoyingly happy, would only cause his misery to grow, and it wasn't like he could ask his best friend to be unhappy. It was his first child so, of course, he should be happy.

"Azis is working on Karin," he told his friend. Kyvan pursed his lips. "She might not make it."

"I heard she ate the poisonous orange berries." He clicked his tongue in sympathy. "Do not concern yourself too much. He is an excellent healer. If anyone can nurse her back to health, it is Azis."

"You forget she is human," the king said."Their immune system is not as strong as ours. There is a good chance she will die. I wouldn't get my hopes up."

Kyvan didn't say anything. How could he, when he was just as practical a person as he was. "How's Alice?" Korrev asked instead.

Kyvan brightened at the question like Korrev knew he would. "She is in excellent health. Though Azis worries the baby might be too big. He has her on a diet, to prevent her from gaining too much weight, but you know Alice can't say no to sweets."

He let Kyvan talk for the next thirty minutes about the baby, the nursery, and how adorable Alice was. Korrev wasn't interested, if he was being completely honest, but he was glad his friend was happy. At least, he was distracted from Karin's illness.

"She'll be all right, Korrev. If she has managed to survive living with you for almost a year, she can survive anything," Kyvan joked.

"I have been pretty terrible to her, haven't I?" Korrev grimaced. "I wanted to break her and I did, but as a result, she tried to leave me forever. She almost died because of my own selfishness."

Kyvan didn't say anything. There was nothing he could say. Korrev was right. She had left because of him.

Kyvan rapidly changed the topic and he managed to distract the king long enough that he didn't fret about Karin.

Close to midnight, Azis returned to find them. He looked exhausted but not unhappy, which meant Karin had lived.

"Is she alive?" Korrev demanded.

"She is." Azis looked weary. "But barely. I managed to prevent her organs from shutting down completely, but I still had to give her several blood transfusions and severalmedications." He hesitated. "But, Your Majesty, I do not want you to get your hopes up. Your pet is still very, very sick."

"She's alive," was all he said. "That's all that matters. If she survived so far, then she has a chance. Thank you." Azis looked surprised at his thankfulness. "May I see her?"

"Only for a few minutes. She's very tired."

"I want you to be her primary healer. Around the clock care. The other healers can take care of everyone else."

"Of course."

Kyvan gave him a pat on the back before he departed. The king practically burst into the room.

He saw Karin on one of the beds at the end of the room. She was covered in heavy blankets. Although her face still looked flushed, it was apparent her fever was down. The paleness of her skin still concerned him, but at least she wasn't near death this time.

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