One of the hunters asked Never, “You reported it?”
“I did.Check for an update.”
The two men looked at each other and muttered, “Fuck.”
They moved, and the unicorn faced off at them, horn first.
Never remained on the ground and said, “The contract is cancelled.Now we need to help her.”
The unicorn leaned down and lipped Aida’s hair and neck.She didn’t move.
Never said, “I need to check on her.”
She eased toward the woman on the ground and touched her.She was ice cold.“Shit.”
She poured some energy into her, and Aida started visibly breathing again.“She needs either a lot of healing or a hospital.Her organs are shutting down.”
Elida said softly, “I sent a text to Kori.She’s going to come at a run.She’s an excellent healer.”
She looked at the unicorn.“And if you take one step toward my daughter, I will gut you first and deal with the horn later.”
Wymol wrapped his arms around her.“Cor, this is the mother of my child, Elida.”
The unicorn nodded, and when Kori came around the corner at a run, he stepped back.
Kori looked around.“Wow.Aida.Oh, no.”Kori knelt next to Aida and touched her hand and her forehead.“Weak pulse, her body has been starved, organs barely active.Some magic is keeping things going.”
“That was me,” Never said softly.
“Good.It’s all she has.Her stomach is seriously reduced, and she’s massively dehydrated.I am amazed she could move at all yesterday.”
Never nodded.“Who has a car for transport?Or who can call an ambulance?”
Elida nodded.“I will do it immediately.”
The unicorn shook his head and stomped.
Never stood and looked at him.“Take on your human form so this sticks.”
The massive unicorn shook and took the form of a man with tanned skin, black hair, and silver eyes.“I am sorry, my beast—”
“I don’t give a fuck.Aida has been chased, starved, and hunted nearly to death.Her organs are shutting down, my magic is keeping her functioning, but I can only manage it for so long.She needs food, fluids, and caretaking, and that requires a hospital.She also needs security, and they can offer her that.Elida will see to it.”
“I didn’t—”
“Shut up and see if Wymol has some clothing you can use.Go to the hospital with her.Hold her hand and talk to her.I have had an idea for how to keep you two true, but I have to see another artist about a glyph.I will get what I can and meet you all at the hospital.”She sent a message on her phone and got a reply immediately.“Right.I have a meeting with a tattoo artist.”
Elida smiled, and they listened to the approaching sirens.She watched Kori stabilizing Aida and was delighted that her youngest was going to medical school in the fall.It suited her.
When the medics came around, Wymol and Cor transported to her house to get a change of clothing.
Kori travelled with Aida, keeping her stable while the lines for fluids were sought for and eventually found using every technique at their disposal.She was carried and set in the ambulance.Elida shrugged, looked around, and put the duffel inside, locked and warded.If Aida had anything precious in there, it wasn’t going wandering.
Elida summoned her purse and got into her car.Two men thudded in a moment later.
She drove without speaking.Parking in her reserved spot, she got them guest passes, and they headed up to the private room that had been arranged when she sent a warning to the hospital while the medics assessed Aida.
Kori was still with Aida when they arrived.Cor looked at her, pale, her bones protruding.“Gods, Aida.What happened to you?”
