Page 20 of Resurgent

"Your concern for my wellbeing is truly overwhelming," I say sardonically before speaking to the Alpha directly.

"She's safe here with me," I promise before helping her through the door while Tyr's eyes burn holes in my back.

Chapter eight

Annalise

My face buries into my crossed arms as exhaustion sweeps over me, and if I thought there was any chance of Korr actually letting me fall asleep right here, I would take it. But right on cue, he clears his throat, drawing my attention back to him.

"Here's that pickle you wanted," he says, passing me the juiciest looking green piece of heaven I've ever seen.

"Thank you," I say, sounding meeker than I wanted to since expelling all of my energy with that show of false bravado outside.

Korr nods, a flicker of something—sympathy? Amusement maybe?—in his eyes, and for a moment, neither of us speaks.

I take a bite of the pickle, the crunch practically echoing in the uneasy silence engulfing us. As soon as the bold, tangy juice hits my tongue, I let out a soft sigh of relief, the taste giving me a hint of normalcy in this never ending fucked up situation.

Korr remains standing, watching every bite I take with a quiet intensity that's not quite intrusive, just…contemplative.

"Is it…okay?" he asks, somehow looking more nervous now than when he was standing toe to toe with Tyr.

"It’s perfect," I reply, my taste buds more than satiated. "A good pickle really can fix any problem."

Gods, the jokes Mattey would be making if he were here right now.

The corner of Korr's mouth twitches, the barest hint of a smile, but he reins it in as he leans against the counter, crossing his arms like he does at the beginning of every class.

"I know this situation isn't ideal, but Dean Stevens has decided you need to stay—here—until track night. She doesn't want you doing all of the stairs and walking needed to get to classes.

"The walking? My classes are further from here than they are from my barracks room?"

"They are…but you won't be attending classes in person for a few more weeks.”

A few weeks.

“You’ll be moving enough all around campus, so you need to be able to eat, drink, and shower between classes without crawling up and down stairs while your body is still healing.”

“That won’t be a problem, I can get healing tonics from—the healers,” I say, barely catching myself.

“By healers, I’m going to assume you mean Sasha. Not only is she the one who said you can’t have healing tonics, but I would strongly advise against it while her position here at Scion is on such thin ice.”

“What? Why? She saved my life!”

Korr chuckles a little, but it isn’t warm.

“She did…with regulated tonics…that she’s been brewing redline—unapproved and unsupervised—in her room all year.”

Gods that woman is impressive.

“And to answer the other part of your question, due to the severity of your internal injuries, she was forced to give you much more than any Arcane Healer would have ever allowed a single patient to receive before...calling it.”

“You’re saying they would have let me die?” I balk, horror and incredulity fully setting in.

“I’m saying—and if you tell anyone this, I’ll deny it—but I’m saying that it’s a damn good thing Reyes insisted on calling her rather than taking you to the infirmary. And for her sake, it’s a good thing the King holds her parents in such high regard.

“But while one of the medications you’re taking is helping to flush your system, giving you another healing tonic on top of what is already in your body could be deadly. Which, unfortunately, means you are stuck with natural healing and pain meds.”

The words land like a brick in my stomach as I stare at him, hoping for a break in the façade that doesn’t come. “You’re…serious.”