Immortal Rider_ Lords of Deliverance Series_ - Larissa Ione [26]
“What do you mean?” Kynan moved next to her.
Eidolon palpated Arik’s abdomen. “It’s like someone setting a broken leg bone but not knowing what they’re doing. The bone will heal, but it’ll heal wrong, leaving the limb bent or twisted. Arik’s healer did that with pretty much everything. Whoever did it was good enough to keep Arik alive, but he wasn’t practiced.”
“There’s nothing you can do?” she asked, as Shade hung a bag of clear liquid from the bed post and then inserted a needle into the back of Arik’s hand.
Eidolon shook his head. “Once something has been healed by another Seminus demon… it can’t be undone.”
Limos cursed. “What about the immediate injuries? The shit he’s dealing with right now?”
“Those I can fix.” Eidolon nodded at Shade. “Need your help, bro. He’s got spinal fractures, a severed spinal cord, third-degree burns, bilateral compound tib-fib fractures, and multiple lacerations. If you can handle his pain, I’ll get the healing started.”
“Wait.” At some point, she’d dug Arik’s dogtags out of her pocket, and now she held them as if his life depended on her firm grip. “His back is broken? As in, he’s paralyzed?”
“For now. We’ll fix it.”
The doctor sounded so confident, and she hoped to hell he could do what he claimed. Shade gripped Arik’s wrist, and his dermoire started glowing like his brother’s. She paced, worrying the dogtag chain and wearing down the hardwood floor. She tried not to look, but every time Arik moaned, she flinched, looked over, and ached at the sight of his pale, waxy skin and pain-pinched expression.
Twice she caught her Khe me Arik moself moving toward him, as if she could help, even if all she could do was hold his hand. Would he be comforted by her touch, or would she cause him more distress?
And why did she care? Sure, the scales on her shoulder blade were evenly balanced again, but this was still the first time she’d worried about how someone besides her brothers might react to her.
Frustrated by the direction of her thoughts, she concentrated on inane things, like planning her next nail color scheme. Would Arik like orange and lime?
Finally, Eidolon stepped back and wiped his sweat-dampened brow with the back of his hand.
“He’ll need to rest, and when he wakes up, make sure he gets food and liquids.” Eidolon pulled the bed sheet up to Arik’s chest. “Call me if something isn’t right.”
Shade removed the tube and catheter from Arik’s vein and tucked the empty IV bag and supplies into his duffle. “I’ll let Runa know he’s here. She’ll want to see him.”
“Of course. I’ll contact you when he wakes.”
“Limos.” Kynan plunked a coin into her empty palm. “I got this off one of the demons I killed. Who is Sartael?”
Sartael? Well, surprise, surprise. She held the thin slice of metal up to the light and studied the winged-skull symbol that was Sartael’s mark. “He’s a fallen angel who presides over lost and hidden things. There are also some obscure rumors about him being our father.”
Kynan cocked an eyebrow. “I thought your father was an angel named Yenrieth.”
“Yes, but he hasn’t been seen since Lilith got pregnant. Angels usually get a new name when they fall, and many say Yenrieth fell as punishment for impregnating a demon. According to some rumors, he became Sartael… who hasn’t been seen since after Lilith gave birth.”
“So why would a demon be carrying a coin with Sartael’s mark?”
“Apparently,” she mused, “he’s back. He would have imbued this coin with location magic. It would lead the bearer to Arik.”
“Is Arik still in danger of being found?”
“Now that he’s no longer in Sheoul, he’s safe from Sartael. Outside of Sheoul, Sartael’s powers are limited to locating demons and demonic artifacts.” She flipped the coin in her palm. “Arik will be safe with me.”
Kynan’s sharp gaze caught hers. “Ares tried to kill Arik before he was taken to Sheoul. How do I know he’ll be okay with you?”
Limos tried not to take offense, but