Page 12 of Naga Healer's Mate

His powerful tail propelled him through the streets, his orange scales flashing in the sunlight as he wove between startled pedestrians.The smoke grew thicker, burning his eyes and throat.The mate bond pulled harder, urgent now, leading him to the gap between buildings where Islae’s clinic entrance lay concealed.

Heat blasted his face as he descended the stairs.Flames licked up the wooden support beams, turning the underground space into an inferno.Medical supplies melted and bubbled on shelves, releasing toxic fumes into the air.

“Islae!”His deep voice boomed through the crackling flames.

The smoke stung his eyes as he searched, his height allowing him to see over the flames.Movement caught his attention—a stumbling figure through the haze.Islae emerged from the back room, doubled over and coughing violently.

His protective instincts surged.He lunged forward, his tail pushing off the ground with explosive force.His arms wrapped around her just as a support beam groaned overhead.He pulled her against his chest, shielding her with his body as the tunnel began to collapse.

The mate bond sang at the contact, even as debris rained down around them.His tail coiled and sprang, launching them both toward the exit.Heat seared his scales, but he kept Islae tucked safely against him, using his larger frame to protect her from the flames.

They burst out of the stairwell into clean air just as the entrance collapsed behind them with a thunderous crash.His chest heaved as he held Islae close, his eyes scanning her for injuries while smoke curled off his scorched scales.

A cut above her eyebrow oozed blood, and angry red welts marked her arms where embers had struck.She still coughed violently, her small frame shaking against his scaled chest.

Her eyes met his, blazing with a mix of fury and devastation that made his protective instincts surge even further.The mate bond throbbed painfully as he absorbed her grief.

“Everything I built…” Her voice cracked.“All those people who needed help…”

“Islae.”He tightened his hold on her, his tail coiling restlessly beneath him.“You’re coming with me.”

She opened her mouth to argue, but another coughing fit racked her body.His scales bristled at the raw sound of it.

“The Jorvlens won’t stop.”His voice remained steady despite the anger coursing through him.“They meant to destroy everything you built, and they won’t hesitate to destroy you, too.”

Behind them, the flames consumed what remained of her clinic.The acrid smell of burning medicine and melting supplies filled the air.His own burns stung, but he barely noticed them through his focus on her.

“I can’t just leave,” she whispered, but the fight had drained from her voice.

“You can’t help anyone if you’re dead.”His tail shifted, preparing to move.“Let me protect you.”

She slumped against him, her exhaustion finally winning out.The simple act of trust made his chest tight.Without waiting for further protest, he began moving through the winding back alleys of Jorvla, keeping to the shadows.His orange scales, usually so striking, helped them blend with the russet walls in the late morning light.

Each time Islae coughed, his arms tightened fractionally around her.The mate bond urged him to stop, to check her over properly, but he knew they needed distance first.His tail propelled them through the streets, his movements quick and deliberate despite his precious cargo.

“Your scales,” she murmured, touching a scorched patch on his shoulder.“They’re burned.”

“I’ll be fine.”He kept his voice low, focusing on navigating the quickest route to his house.The late morning crowd had begun to fill the main streets, their chatter providing cover for his movements through the alleyways.

A patrol of Jorvlen guards passed nearby.Nirrn pressed back against a wall, curling his tail around them both as he held perfectly still.Islae’s breath hitched, but she remained quiet, her face pressed against his chest.

The patrol’s footsteps echoed off the narrow alley walls.His tail coiled tighter around Islae, his scales tingling where her breath ghosted across them.Her small frame fit perfectly against the planes of his chest, as if she had been made specifically to nestle there.His heartbeat quickened, and he fought to keep his breathing steady.

Once the danger passed, he navigated through the winding streets until they reached his modest dwelling.Once inside, he carefully set Islae down on his couch, his hands lingering a little longer than necessary.

“Let me tend to those wounds.”He retrieved his spare healer’s kit, settling beside her.

“I can do it myself,” she protested weakly, but another cough interrupted her.

“Please.”His voice softened.“Allow me this.”

She remained still as he cleaned the cut above her eye, his movements precise and gentle.The wound wasn’t deep, but it made his scales bristle with protective anger.Her arms bore several burns and gashes that he treated with the same careful attention.

“Your scales need attention, too,” she murmured, reaching toward his shoulder where the fire had scorched him.

“They’ll heal.”He caught her hand, his thumb brushing across her knuckles.“You need to rest now.You’re safe here.The Jorvlens don’t know this place.”

She began to argue but exhaustion won out.She lay down on the couch, her eyes drifting closed.Her breathing evened out as sleep claimed her.He watched over her, his tail curled protectively around the couch.Something settled in his chest—a rightness he’d never known before.Here was his mate, safe under his protection at last.

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