Thorns of Decision (Dusk Gate Chronicles) (12 page)

This felt a lot like going back to the beginning. Although Nathaniel and Lily had done their best to repair Thomas’ leg after he had first been injured, they’d worried it wouldn’t be enough. They didn’t have the equipment here to do the kind of reconstructive surgery that would ensure Thomas would regain full use of his leg.

“That’s not your fault, either Will.” Thomas said, wincing as William picked up his hand and pressed gently around the IV port.

Hot anger toward Tolliver – and toward the man who had done this to Thomas – had knocked him down a flight of stone stairs and who knew what else, because so far, Thomas wouldn’t talk about it – coursed through her. She rubbed Thomas’ shoulder.

“I need to take out this port and put in a new one,” William was saying. “They can get infected if they’re in too long.”

Thomas grimaced, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment before nodding. “As long as it’s you doing it.”

Linnea moved closer, putting her hand on Thomas’ other shoulder. “I thought you were the one who’s not afraid of needles,” she teased, though Quinn could tell she was more upset than her casual words implied.

Thomas raised an eyebrow, and reached to pat Linnea’s hand. “Well, I’m not as bad as these two,” he nodded at William and Quinn, “but that doesn’t mean I
enjoy
them,” he said. “And at the moment, I’m just a little over the whole thing.”

After he put it back down, William gently took Thomas’ arm in his hands and held it toward the girls, showing them tiny bruises in a few spots. “The nurse who put this IV in when Thomas was first admitted tried three times to get it started in his arm, before he finally gave up and stuck it in his hand, which is an easier stick, but it hurts – especially when you’re all tensed up from the first three pokes,” he said. “Nathaniel was off filling out paperwork or something, and it was about all I could do to not push the guy out of the way and do it myself.”

“Yeah,” Thomas said, shuddering slightly at the memory. “Will, I know you were upset you couldn’t get me back to Bristlecone for the surgery in the first place. But trust me when I tell you that I’m glad you tried it here at home first. I’d rather be here with less technology, and fewer resources, than to only have the option of strangers running in and out like it’s an inn or something. I don’t know why you think I’d rest and recover better there. Two nights was enough. I couldn’t have handled all of that when I was first hurt. I was barely ready two days ago.”

 “I’m sure it was a little overwhelming,” Quinn said, watching as Linnea brushed his hair back from his forehead. She felt pretty awful that he’d had to spend his two nights in the hospital alone.

“Seriously,” he said. “Last night, I was almost asleep after the second time someone came in to check my blood pressure and my temperature, when another guy comes in with a syringe full of something. I hold out my hand so he’ll put whatever it is in my IV, but no … this is the one with the needle that he sticks in my stomach. I was awake for a while after
that.
My favorite part was that he was whispering and he only turned a low light on, so he wouldn’t
wake me up
.” He rolled his eyes.

“
And, of course, by the time I was sleepy again, the blood pressure lady was back. When the guy came for blood at five in the morning, I think I almost cried. I
know
I just wanted to be home.”

It was almost funny – except that it wasn’t.

“I’m sorry, buddy,” William said. “None of this is fun, I know. Someday, I am going to get my hands on Harbin Rhinewald …”

Thomas gave him a half-hearted smile, though there was a strangely dark look in his eyes. “Don’t ever go near that guy, William. Really. I’m here and I’m safe now, and
none of this
is your fault. I’m sure it isn’t easy on you either, having to take care of me like this. It was probably a nice break for you to have someone else do it for a couple days.”

The look that flashed across William’s face then made Quinn’s heart give a little jolt. “It was not even a little bit easier for me, Thomas. Don’t ever think that,” William said, rubbing his brother’s shoulder. “I love you. And I hate that you’re hurting, and I
want
to be here for you and helping you through it.”

Somehow, a new IV port was already secured in an out-of-the way spot on Thomas’ arm, and he hadn’t even flinched. Another wave of admiration for William washed over her.

Only a second later, though, she cringed when William picked up a small syringe. “Unfortunately, you’re not going to like me any better than that night nurse for a minute here,” he said as he lifted the edge of Thomas’ shirt. “This one has to go under the skin on your abdomen.”

Thomas sighed. Though she could see he was trying hard not to react, his whole body tensed a little. “I know. I asked about it when they gave me another one before I left the hospital.”

Although the needle was tiny, Thomas squeezed his eyes shut and held his breath during the shot. Quinn grabbed his hand and held it tightly, while Linnea combed her fingers through her brother’s hair.

“Do those hurt?” Linnea asked William when he was finished.

“I’m fine, Nay,” Thomas said, probably hearing the worry in his sister’s voice. “It just stings for a few minutes.” He closed his eyes again, and then looked back up at her. “I guess that stuff keeps me from getting blood clots in my legs.”

“It does,” William said. “It’s one of the drugs we didn’t have enough of when you were first hurt. Nathaniel and I were worried the whole time.”

“So, let me guess, you brought back plenty of it, right?” Thomas said drily. He meant to be funny, but nobody laughed.

