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“When you get to the catacombs, please send Prince Ecaeris or Talodus to the clinic. Let them know Dr. Stoneheart needs them urgently.”
“Of course, doctor. Anything else?”
“No. Thank you for your help.”
I watch him disappear and begin counting down the seconds.
For me, the worst part of being a clinic doctor is the waiting… The knowledge that someone is coming that needs us, but you don’t know when or what condition they will be in. What I do know is that they will be injured in some way. Mongrels don’t come to the clinic for everything, and we don’t administer healthy check-ups here.
Ecaeris is the first to make it to the clinic.
“Has something happened?” he asks quickly, brows knitted together as he takes in my appearance outside the door.
I run my hands through my hair as the anxiety builds. “Not yet.”
“You feel it again?”
“Yes, but this is stronger than I’ve ever felt. How many Mongrels are in the forest today?”
He scrubs his face. “Three hunting parties—”
“Not Connak?” I interrupt.
“No. Connak is with Ada,” he replies before continuing. “Forty-two guards on duty, twenty-four swapping shifts right now. We aren’t expecting merchants back from the Dwellers for six days. And the fishermen should head upstream in a week.”
“Send guards to check on the hunters,” I suggest.
“I will.” He watches me for a moment. “I’ll also post a guard here in case you need to send for Selmar or Raf or one of us.”
I nod my thanks and turn for the clinic door, unease clawing at my back. I’m not inside for more than a heartbeat before Ecaeris swings the door open.
He walks backward, holding the end of a makeshift gurney. “Where do you want him, Imy?”
“Op one,” I rush, moving out of their way. “Was he the only—”
“No. Two more inbound,” the guard cuts in. “He stopped me just before my shift ended. Said his daughter and his father were attacked, but he managed to escape to get help.”
“How did you get him here?” Ecaeris asks as he pushes through the door to operating room one.
The guard frowns at us. “I carried him until I got closer to the stone wall. Marren was teaching new recruits to make tents, so he made this gurney. One of the guys helped me carry him here.”
“I sent the other guy to Talodus so we can get search parties out looking for the other victims.” Ecaeris glances down, then quickly back at me. “How do you want to move him?”
“He’s unconscious,” I observe as I check his eyes.
“Yeah,” the guard confirms. “Passed out right before we got here.”
I take the handles of the makeshift gurney from the new guard. “Go to the village. Find Selmar and Raf. I don’t care if you have to shout their names in the streets. Get them here.”
“Yes, doctor,” he agrees and dashes away.
“It’s eerie that you knew,” Ecaeris whispers, supporting most of the weight as I move the patient.
“I’ve been feeling weird since last night, but I couldn’t figure out why until I walked into the clinic this morning,” I explain. “I should have known.”
I tune Ecaeris out as I begin cutting the shredded clothing off the first patient. He’s covered in blood, and rapidly bleeding, though I can’t tell from where until I can get him somewhat cleaned up. His left arm is mangled, and puncture wounds litter the right side of his ribcage.
The clinic door bangs open before I can finish my assessment.
