Page 80 of The Umbra King

He was going to fire the doctor for being an idiot. “Do I look hurt?Help her,” he snapped.

The doctor motioned to Caius’ head. “Your hair is smeared with blood.”

Caius looked at the hand he ran through his hair, the same hand that ran through Rory’s.

“I’m fine. She fell down the stairs,” he said as worry crept into his voice. His chest burned with the possibility of her dying. She was supposed to live a full life without him, not die because he foolishly left her alone.

“Your Grace, I need to examine her,” the doctor said cautiously.

Caius stepped around the bed to the other side and kneeled, taking Rory’s hand in his. “Don’t leave me,” he quietly begged.

A maid assisted the doctor while another stood by the door. Caius looked at her and said, “Go find the commander and bring him here immediately.”

The doctor worked quietly while Caius stared at Rory’s face, silently willing her to wake up. Samyaza’s imposing form stepped through the door and inspected the room. “What happened?”

Caius turned. “I don’t know. A vision knocked me to the ground as the stairs battered me until it was over. I ran to the stairs as fast as I could and found her on the third-floor landing.”

Sam stared at Rory with a flash of fear on his face, and Caius gripped her hand tighter. The doctor turned to Sam. “She needs healing potions from the hospital as soon as possible. Her internal bleeding is filling her abdomen, and her broken rib punctured a lung.”

Without thinking, Caius ran for the door, but Sam stopped him. “I’ll go. Stay with her.”

“She needs a potion for a concussion and broken bones as well,” the doctor continued. “I mean no disrespect, commander, but hurry.”

Sam nodded and left. “If she gets the potions in time, she will be fine, Your Grace. The worst of her injuries will heal within a few hours, and tomorrow, you can send for potions to take care of her surface level injuries.”

Caius nodded, never taking his eyes off Rory. “Thank you. Please stay until Sam returns.”

The doctor gave a curt nod and stepped into the hallway. “I’ll be out here if you need me.”

Caius didn’t know how much time passed before Sam returned, but it felt like an eternity. The doctor made quick work of rubbing different potions on different parts of Rory’s body.

He held her knee and foot in each hand and looked at Caius. “Do you have a weak stomach, Your Grace?”

Caius paid him no mind as he shook his head and watched Rory’s chest rise and fall.

The doctor pushed and pulled on her leg, and a loud crack filled the air. The maid assisting him fainted at the sound, and Sam scooped her up, handing her to Lauren, who Caius hadn’t realized was in the hall.

Once Rory’s leg was set, the doctor rubbed another potion on the area.

He grabbed another bottle and shook it. “I need her to drink this for her internal bleeding, but you need to hold her up. I have to do a miniscule amount at a time so it will be absorbed by her tongue instead of entering her lungs.”

Caius stood, and with the doctor’s help, sat Rory up. He slid in behind her, both of his legs on either side, and laid her against his chest.

“Hold her mouth open,” the doctor instructed.

Bit by bit, the potion dripped onto her tongue until it was gone. Sam stood quietly in the doorway, and Caius’ heart tried to rip its way out of his chest.

“What now?” he asked.

“Now, we wait,” the doctor said grimly. “There is nothing more I can do. The potions are already working.” He gestured to her leg. “Send for me when she wakes up.”

Normally, Caius would never allow someone to give him orders, but the doctor was the only one who could save her. He could tell Caius to fuck off if he wanted.

“I’ll be back, brother,” Sam said before he disappeared.

Caius settled against the headboard with Rory on his chest and closed his eyes. She took those stairs every day, and even though herFeyability was gone, she was a graceful woman.

He knew deep in his gut someone did this to her, andSeraphimhelp them when he found out who.

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