Page 14 of Her Immortal Mate

"The First is gone!" A male vrakken pushes to the front. "Perhaps Akeldama has recalled her, rewarding her faithful service. We must seek his guidance through the blood rites."

"Blasphemy," another hisses. "The First would never abandon us without a word. The dark elves must have found a way to capture her."

The arguments escalate, voices overlapping as more vrakken join the fray. I watch as our tentative camp cracks under the strain of uncertainty. Without the First's steady hand, the careful hierarchy begins to splinter.

I wrapa bandage around the vrakken soldier's arm, careful not to brush against the blistered skin where sunlight burned through his glamour. "Keep this dry and clean. Come back tomorrow so I can check for infection."

He nods, pale features tight with pain. The medical tent has become a strange sanctuary over the past weeks - no vrakken willing to spill blood within its confines. The same can't be said for the rest of the camp.

"Your kind has gentle hands." His dark eyes study me. "Most humans would let us suffer."

"I took an oath." I start organizing my supplies, keeping my voice neutral. "Everyone deserves care."

The tent flap rustles and another vrakken stumbles in, blood seeping from a gash across his chest. I have to assume that he is from another faction as \the vrakken before me tenses but doesn't move from his cot.

The camp has been fractured into factions: those who want to find the First, those who believe she abandoned us, and those who support the newly formed leadership.

"Sit there." I point to an empty bed, maintaining the delicate peace. "I'll be right with you."

As I clean the wound, I catch snippets of whispered conversation between two vrakken guards outside.

"...meeting tonight..."

"...new leadership structure..."

The vrakken grabs my wrist, his indigo eyes boring into mine. "You hear much in this tent, human."

"I hear nothing but complaints about my stitching." I carefully extract my arm from his grip. "Now hold still unless you want an ugly scar."

Another vrakken enters, this one sporting massive dark wings. She carries a young soldier whose leg is mangled beyond recognition.

"Healer." Her voice commands attention. "This one first."

"Everyone waits their turn, Tara." I don't look up from my current patient. "Unless they're actively dying."

She bristles but settles her charge onto an empty cot. The neutral ground holds, barely. I continue my work, ears sharp for any useful information while my hands remain steady and sure. In this tent, I'm more than just a human captive. I'm the bridge between two ancient enemies, whether they realize it or not.

The soldier under my care mutters something about troop movements to his companion. Across the tent, Tara discusses supply lines with another winged vrakken.

I memorize every word while appearing absorbed in my tasks. Information is power, and this medical station has become an unexpected wellspring of it.

I wipe blood from my hands with a damp cloth, exhausted after hours of treating wounded vrakken. The sun pours in through gaps in the tent's canvas roof. When I push through the flap, I freeze at the sight of Eike's towering form.

"Mae." His silver eyes catch the moonlight.

I've hardly seen him in these past weeks, not since chaos has really taken over the camp. That hasn't stopped me from thinking of him every night. His wings fold against his back, the metallic sheen unmistakable even in the dim light.

"Busy night?" He nods toward the medical tent.

"The usual." I stretch my stiff shoulders. "Lots of sun burns, some fighting injuries. What brings you here?"

"Your climbing experience." He steps closer, voice low. "Brinda needs scouts to check a cave system nearby. Could be good shelter from the dark elf raids."

I arch an eyebrow. "You have wings. Why do you need me?"

"Wings make me an easy target in confined spaces." His jaw tightens. "And I can't maneuver through narrow passages either. But you - you can slip through where we can't, see if you can find something. I can always open up passages later if they're worth it."

"And if I run into trouble?"

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