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“Hey yourself.” I try to smile, but I can’t find the energy. “What happened?”
“You fainted,” Rez explains.
“Like a bitch,” Lynx adds, and I swear it’s on when he gets his memory back.
“Lynx,” Rez growls. “Not the time.”
‘Help me sit up, please?’ I ask Rez. I hate feeling this weak. I’m a Door Knight, a protector. But I know Rez won’t make me feel lesser or judge me for this vulnerable moment.
Rez helps me sit up and JP soon joins her, both even propping pillows behind me. Glancing down at my legs, I now understand why they are so warm. Rez’s little puppy is asleep on them. Lilith is standing next to a monitor where Dr. Steinbeck’s image is displayed, and I can hear typing coming from it. I only have a few things hooked up to me, along with a bag of fluids that I’ve seen hooked up to Rez before, so I’m not too worried. There’s a sink, counter, and some cabinets on the other side of the room, but besides Rez, her puppy, JP, Lynx, Ryker, and Lilith, the room is bare.
“You okay, man?” JP asks, looking worried as his eyes study me for any injuries.
“I don’t know what happened. I just felt really weak,” I admit.
“Well, Knots… If what Lilith told me is true and you were an Angel, that’s probably the reason,” Dr. Steinbeck says without glancing up.
“That doesn’t make any sense. Lucifer, Astaroth, Murmur, and Bez aren’t falling to their knees and feeling weak,” Rez argues.
“Correct, Miss Taylor, and why is that?” Dr. Steinbeck stops what he’s doing and studies us. As we stare back at him blankly, he nods, and I hear clicking on the other side as he continues. “Obviously, I’ve never had the chance to study an Angel, but L.A.M.B. are fallen angels. They chose to follow my love to Hell and make it their home. Given Knots condition, I don’t believe he’s a fallen angel, and being in Hell, he’s suffering the consequences.”
“Oh, shit,” Rez says under her breath, but I hear her. She goes to pull away from me, but I grip her hand harder and turn her toward me.
“No. This is not your fault,” I stress.
“Yes it is!” she says, dropping her eyes. “I pulled you here. I didn’t mean to. I mean, I’m glad you’re here, but I was being selfish. I wouldn’t have brought you here if I’d have known you’d get sick or… ugh!” She throws her other hand in the air.
“Calm down, Nerezza. It doesn’t help to stress out the patient, or have you been out of my presence so long you forgot that?” Dr. Steinbeck says in a patronizing tone. I’m surprised Rez hasn’t figured out a way to slap him through the screen. As it is, she just stares at him, speechless.
“Rez, dear. We might have a temporary solution until you go home on Sunday, okay? There’s a spell that could slow down the ill effects that he might have from being down here. It doesn’t work as a shield, more like an IV drip to help sick patients with an infection. I think I just need a charm to hold his spell,” Lilith explains.
I watch Rez as she bites her lower lip, and I already know what she’s going to suggest.
‘No. You don’t even know if you’ll get new ones tomorrow,’ I try to sway her, but her set jaw tells me she’s already made her decision.
“I’ll be right back. I have something you can use,” she says and runs out of the room.
“Fuck!”
“What is she getting?” Lilith asks, considering me.
“She’s getting you a Demstone,” I admit.
“Smart and resourceful. You guys have no idea what you have before you, do you?” Lilith smiles before walking over to the counter and opening a few cabinets. She pulls out a small caldron, adds the contents from a few vials and snaps her fingers, lighting the fire burner beneath.
“You’re going to do the spell here?” Ryker asks, walking over to see what she’s doing.
“Where else would I go? He’s here, and the only thing I’m missing is the Demstone, which Rez is bringing,” she says, and pinches Ryker’s cheek.
“Dr. Steinbeck?” I ask, grabbing his attention.
“Yes, Knots?” Rez’s puppy stirs and moves up into my lap, burying his head under his paw.
“I know your impression is limited due to lack of knowledge of Angels, but what is the worst-case scenario based on the facts that you have in front of you? With and without this spell?” I ask, concentrating on petting the puppy, not wanting to make eye contact.
Maybe if I don’t see his expression, it won’t hurt as much.
“Based on your stats and your condition… from what I was told of how you arrived there today? With the spell, you might feel weak, and a little groggy, as if you have a cold or fever, but you’ll likely feel better once you get out of Hell,” he reassures me.
