Page 139 of Bound By Fire
Carla’s eyes light up. “Really?” she mouths. “He came over?”
I nod and put a finger to my lips. Then I look in the direction of Smoke at the elevator, just to make my point.
“Good?” Carla mouths.
“So good,” I mouth back. My stupid grin won’t quit.
She gives this tiny little squeal and lifts her shoulders up to her ears. “Are you glad you took my advice?” she mouths.
“So glad,” I tell her. She does a little wriggle of victory in her chair.
“Back to business,” I say, clearing my throat and working hard to get the smile off my face. “I take it we had a quiet night?”
“Wenothing.” Carla widens her eyes. “You didn’t.” She winks at me and then sobers up. “Apologies, Doctor.” Then her face changes, turning serious. “There was a bad one that came in in the early hours of the morning.”
My whole mood drops out from under me. I stand up straight. “What? Why didn’t anyone call me?”
“Because it was a straightforward case, according to Dr. Patel.” She lifts her hands a little. “He felt he could handle it, given the injuries. He didn’t want to drag you out at four in the morning when he had it covered. He performed the surgery, and the patient is stable.”
“What kind of injuries?”
“Dr. Patel put the file on your desk. It was a shifter male from the frontline. I’ll let him give you the full rundown. He’s still here, finishing his notes.”
I scoop up my bag. “I’ll be there in five minutes.”
“He’s expecting you, Dr. Keller.”
I head straight into my office and close the door behind me, going straight for the bathroom, where I change into a fresh set of scrubs.
Smoke gives me a small nod as I go by him. He falls in behind me. I take the stairs down.
We come out at the lower level, where I push through the wide double doors, and the temperature drops a few degrees.
The hangar is quiet at this hour. The bay lights are on low along one side, and bright at the far end, where Dr. Patel is at the nurses’ station, head down over a stack of paperwork.
I look over to where Onyx was lying just yesterday and feel a sense of achievement when I note that his bed is empty. That means he was able to shift back and be admitted to the “regular” wing of the hospital for shifters in human form.
“I take it the big guy graduated.” I point at the empty flatbed.
Lena is over at the supply trolley, restocking. She looks up and smiles.
“He did, indeed. Carla will have sent you the update.”
“That’s fantastic news.” I keep walking.
Hannah is in the small office off the side, on the phone. She lifts a hand at me through the glass. I lift one back.
Brody is at the wash station, his sleeves pushed up. “Morning, Doc,” he says.
“Morning. Long night?”
“Long enough.” He gives me a tired smile. “Coffee’s hot, if you want some.”
“I’ll grab some in a minute, thanks.” I keep moving.
Dr. Patel turns at the sound of my approach. He looks shattered, the way you do after a 4 a.m. case, but his eyes are still sharp.
“Robyn. Good morning.”
