Page 84 of The Librarian’s Familiar

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

It should have been much easier to pack up the campsite in daylight than it had been to set it up in the dark, except the storm had knocked things over and made a mess. August didn’t want to rush, even though he wanted to get to Charlie. There was no point in rushing because there was nothing he could do to help. Especially not now Charlie had cut away the bond. It wasn’t anything as dramatic as an open wound, but he was aware of the loss. Of an ache like a bruise that no amount of shifting was going to heal.

The hike back to town gave him far too much time to think about fate and love and Charlie and the future. He’d returned to Claw Lake not knowing what he wanted to do with the rest of his life…or even who he was without hockey.

And while he hadn’t wanted to be a familiar at first, he’d come to appreciate the connection and the magic that existed between them. That’s what he wanted. He wanted Charlie. Charlie hadn’t expected anything from him, and for the first time in a very long time, August had been able to be himself instead of being the man everyone expected. He was still figuring out who that was, but with Charlie, it was easy. Being able to shift and acknowledge that magic was real made it easier. Being able to say he was gay and had a boyfriend was far easier than he ever let himself imagine.

There were signs of storm damage everywhere, mostly broken trees, but the town had survived with only a little damage thanks to Charlie and the foxes.

He didn’t bother stopping by his parents’ house to drop off the bag of gear; instead, he kept going to the medical center, where Charlie would be. He had to be all right. It was the magic and the cold that had messed him up.

He didn’t want to imagine a world where Charlie wasn’t all right. And if he wasn’t, and he was too late?

The nurse at the front desk looked up as he walked in. Her gaze flicked over him, and he realized he must look pretty rough. She picked up a clipboard. “If you can fill this out, someone will be with you shortly. We’re quite busy today.”

How many people had been hurt? But then it was a very small medical center, so perhaps anything more than a couple of patients was considered busy. “It’s okay. I’m here to see someone. Charlie Quinlan?”

“Oh…one moment. You are?”

“August North.”

August did not like the way she said ‘oh’ or how fast she disappeared. Was that bad news? Was she fetching a doctor to tell him?

His toes scrunched his socks and his boots. He should’ve gone with Charlie, but he would’ve slowed them down. He could’ve abandoned the camping gear and followed on four feet; he was sure that people wouldn’t have minded the no shifting in town rule given the situation. His parents would’ve complained, but he’d have replaced their gear, and they would’ve been fine.

The nurse opened the door and stuck her head out. “You can come through.”

“Thanks.” He followed her through the door and down the corridor. They passed several rooms and an area where the beds were separated only by curtains before she finally led him toward the very back room. Wards buzzed over his skin.

She glanced at him again and gave a small nod as if finding him acceptable. “This is the specialist room.”

“Specialist?”

She lowered her voice and pointed down the corridor they’d walked along. “We have a couple of out-of-towners.”

Agustin nodded. Right, no talk of witches and magic. “Okay. Can I go in?”

She knocked on the door instead of answering.

“Yeah?” Charlie mumbled.

He was alive. That was something.

The nurse opened the door a crack. “The specialist will be back soon to discuss ongoing treatment with you both.”

Ongoing treatment—how bad was it? “With us both?”

“Charlie listed you as his next of kin?”

August tried not to let the shock show on his face but was pretty sure he failed from her rather pointed look and pinched eyebrows. “Of course. Thank you.”

He stepped past her and went inside, shutting the door after himself. Unlike the rest of the medical Centre, the lights in this room were dim. Charlie was in bed lying almost flat, but he waved August over.

“It looks worse than it is,” Charlie said.

He didn’t look that much different from a few hours ago. Still pale with purplish bruises around his eyes, still drawn, and obviously still not able to sit up. “Well, you’re not bleeding from anywhere you shouldn’t be.”

“I’m not, thanks to you. However, I managed to break something in my head. The healer doesn’t know if it was the magic, or the storm, or a combination of both. But I’ve given myself some kind of inner ear problem that affects my balance, which is why every time I sit up, I get dizzy, and I want to throw up.”