Read Finding Fiona Online

Authors: Viola Grace

Tags: #Literature & Fiction, #Erotica

Finding Fiona (4 page)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 9

 

 

Introducing yourself to new people was always awkward. More so when you had a naked elf in a car with you and your car decided to park itself in front of a group of strangers. She tried to open the door to ask for help, but Abax refused.

He revved his engine twice and a woman who was oddly familiar came to the driver’s side window.

“Ander? What are you doing?”

Apparently Abax’s form was well known around here. The car rolled the window down halfway.

“Hello. My name is Fiona. Ander has been stabbed, could we get some help?”

The engine revved.

“And some clothing?”

The woman moved away and spoke in rapid succession to a series of bystanders. A coat was immediately offered that the woman quickly passed through the window for Fiona. The second she was covered the doors sprang open. Three men assisted Ander out the door with no care for his modesty. Apparently Abax was concerned on her behalf alone.

“You may not remember me. I am Artemis Whynot of the Silverwood Society.” The features of the woman suddenly took on a most familiar form.

“Hiya, Arty. Where are they taking him?” She watched Abax change back into the dark unicorn.

“To the infirmary. Would you care to accompany him?”

“No. I would like a shower and some additional clothing, if you could find some. And perhaps some shoes?”

Artemis’s gaze fell to Fiona’s feet and she blanched. “As soon as you get out of the infirmary.” She turned to one of the gathered men. “Kian, please carry the Lady Fiona to the infirmary. She has damaged her legs.”

The man took two steps toward her and was blocked by Abax’s marble horn.

Abax knelt for Fiona to mount him, so she did, only then noticing the blood spotting her legs and marking the pavement where she had stood. She suddenly felt lightheaded.

“Uh, all right. Abax, please take her to the infirmary. They will be able to assist her. Thank you.” Artemis was bemused. Her face shifted between surprised and amused over and over.

It made Fiona dizzy.

Abax regained his feet and paced toward the building where Ander had so recently been transported to. Fiona was expecting to dismount at the front door, but that was not the plan the unicorn had in mind. He paced through the electronic sensors and the doors opened for him.

The staff at the infirmary were remarkably unfazed by the unicorn and rider pacing through their halls. When the admitting clerk asked her the infamous, “Can I help you?”

She shrugged at him. “I think he is looking for Ander.”

“Ah, Reman? Please bring them to Ander’s room.” The attendant nodded with a slight grin. “Ander is having his wound cleaned and stitched. He will be uncomfortable, but awake.”

“Thank you.”

“You are welcome. Welcome to Silverwood.” The clerk nodded politely and went back to his work.

“This way, please.”

Reman led them through a maze of corridors and some of the things Fiona saw through the open doors amazed her. The inhabitants of this town were not all human, or elves. No wonder the doors fit the unicorn.

“Here he is. There are three beds in this room. Someone will be here to tend to your legs shortly.” He nodded and carefully backed away.

Her steed pushed his way into the room where his regular rider was being attended to. The steady clip clop of his hooves reverberated in the room as he walked up to one of the unoccupied beds nearest to Ander and stood still as attendants held the bed for her to dismount. She settled in the bed and Abax moved off to one side, standing sentry.

Ander had a flock of attendants of his own, stitches were being carefully applied to the torn and cleaned flesh of his back. He had his head turned toward her, “Fiona, were you injured?”

“Not by Baenwik. It happened later.”

“They will take care of you here. Did Abax bring you in?”

“Yes.”

“Ah. You found him then. Good. He doesn’t usually take to strangers. Just ease up to him and he will be fine.”

“I will do that. Get some rest.”

“Okay. You are at Silverwood. You are safe now.” He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep as they finished bandaging him up.

The assistants turned to her as one, and she finally came to the stunning conclusion that, with the exception of Artemis, everyone she had seen here was male.

“You are Fiona Matthews?”

“I am.”

“I am doctor Mythos. Welcome to Silverwood. You have injured your legs?”

“Yes, apparently while running for my life through the woods, I wasn’t careful about where I stepped.” She was still securely wrapped in the jacket when one of the attendants offered her a hospital gown. It wrapped securely around her instead of tying in the back. A much better design than those used by most hospitals.

They removed the jacket from the bed and started to treat her legs. Pain flashed every time they swabbed and cleaned her gashes and scratches. When they brought out two basins and had her soak her feet, she knew a pedicure was not the next step. She squeaked in panic as the pain radiated out from her soles.

Abax took a step forward.

Her attendants looked warily at the unicorn and, when she turned her head, Fiona knew why. Red flame flared from where the blue white eyes had been. He was upset.

Dr. Mythos looked to Fiona for help. “Can you calm him?”

“I can try.” She held out her hand to the unicorn and tried to radiate a look of serenity. “Abax. This is painful, but I have to have it done to get better. You will have to remain calm and quiet if you stay here. All right?”

He shook his head, flailing the horn around.

“Calm and quiet, or get out.” Her voice was stern and she crossed her arms over her breasts.

Abax nodded and his eyes returned to blue. He relaxed his stance and shifted to a less threatening position.

Fiona nodded in approval and he tossed his head. “He seems fine now. I promise not to look like I am in pain. Even when I am.”

The doctor nodded in approval and continued to supervise the cleaning of her feet. “Miss Matthews, I hate to say that you have quite a bit of damage to your feet. The surface that you ran across created lacerations that may have caused permanent damage to the nerves.” He was matter of fact, but it was still hard to hear.

