Way of No Return (Champions of the Crystal Book 8)

Chapter 23.2

Cynthia had a short, depressing conversation with Ranja's doctor, then stopped to visit the patient herself. She squeezed her hand and said, "We've got your kids. They're coming to see you. Don't worry; we'll take good care of them until you can."

There was no response. Cynthia knew that the doctors had detected only the faintest activity outside Ranja's brainstem; on Earth there would have been only the barest trace of hope for her recovery. Even here, the doctors seemed wary of predicting how much of her higher functions she might recover.

On her way back to the royal wing, Cynthia paused inside the checkpoint, gathering her thoughts. In a momentary lull of activity, she thought she heard quiet sobbing, and ducked into the nearest room, which was empty. Or so she thought.

"Hey," she said softly, going over to the far corner to kneel beside Seuréa. "What's wrong?"

"Everything," Seuréa said, lifting her head and wiping at her eyes.

"Yeah. I know," Cynthia said. "I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do?"

Seuréa shook her head. "Isiri's funeral is today. I have to leave in a minute."

Cynthia sat down. "I'm sorry. I liked her; she seemed really nice."

"She was."

"I lost my mom recently," Cynthia mused. "I still cry about it sometimes. The funeral was horrible, and I really wished Sabrina had been there. But I understood why she couldn't be."

"I know," Seuréa said, sounding impatient. "There's so much work. I understand."

Cynthia thought about it for a moment. Then she reached into her tunic and drew out the royal signet hanging on a fine chain. "But you know what? Ford told me this made me Sabrina's stand-in. Her representative, I guess. So if I came with you, it would almost be like she was there, wouldn't it?"

Seuréa blinked at her. "Maybe. I suppose. I—I like the way you talk to me. It's the same way Sabrina does."

Cynthia smiled. "We had the same teachers."

"Then will you come?"

"Yes."

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By sundown, Sabrina and her household had crammed themselves into the little house on Ford and Sabrina's Bathiran oceanfront property, and Seuréa and Cynthia went there instead of back to the hospital. The next day, Rutha and Pinsi left for home; Vahreen had been declared safe after extensive militia operations in the area had cleared the remaining Kyan out. Seuréa was sad to say good-bye to them, but she occupied herself in looking after Corbin and Neralla and running errands for Sabrina.

Sabrina discovered that the comfortable reclining chair on the patio overlooking the ocean made a much nicer place to do absolutely nothing than the hospital room had been. And now that she had some nursery attendants in place, there was less to do with the baby, except feed her every few hours and spend time marveling at her tiny fingers and toes. As the sun set, she closed her eyes and dozed a bit.

A pair of warm lips pressing gently against hers provoked a hum of contentment. "You'd better not let my husband catch you doing that," she murmured, not bothering to open her eyes.

"I think I can take him," Ford replied, settling on the edge of her chair.

"Oh, I don't know. He has a pretty big Sword," Sabrina smiled.

Ford snickered, and she opened her eyes. Then she frowned. "What happened to your hair?"

"What?" he asked, patting his head in surprise.