“Hey.” The fae reached out to shake the smiling woman’s hand.
“Nice to meet you. How you doin’ today?”
“Ready to get started.” Ember let out a nervous chuckle.
“Good. We have some things to go over first, and then we will start.”
Cheyenne didn’t realize she was frowning at the doctor’s yoga pants and long-sleeved thermal shirt until Dr. Boseley thrust her hand under the halfling’s nose.
“Dr. Boseley.”
Blinking quickly, Cheyenne took Boseley’s hand and gave it a firm shake. “Cheyenne.”
“Nice to meet you too. I love to meet my patients’ friends and family. Puts us all on the same team, you know?”
“Yeah, she’s been ridiculously helpful.” Ember shot the halfling a quick glance and shrugged.
“Good. So, if you’re ready, let’s talk about what’s going on with you right now. You were discharged from VCU Medical Center just this last Thursday, correct?”
Ember nodded. “Yep.”
“I’m sorry. Excuse me.” Cheyenne jerked her thumb toward the windows and the hallway beyond. “Where’s your restroom?”
“Oh, yeah. Down the hall to your left, then you’ll pass the other hall on the far end of this room, and it’s the first door on the left.”
“Great. Thanks. You good?”
Ember looked at the half-drow and slowly nodded. “Totally. Are you?”
“Yeah, once I find the bathroom. Sorry.”
The fae gave her a dismissive shrug, and Cheyenne opened the glass door to step into the hall.
“Just come right on in when you get back,” Dr. Boseley called after her.
The halfling shot them both a thumbs-up and let the door fall quietly shut behind her.
Chapter Ninety-One
She headed down the hall toward wherever the bathroom was supposed to be and tried not to peer conspicuously into every open door or window she passed. What the hell is this tingling crap?
She rubbed the back of her neck and along her shoulder, but of course, that didn’t do anything. Can’t just stand out here staring at people. Make it look real, at least.
When she passed the hall running along the far end of the gym, she slowed to gaze at as much of it as she could. Only one other nurse walked quickly down it toward her, smiled, and opened a door before disappearing into the next room. Something’s up.
Cheyenne stepped into the bathroom and turned on the light before locking the door. She hiked up the bottom of her black corduroys and bent over to study her ankle. “All good there. They would’ve told me about darktongue side effects, right?”
The halfling turned and searched her reflection in the mirror. With a deep breath, she stared into her eyes and tried to will away the tingle across her back. The sensation flared, and she slapped at the top of her shoulder in reflex. “Ugh. Feels like...bugs all over me.”
Something flashed in the mirror, and she glanced back up to see the reflection of the Heart of Midnight pendant letting off another soft silver pulse. “Oh, come on.”
Rolling her eyes, Cheyenne grabbed the pendant and dipped her head to look at it. The Heart hadn’t changed, but if she focused hard, those little streaks of silver within the sparkling black stone looked like they were moving. Can’t take it off. Might not even be the stupid pendant.
She looked back up at her reflection and shook her head. “Snap out of it, Cheyenne. Pay attention to everything. Don’t assume what’s happening. Okay. Good talk.”
Opening the door again, she smacked off the light and stepped into the hallway again. This time, she paid attention to the tension in her face and forced herself to relax. The halfling stuck her hands in her pockets and moved down the hall at a leisurely pace. Just checking things out, right? Nobody’s gonna care.
When she got halfway toward the other side of the gym, she stopped and leaned against the wall between two closed doors. On the other side of the glass walls, Dr. Boseley knelt in front of Ember. She lifted one of the fae’s feet in both hands and slowly lowered it again before looking up to ask her patient a question. Whatever Ember said, it made the redheaded doctor laugh and nod.
Okay. Good clinic. Good doctor. At least Ember’s being taken care of right now.
One of the doors beside her opened, and a man a little taller than Cheyenne’s five feet three inches stepped into the hall beside her. He wore sweatpants and a short-sleeved thermal, his biceps bulging out from beneath the thin material like they were at a real gym.
“Hello.” His gaze fell to the Heart of Darkness pendant, but he didn’t react in any other way. The halfling forced herself not to cover the necklace. “Can I help you with anything?”
“Oh, no. I’m good. I just came with my friend.” She nodded toward the gym.
The bodybuilder guy nodded and folded his arms. “Her first time in?”
“Yeah, actually.” Cheyenne turned toward him and raised her eyebrows. “Good guess.”
“Well, I’ve been watching people come in and out of here long enough. Plus, Dr. Boseley really puts on the charm with new patients.”
“Uh-oh. Are we looking at Dr. Boseley and Ms. Hyde here, then?”
He chuckled. “Definitely not. She’s really good. And admittedly, I was working through the schedule before I stepped out here and saw she had a new patient appointment right now.”
“Right. Got me.”
“Wasn’t sure you’d come, though.”
Cheyenne froze and stared through the clear glass into the gym. “What was that?”
“Well, it’s usually just really close friends and family who come in with new patients for the first few sessions.”
The knot of hyper-awareness in the half-drow’s mind loosened a little. He’s just talking about normal medical stuff. “Well, it’s kinda both with Ember and me. We’re not related, but I think I’m the closest thing she has to family right now. It’s just been her and me since...well, since she was put in that wheelchair in the first place.”
“I get it.” The guy beside her nodded, then leaned toward the halfling.
Cheyenne glanced at him and leaned away. “What are you doing?”
“You don’t have to explain it, phér móre.
