Page 103 of Elysian

Every single individual near us took a step back.

“Get her out of here⁠—”

“She will infect us all⁠—”

Voices exploded around us.

“It is not contagious by touch,” I snapped. “Archer, help me hold her up.”

He strode forward and took her arm from my side. I crouched before her and lifted the hem of the dress.

A wound spanned her ankle. Blue blood crusted the edges, and thin lines spiked outward from it. In one small section, the wound edges had begun to turn green.

There were no pockets of pus yet. Nor had the flesh around the wound turned green. Al had done so many experiments. He’d droned on so many theories and estimations, and there was only one path I could see ahead.

“We need to get her on a table.”

Tabby finally pushed through, having a much easier time of it than I did.

“Get Lucinda. Tell her to prepare for an amputation.”

Not one person moved. I looked up at Archer.

“Finley, go. Have them prepare the dining chamber,” he ordered. The young man with seemingly only twenty annum rotations took off at a sprint. Archer caught my gaze. “It is well lit.”

I jerked my chin down.

“Wait—Damien,” Vera slurred, grabbing Archer’s arm. She squeezed the fabric between her bloody fingers. I stood, brushing off the dust and dried blood on my palms.

“He is wounded near the main road,” Branwen added. “I could not help them both, and he forced me to bring Vera.”

“Jude,” Archer barked out and swooped Vera up in his arms. Jude detached from the group of men that had begun to push people back and direct them to return to what they were doing. The crowd dissipated and Jude neared, hand on the hilt of his sword. “Damien is near the main road.”

Jude nodded, already walking away. “Wilem!” He motioned for another man to follow. They both disappeared.

Archer was already striding away. I rushed to follow him. At the section where the path broke in two, he went left. A hand slipped into mine, and I looked over at Branwen and squeezed. We crossed various doors until we reached another break off and he took the right. At the end of this path was a rounded open door. Light spilled out from inside. He easily stepped over the lip. I followed him inside, letting go of Branwen’s hand. Lucinda and Tabby were already there with various glinting blades, a bowl of water, and a bottle of alcohol, which explained the heavy scent upon entering.

Perfect. Lucinda had disinfected everything.

“What will you do, Amara?” Branwen’s voice trembled.

“Try to save her life. It is all we can do.” I rolled my sleeves up. Archer laid Vera on the surface covered with a bedsheet.

“You said amputation,” Vera breathed.

“Saints!” Branwen slurred, staggering. I took hold of her arm before she toppled. “She will lose her foot? Her ankle? Her leg?—”

“Do it.” Vera lifted her head, sweat beading on her temples.

Tabby took my spot helping Branwen steady herself. It freed me to walk over to Lucinda. She watched the blades with her features stiff. I shook out of my doze. There was no time to lose. I wound my grip into the hem of her dress and tore it, stopping as it reached Vera’s thighs. Her hands resting on her belly trembled.

“Is there anything we can give her so she loses consciousness?” I asked, removing her slipper and turning the leg to and fro to determine how far the infection had reached.

“No,” Tabby said, standing beside me. “We ran out of potions and supplies a sennight ago.”

“Does anyone have a gift that could help?” Tabby was already shaking her head at Branwen’s plea. “If only Hester were here.”

I stilled my hand a bit above her ankle where the warmth of the Plague ended. I did have Hester’s gift. My hand shook, but I stretched to grasp her hand, closing my eyes.