Page 30 of Sy

“Ready?” he asked, though he wasn’t sure if he was asking her or himself.

She nodded, and together they stepped forward into the garrison.

The main hall hit them with a wall of sound and chaos. Where neat rows of dinner tables should have been, makeshift treatment stations filled every available space. The scrape of metal against stone echoed as the last few tables were pushed against walls, and the sharp smell of antiseptic cut through the air.

He tightened his grip on her waist, scanning the room. Everywhere he looked, Izaeans towered over their human patients, their movements careful and measured despite the urgency.

“Prioritize the humans,” someone called out. “They’re more fragile than we are. Check for internal injuries!”

She tried to pull away. “Sy, I can wait. Other people need help more than?—”

“No.” The word came out firm, absolute. The Rage voice rumbled in agreement as Sy guided her toward an empty spot near the closest medic.She needs treatment now.For once, he didn’t argue with the voice in his head.

He caught the flash of frustration across her face, but she allowed him to help her sit. His hands lingered longer than necessary, making sure she was steady. The simple fact that she wasn’t fighting him on this sent another wave of warmth through his chest, even as worry gnawed at his gut.

The nearest medic—a younger Izaean he recognized from the kitchens—was finishing with one of the humans. The medic’s massive hands dwarfed the male’s arm as he dressed a nastywound. Blood-stained cloths littered the floor around them, and sweat beaded on the medic’s forehead as he concentrated, clearly aware of how careful he needed to be with such a delicate patient.

“Next,” the medic called, wiping his hands on a clean cloth. His eyes swept over her, professionally assessing. “Human female, adult. Any dizziness? Difficulty breathing?”

“She has a leg wound,” he said. “It needs cleaning and?—”

“I can speak for myself,” she cut in, though her tone held more resignation than anger. She turned to the medic. “It’s just a cut. Nothing serious. Please, help the others who need it more.”

“All injuries to humans must be treated quickly,” the medic replied firmly. “Your species is more susceptible to infection than ours.” He reached for fresh supplies, selecting the smaller tools specifically crafted for treating humans.

As he began examining Ashley’s leg, Sy forced himself to step back, giving them space. His eyes swept the room again, taking in the careful coordination between Izaean medics as they treated their human patients. Something nagged at the edge of his awareness, something wrong about the scene before him.

Then it hit him. Where were Kal and Tor? Both teens had medic training—basic first aid at least. They should have been here, helping with the humans they were so fascinated by. His gaze darted from face to face, searching for the familiar forms of the two young Izaeans, but found nothing.

The Rage voice, momentarily satisfied that she was being treated, shifted its focus.The cubs are missing. Find them.

His jaw clenched as worry bloomed fresh in his chest. The teens should have been here. It was their duty, their responsibility. Unless something had happened to them. Unless…

“All done,” the medic announced, pulling him from his thoughts. “Keep it clean and try to stay off it as much as possiblefor the next day or so. Humans heal more slowly than we do, so you’ll need to be careful.”

Ashley was already standing, testing her weight on the leg. “Thank you. Now we should?—”

“Rest,” he interrupted. “You should rest.” But even as he said it, his mind was racing, calculating how long the teens had been missing and wondering where they might have gone.

More importantly, why had they abandoned their posts when they were needed most?

He scanned the hall again, more deliberately this time. The absence of Kal and Tor grew more glaring with each passing moment. The teens had been so eager to learn healing, pestering every trained Izaean for lessons until they’d mastered the basics. Now, when their skills were desperately needed, they were nowhere to be found.

Find the cubs,the Rage voice demanded.Something is wrong.

A human woman staggered past, supported by two Izaean medics. Her arm hung at an awkward angle, and he automatically reached to steady her before she fell. In that moment, his worry about the teens crystalized into something darker. They wouldn’t have abandoned their duties without reason. Not Kal and Tor.

“Lila,” Ashley breathed beside him, her voice tight with maternal fear. “She’s with them. My daughter is with them.”

The implications hit him like a physical blow. Two teenage male Izaeans alone with a human girl. His chest tightened. No, he trusted them. They were good kids, respectful. But… they’d never been around females before, let alone a human one. And they were at that age…

They wouldn’t,the Rage voice growled, surprisingly defensive of the teens.But others might.

Her hand gripped his arm. “We need to find them. Now.”

“We will,” he promised, though his own worry churned in his gut. His eyes swept the room once more, searching for anyone who might have seen them. The teens were distinctive enough. Someone must have noticed where they’d gone.

The hall bustled with activity around them, medics moving with purpose between patients as well as voices calling out for supplies and assistance. But no sign of two gangly teenage Izaeans or a human girl. How long had they been missing? Hours, at least. Long enough for someone to notice, surely.

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