Page 8 of Naga Healer's Mate

Chapter 5

Nirrn

Nirrn’sshoulderthrobbedwherethe Jorvlen’s blade had cut him, but he kept his movements steady as he helped Islae gather scattered medical supplies and equipment from the dusty floor.His tail swept debris aside while his hands collected fallen bandages and vials.The humid underground chamber smelled of copper and antiseptic, illuminated by a flickering lamp that cast dancing shadows on the rough-hewn walls.

The cut on his shoulder stung sharply as he reached up to put the medical supplies on a shelf.The wound wasn’t deep, but it needed cleaning.Still, he ignored it, focused on the woman before him.

She met his gaze briefly and then looked down at the ground, shifting her weight uncomfortably.The vulnerability in her stance made his protective instincts flare stronger.

“You should leave,” she snapped abruptly.

Instead of responding, Nirrn slithered into the shadows of the tunnel where he’d left his belongings.His tail muscles flexed as he retrieved his own medical bag—the one he kept stocked with the finest supplies the surrogacy clinic could provide.The leather was soft and worn from years of use, filled with tools that had helped countless lives.

He set it down on the table in front of her with careful deliberation.“If you are so determined to help others, you will do it with the proper tools.”

His heart raced as he stared at her from across the table, eagerly waiting for her response.The pull he felt toward her had only grown stronger in the past hour, like an invisible thread drawing him closer.Every instinct screamed at him to protect her, to ensure she had everything she needed to continue her noble work—work that resonated with his own healer’s oath in ways his position at the surrogacy clinic never had.

He watched her fingers trace the glass vial of premium antibiotic, her touch almost reverent.His scales rippled with satisfaction as she examined each item in his medical bag, though her jaw remained stubbornly set.

“I don’t need you,” she muttered, but her grip tightened on the vial.

“Keep it.”His tail shifted against the rough stone floor.“Keep all of it.”

She shot him a suspicious look.“Nothing comes without a price here.”

“Consider it a professional courtesy between healers.”He gestured to her makeshift clinic.“Though I could offer more than just supplies.”

Her laugh was sharp.“Right.A respected Niri healer wants to risk his position to help me and my patients in an illegal clinic?”

The rational part of his mind screamed warnings about lost licenses and prison sentences, but watching her sort through his supplies with such careful precision made those concerns seem distant.His eyes tracked her delicate movements as she organized the vials by usage rather than value—a healer’s instinct he recognized.

“What I want,” he said carefully, “is to support work worth doing.You’re skilled, determined, and helping those who need it most.”His tail curled unconsciously closer to her.“But you’re also alone and vulnerable.”

“I prefer it that way.”She turned her back to him, arranging gauze on a shelf.“No one else gets hurt when things go wrong.”

“And when the Jorvlens return?When they bring more men?”

“Then I’ll handle it like I always do.”She spun to face him, her brown eyes blazing.“I don’t need some Niri protector swooping in to save me again.”

His scales bristled at her tone, but he kept his voice level.“I’m offering to be an ally, not a savior.You’ve proven you can handle yourself.”The memory of her steady hands stitching wounds in the darkness sent an unexpected surge of respect through him.“But imagine how many more you could help with proper supplies, advanced warning of raids, and someone to watch your back while you work.”

“And risk your career?Your life?”She shook her head.“Why would you do that?”

Nirrn coiled his tail tightly beneath him, drawing himself to his full height.The answer burned in his chest—because something about her fierce independence and quiet strength called to him in ways he couldn’t explain.Because for the first time in years, simply being in her presence and then fighting to protect her, made him feel truly alive.

Instead, he said, “Because it’s right.”

She turned away, but not before he caught the flicker of consideration in her eyes.

His scaled tail scraped against the rough stone floor as he helped gather more shattered glass vials, his muscles coiled with tension.The underground room felt smaller with each passing moment, heavy with unspoken words and the lingering scent of antiseptic.His orange and golden scales caught the dim lamplight as he moved, creating dancing patterns on the walls.

He watched Islae dart between shelves, her movements exact but agitated.She reorganized already-neat stacks of bandages, wiped clean surfaces that didn’t need cleaning, anything to avoid acknowledging his presence.The cut on his shoulder still throbbed, but the pain barely registered compared to the ache in his chest at her deliberate silence.

His tail swept another pile of debris aside.“At least let me show you how to properly store these healing herbs.They’ll lose potency if kept in direct light.”

She turned away, sorting through a box of sutures with unnecessary focus.The tension in her shoulders spoke volumes.She heard him but chose not to respond.His scales bristled with barely contained frustration, but he tamped down the urge to demand her attention.Instead, he continued organizing, moving closer to where she worked.

The makeshift clinic slowly transformed under their combined efforts, though they moved in careful orbits around each other, never quite touching.His height allowed him to reach the highest shelves, storing the most valuable supplies away from prying eyes.Each time he placed something just so, he caught her watching from the corner of her eye, though she quickly looked away when he turned.

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