Chapter 1
The bag dragged at my arms as I forced myself to keep moving, every step tearing a scream from my muscles.
Human bodies littered the grass—bleeding, groaning, some staring blankly at the sky as they waited for their turn at medical care. Nearby, Ipherians moved with ruthless efficiency, lifting their wounded onto stretchers and carrying them straight to the medical unit.
My chest tightened at the sight of my fellow humans. I forced my gaze forward and pushed on.
My fingers slipped against the bag’s rough handle, slick with sweat—or blood, I couldn’t tell anymore.
“Move faster, human,” the soldier barked.
I bowed and increased my pace. The gash on my leg screamed in protest.
The soldier led me toward the central area of the camp. He halted in front of one of the larger tents and asked for permission to enter.
A chill crept down my spine. Humans weren’t usually called in here.
The tent flap opened without a sound, and he gestured for me to step inside.
The temperature dropped the moment I stepped inside. The metallic scent of blood filled my nostrils, thick and suffocating. I kept my head low, careful not to meet any Ipherian’s eyes.
A loud grunt echoed from the corner of the tent. Heavy footsteps followed, stopping in front of the soldier who had brought me here.
“I asked you to bring a doctor,” he said, his voice cutting through the tent. “How could you bring a human here?”
The soldier dropped to one knee.
“Major Kurs,” he said, his voice taut. “Most of the Ipherian doctors are injured. The rest are occupied with life-threatening patients.”
“I searched everywhere,” he added. “The raid left too many wounded, and we’re short on doctors.”
“You do know who is injured,” the authoritative voice said slowly, “don’t you, soldier?”
“He wouldn’t even tolerate her presence,” Major Kurs added more quietly.
My grip tightened around the bag. Is the official a Purist? I forced the thought down before it could show.
A smooth voice came from inside. “Is she an approved human doctor?”
“Yes, General,” the soldier replied.
“Bring her in.”
The words landed sharp and final. Major Kurs gestured for me to follow, deeper into the tent.
********
My posture straightened instinctively, my head remaining low. My legs weakened, as though the tent itself pressed heavier around me.
An Ipherian man lay on a wide bed. Blue blood oozed from a long cut across his torso.
Then I saw his face.
The Purist General Avrid lay there.
I couldn’t move, dread settling deep in my bones.
Every human nightmare had a face—and it lay bleeding in front of me.
Major Kurs pushed me farther inside.
“Do your work.”
One of the rules engraved into my mind for ten years resurfaced - never touch an Ipherian.
Hesitantly, I reached for the wound. My fingers hovered for a breath before I touched him. With light hands, I cleaned the blood around it.
When he didn’t react, I finally let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.
I reached for the disinfectant next, my fingers still unsteady as I uncorked the vial. The sharp scent cut through the heavy air, stinging my nose as I soaked the cloth. This was the part that hurt—even for humans. For an Ipherian, I wasn’t sure.
As I pressed the cloth to the wound, I thought I felt a shift beneath my hands, a faint stiffness in his shoulders, almost imperceptible. I froze, heart hammering. Had he stirred?
I swallowed and continued, moving carefully. Blue blood welled again as I cleaned deeper. My fingers trembled, each motion deliberate.
A low, controlled exhale from him brushed against my ear. My breath caught. He was awake—or at least aware—and watching my every move.
I reached for the needle, forcing my shaking hands to steady. One stitch at a time, I closed the wound, each pull precise, each second stretching unbearably long. His body remained tense, subtle movements betraying a quiet vigilance.
When I tied off the final stitch, my shoulders sagged with relief—but the weight of his gaze remained.
“You can go now,” the voice said at my shoulder.
I packed my things and bowed deeply, keeping my head down as I retraced my steps, aware of eyes I couldn’t see watching me.
