Page 3 of Naga Healer's Mate

“You’re going to make mistakes or burn out if you keep pushing yourself like this,” she muttered.

But I don’t have a choice, she thought.She straightened, forcing her eyes to focus more clearly.Who else will help them?

She moved over to the next room to help more patients.Before long, she threaded a curved needle through torn flesh, her movements precise despite the poor lighting.The human laborer on her makeshift operating table barely flinched.They were used to pain.

“Deep breaths,” she said soothingly, tying off another stitch.“Almost done.”

The wound gaped across his shoulder blade, testament to a Jorvlen overseer’s casual cruelty.The metallic tang of blood mixed with the musty underground air made her nose twitch.

“I shouldn’t have talked back like that,” the man muttered.“It was my fault.”

“No, it wasn’t.”Islae’s fingers never paused in their careful work, but her voice carried steel.“They don’t own your voice.Or your dignity.”

A muffled cry from the adjacent room made her head snap up quickly.Through the doorway, she could see one of her pregnant patients doubling over on her bed.

“Hold still for a minute,” she told her current patient, finishing the last stitch with quick efficiency.“I need to check on her.”

She stripped off her gloves, grabbed fresh ones, and crossed the threshold in three quick steps.The pregnant woman’s face had gone gray with pain.

“Breathe through it, Mai.”Islae pressed her fingers to the woman’s wrist, counting her heartbeats.Too fast, she thought.“When did the contractions change?”

“Just… just now.”Mai’s fingers dug into the thin mattress.“Something feels wrong.”

The monitor beside her bed beeped a warning.Islae glanced at the readout and then back at her patient’s face.The baby was in distress.

Another crash echoed from somewhere above, and Islae’s heart stuttered.She forced herself to remain focused on Mai’s pulse, even as her ears strained for any follow-up sounds.“One crisis at a time,” she whispered to herself.

“Your baby’s heart rate is dropping.We need to get it out now.”She reached for her surgical kit with steady hands that belied her exhaustion.“I know it’s not what we planned, but waiting isn’t safe anymore.”

From the other room, her newly stitched patient called out, “Someone’s coming down the tunnel!”

Islae’s stomach dropped, but she kept her voice calm.“How are those stitches feeling?Can you move?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

“Good.I might need your help over here.”She turned back to Mai.“We’re going to do this as fast as possible, okay?Trust me.”

The distant sound of boots on metal grating made her skin crawl.But her hands stayed steady as she prepared her instruments for the delivery.She’d learned long ago that fear was a luxury she couldn’t afford down here.

The footsteps echoed louder through the underground tunnel as Islae guided Mai through the final stages of labor.The newly stitched man, Marco, braced Mai’s shoulders while Islae positioned herself between the woman’s legs.

“Almost there.One more push,” Islae said, her hands surprisingly steady despite the approaching footsteps.Sweat dripped down her temple as she focused on the crowning head.

Mai’s scream suddenly pierced the stale air.The baby slipped into Islae’s waiting hands, and she quickly cleared its airways.A sharp cry filled the room.

“It’s a boy,” Islae announced, wrapping him in a clean cloth.Her heart raced at the sound of someone entering the room, but she kept her movements measured as she tied off the umbilical cord.

“Islae!”The familiar voice cut through the tension like a knife.Sarah, one of her regular patients, stood in the doorway, her chest heaving.Her dark hair stuck to her forehead, and her eyes were wide with urgency.

“Here,” Islae handed the baby to his exhausted mother and then stripped off her gloves.“What’s wrong, Sarah?”

Sarah glanced nervously over her shoulder before stepping closer.“The network sent me.You need to shut this place down.Now.”

Ice spread through Islae’s veins.“Why?What’s going on?”

“Some Jorvlen bounty hunters recently learned of your secret underground clinic.Someone must’ve accidentally leaked out information.”Sarah’s voice dropped to a whisper.“They plan to raid the place.”

Marco shifted his weight uncomfortably.“How long do we have?”

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