Tempting the Fates

Chapter 38

Her body fell from the window like a stone. I hit the windowsill hard, throwing my arms out for her. I grasped wildly, and I felt something connect with my right hand. I grabbed onto whatever it was, hoping like hell it was Thalia. The weight of her yanked my arm down, and I heard an awful crack as my wrist and forearm hit the bottom of the window. Pain flared up my arm, but I refused to let go.

My powers were still weakened, but I hoped I had enough left to save her. I braved a look and realized I'd caught Thalia's wrist. She was hanging limp from my grasp, as if she were unconscious, or worse. She was not a large woman by any means, but my arm muscles were straining to hold her weight. My arm screamed in protest as I held tight. I tried to shutter us back inside, but either due to my weakness or my unfocused mind, I couldn't.

"THALIA!" I screamed, trying to get her to wake. "Thalia, please!"

My feet skidded on the floor a bit as the weight of her became too much to bear. I grasped the windowsill with my other hand. If we both fell out the window, I wasn't sure if I'd have enough power or time to transport us to safety.

"Help!" I screamed, desperate for someone to hear me. I looked over and noticed that the door had shut behind me.

The doorknob rattled, and I heard two loud thumps against the door. Someone was trying to get in my room, but they couldn't get through. Magic?

"Help! I can't hold on much longer!" My fingers were burning as I tried to hold onto her with everything I had. My arm was killing me, but the adrenaline pumping in my blood was dulling it enough to ignore.

"Hold on, Callie!" I heard a deep voice bellow from the hallway. Hermes.

Moments later, I felt the pressure relieving in my arm. Thalia's body was being lifted by Hermes, his winged sneakers fluttering on his feet. I let go as soon as I knew he had her safely in his arms, and my wrist seared with pain as I calmed down. I ignored it again, focusing on Hermes, who flew Thalia back into my room.

I gestured to the floor between us. "Put her there."

He obeyed, laying her lifeless-looking body onto the ground. I knelt in front of him, checking her pulse. It was still there, but barely. It was getting slower by the second. 

"What the hell happened?" Hermes questioned.

"Not a clue. I walked in and she just stepped out the fucking window!" I lifted her eyelids, wishing I had a light to check her pupils. I put my ear against her chest to listen for breathing. I heard nothing. I made sure to check her throat, which was clear. I held a hand over her chest and tried to get my powers to work. Nothing happened. "Can you heal her?" I turned to Hermes.

He shook his head. "Despite my staff being improperly adapted as the universal symbol for medicine, I'm definitely not capable of that."

I cursed. "She's not breathing. Not choking. I'm starting compressions. Be prepared to switch."

"Huh?" Hermes stared, dumbfounded. "Switch what?"

I placed my hands in the right places and started chest compressions. Searing pain radiated up my injured arm, but I kept going. I remembered that awful song my classmates used to sing during our CPR instruction to keep the proper tempo.

"See where my hands are, how my fingers are laced? See how I'm pressing on her chest? We're going to switch in a minute, so I don't get too tired."

"Callie, your arm-"

"Not now!" I yelled. "You know what? I have a better idea. Go get my husband! Hurry!"

Hermes nodded without a word, zipping out the window that Thalia had just fallen out of. I continued pressing against her chest in rhythm, then checking her pulse and breathing. Nothing was changing. My heart was raging in my chest, that panic and yet total clarity overtaking me. I have to help her; I have to help her. She cannot die now. Every moment of training I'd had in medicine was swirling through my head as I did everything I could to save her.