“I thought so, when I felt the damage and didn’t feel the pain.”

He nodded wisely, approving her acceptance. “There are a few treatment options that we can engage in once we have an idea of what the damage actually is.”

“Fair enough.” Although she was a little scared of what the actual damage would be, she didn’t regret the manner in which she had gotten it. If she hadn’t gotten Abax, Ander might not have made it. And without him, her life would be missing something.

Blinking, she analyzed that sentiment while flecks of debris were removed from feet that were now blissfully numb. Mythos had given her shots of anaesthetic while she had been talking to Abax. She had been relieved when she felt the shooting pain, but she had been unable to react. The cool relief that took over her body from the knees down made her tear up with gratitude. “How is Ander doing?”

“He was very close to the edge, but you got him here in time. You are to be commended on your actions. Very few women would have been able to release a steed, let alone ride him without his rider nearby.”

“Ander was nearby.”

“Not awake and conscious. That is what the rider-steed bond needs. Without him awake and aware, he could not smooth the introduction of you to his beast.”

Fiona refrained from mentioning that she had already met his beast. It fit within her perfectly. Her calm thoughts must have gotten through to Abax, because now he was an enormous dog.

“Huh. I didn’t know he did that. Most steeds won’t change shape unless requested.” Mythos was surprised.

“He has done nothing but shift forms since I met him.”

“That is unusual. But then, you are an usual mate. Ander was lucky to find you.”

“Ander didn’t find me. I was kidnapped.” And with that sentence, everyone in the room rose in shock.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 10

 

 

Artemis strode through the door, the medical attendants cleared a path for her, “What did I hear? That you were kidnapped?”

This was a little confusing for Fiona. How did they think that she had gotten the lacerations on her legs and feet? Skipping merrily along? “How do you think that I had gotten all these cuts? Ander and I were running from Baenwik and I got Abax to help carry him back here.”

“Who is Baenwik?” Her confusion was evident. Her facial features flitted from one aspect to another. Not expression, actual faces.

“He is one of the Lios Alfar. He kidnapped a small child so that I would join the search and he had already clubbed Ander and shackled him to a wall. I was next.” With her feet wrapped in puffy white bandages and pain free, Fiona was heading into sleepy land.

“One of the Lios kidnapped you and tried to kill Ander?”

Fury and a type of disgust that Fiona couldn’t figure out swam across Artemis’s features. “Yes. And kidnapped a human child, but he said he let her go. I really hope that he did.” She couldn’t keep her eyes open any longer. She felt herself drifting off.

Artemis was giving more orders in an authoritative tone. Someone named Henry was supposed to check on something. It was the last thing that she heard before she fell asleep.

 

* * * *

 

There was a warm weight on her chest. It had a soothing scent that she couldn’t place. Her lids moved sluggishly open and she was facing a large dog with glowing blue eyes. “Hiya, Abax. Were you with me all day?” The tail wagging was all she needed. She gave him a hug and scratched him behind his ears.

“He was indeed. He was more faithful to you than he has been to me.” Ander’s voice was stronger and he was in his bed, propped up on pillows. “Not that I blame him. I would be resting my head on your chest if I could get over there.”

“How are you feeling?” She turned her head to talk to him, but left her torso flat on the bed with the dog. He was happy, so she was happy.

“Better. I don’t remember much of what happened after the attack in the cave.” He flexed his arms and rotated his shoulders while wincing. “What did happen?”

“You were injured, we made a run for it and I found Abax in the woods. He turned into a car and drove us back here. They brought you here and the rest is history.”

“That doesn’t explain how your feet were injured.”

“I had to run through the woods a bit.”

“Then why were my feet not injured?”

“You were incapacitated. I left you outside the caves, leaning against a tree, and I ran to get Abax.”

“Why didn’t I come with you?”

“Ander, you were bleeding to death, okay? There was no way I could have dragged you through the woods. And when I got your horsy, he was surrounded by brambles and I had to pull them out of the way. I used my feet.” She was getting defensive now.

He closed his eyes and leaned back against the pillows. “I failed you as a protector.”

She made her voice as sharp as she could. “No! You are alive, I am alive and we are safe. You did a great job as a protector.” Abax growled and she soothed him with a stroke. “You as well, Abax. We would still be in the forest if not for you.”

He grunted and settled as she stroked him behind the ears.

 

* * * *

 

“Lady, you have bewitched my steed.” Ander was calmer now and looked over at his fearless steed of the Wild Hunt as she scratched his ears and ran her hands over the lithe body. He felt both foolish and jealous. After a few minutes she tired again and fell asleep. Abax remained with her and watched carefully as attendants came in to change the dressings on her feet.

Fiona was his match in every way. So it was logical for Abax to give his loyalty and affection to her. But nestling with her was a little extreme. What power did she have to take the attention of his steed from him?

He mulled the question over as they attended to the damage that had been done to her legs. Elven healing would have to be employed, or she would not be able to move painlessly again. Mythos was hovering over her feet now, magic flowing into her wounded tissues. She would never know how her feet had been healed, she would just assume that it had been the rapid medical care she had received. It was the way they had always dealt with humans.

Fiona’s magic was finding and therein lay the secret of Abax’s loyalties. Fiona was a hunter. She could find anything. And Abax was, first and foremost, a steed of the Wild Hunt. Ander almost laughed aloud as he figured it out.

The steed had given his loyalty to the best hunter in the family. That was unmistakably Fiona. He would have to get used to being second best.

As long as she kept looking at him with trust in her eyes, he could manage.

 

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