Page 60 of Perilous Healing

I listen to the woman’s heart, then use the stethoscope to listen to the baby’s movements. When I hear the child alive within its mother’s womb, I breathe a sigh of relief.

As soon as the exam is over, I step back and use the hand sanitizer in the corner to clean my hands. “The baby is healthy,” I tell the women.

Abana translates, and the woman smiles, her eyes filling with tears.

“She says thank you,” Abana replies.

“You’re welcome. You both stay here. I’ll be back in just a few minutes, okay?”

Abana nods, so I head for the door, shutting it behind me. Silas is nowhere to be found, and for a split second, my stomach turns into a pit of dread.

But then I hear yelling from the pit. Rushing forward, I find Silas standing in front of one of the guards, a worker behind him. The worker charges, and Silas holds him back. I sprint toward them.

“What’s going on?” I demand.

“This is the husband of the woman you took to the medical building. He’s worried about her.”

“They both need to get back to work,” the guard orders. “Now. Or I won’t give any meal tickets to either of them.”

I step up between Silas and the guard, going toe-to-toe with a man who stands a good four inches above me. “Listen here, I’m the doctor, and I’m telling you that Laringwillbe getting meal tickets, but she willnotbe working. Understand?”

The guard glares at me. “You’re not in charge.”

“I am of this. And as for her husband? It just so happens I’m in need of a second pair of strong hands, so he’ll be coming with me.”

“Again, you’re not in charge.” The guard moves closer, his gaze turning murderous.

I step forward and feel Silas right at my back. “Neither are you. And I’ll be taking him with me.”

“You have fun taking that up with River.”

“I will.” Turning toward the man, I offer him what I hope is a smile he’ll understand. “Come,” I say, reaching for his arm and gesturing toward the medical building. He eyes me warily, clearly confused, but soon he follows, and Silas falls into step beside me.

“You can’t be picking fights with the guards, Bianca,” Silas growls. “In case you forgot, I don’t have a weapon.”

“I’m not worried,” I reply. “Because I’m doing what I’m supposed to.”

We’re nearly at the medical building when River and Yarrow step out of the house, both of them headed toward us. Yarrow speaks into a radio, and I imagine the guard at the top of the pit called it in.

Good.

“Go inside,” I say, gesturing toward the door of the medical building. The last thing I want is this innocent man getting caught in the middle of this.

He looks from me to Silas, so I gesture toward the door again. This time, he understands, and pulls the door open, slipping inside. I step right in front of it, a challenge for Yarrow or River should they choose to deny what I’m about to request.

“Making waves on day one, huh?”

“It’s what I do,” I tell Silas. “Make them understand that I won’t be pushed around, and they’ll think twice before doing it.”

He chuckles. “Smart woman.”

“What is this I hear about you pulling two of my workers?” River questions.

“The woman is due to give birth any day now. She’s not fit to be working in the pit. As for her husband, he needs to be with her, and I need an extra set of hands to get me water and fill my basins.”

“Silas isn’t cutting it?” Yarrow grins.

“Silas is my guard. He can’t be leaving to get water.”

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