“You need it a couple of times a day until you’re up and walking,” William’s voice was tinged with a mixture of sorrow and anger – and Quinn knew exactly where the anger was directed.

 “A couple of times every day? I think I’m going to need my mom,” Thomas said, not entirely jokingly.

Quinn squeezed his hand again, sad as she thought about him having to go through that all alone with some stranger in the middle of the night. She felt guilty now that they hadn’t gone to see him on Tuesday night, too. So what if she would have missed work?

Almost as if on cue, there was a soft knock at the door. It opened before any of them had time to respond, and Queen Charlotte peeked into the room. She hesitated for a fraction of a second, glancing at the four of them, and then nearly ran to the bed. Linnea and Quinn backed away automatically, and after placing one more piece of tape, William joined them at the foot of the bed.

By itself, Quinn’s hand reached toward William’s and clasped it tightly. Never taking his eyes off Thomas and his mother, William squeezed back.

“Mother,” Thomas said, as Charlotte leaned down and kissed him on the cheek.

For a moment, Quinn was acutely aware of how young Thomas really was. His whole demeanor changed as Charlotte ran her hand across his forehead. As mature and skilled as he so often seemed, in reality, he was still a teenage boy. More than a year younger than she was, even. And he’d been through so much lately.

“How is he?” Charlotte asked, looking up at William. “We didn’t expect you all to return so soon.”

“I’m right here, Mother. I can talk.” Thomas said.

“Yes, but you won’t be blunt with me.”

Linnea stifled a giggle.

“I’m okay. The surgery went well, and I hear my leg will be okay. I’ve gotten over any interest I ever had in hospitals in Quinn’s world. I’m still hurting, and the trip here isn’t something I’d like to repeat any time soon. I’m really, really glad to be home though, and I’m happy you’re here.”

“He’s right,” William said. “And he really needs some rest soon.” Glancing at Quinn and Linnea, he nodded toward the door. The girls picked up on his hint, and followed him into the hallway, giving Charlotte some time alone with her son.

*          *          *

They were all the way out in the hall when Quinn noticed that Linnea was looking at her strangely. She followed Linnea’s eyes down to her hand, and realized that it was still interlaced with William’s.

Apparently he’d only just noticed that as well, because he let it drop then, although he didn’t appear to be bothered. In fact, he reached up to her shoulder and gave it a gentle pat before looking back at his sister. “Do you know where Father is?” he asked.

She shook her head. “Everyone was eating dinner – we all thought Simon and Max would be coming back alone, but I just couldn’t. I needed to be where I’d see him right away. I just had a feeling that you might – that Thomas would be coming.” Looking over at Quinn, she frowned, “I didn’t imagine
you
would be coming back so soon, though. What is going on with that?”

Quinn looked down at the floor, tracing the lines in the hard wood with her foot. She didn’t even know where to begin.

William interrupted. “It’s been a difficult few days for Quinn, Linnea. And we heard some shocking news today. I don’t think she’s quite been able to absorb it yet. I know I haven’t. I know you’ve had to be patient a
lot
lately, but we could all use whatever little bit you have left to spare.”

Curiosity burned in Linnea’s dark gray eyes, but she nodded. “We should go and open…”

Linnea’s sentence was cut off as Mia ran up the hallway toward them.

“Lady Linnea! I heard that Master Thomas had returned. Is he here? Is he all right?”

William turned to face her. “Yes, Mia. He’s here, and he’s okay. My mother is in with him now.”

Mia nodded, out of breath, worry still in her expression. Suddenly, she looked up at Quinn. “Lady Quinn! I had no idea you might be coming! Your room isn’t…”

“I’m sure my room is fine, Mia. Unless someone else is sleeping in there or something.”

Mia’s eyes widened. “Oh, no! Lady Quinn! Your room has always been reserved just for you since you first stayed in it. I don’t know that anyone ever even used it before you began visiting.”

“Relax, Mia. It’s fine.”

“I’ll have it ready in twenty minutes.” The girl disappeared down the hallway.

Quinn would have called after her, to stop her, if she didn’t know that Mia took pleasure in the work that she did, and that she would never calm down until everything was ready. Truthfully, tonight it wouldn’t have made any difference to Quinn if she’d had to sleep on a couch in her clothes.

After what she’d learned today, she wondered if there was more to Mia’s assertion that her room had always been “reserved for her” than Mia was even aware of.

Still not ready to handle the rest of the horde of Rose children, they decided to go to Linnea’s room instead, and were walking that way, when King Stephen appeared in the hallway.

“William!” he said, taking the three remaining steps to his son and wrapping him in his arms. “I was just looking for you. How is Thomas?”

He nodded, which seemed to be enough for his father. Quinn was glad – she knew that explaining things over and over was beginning to wear on him.

“Have any of you eaten?” Stephen asked. It didn’t escape Quinn’s notice that Stephen didn’t appear in the least surprised to see her standing in the hallway with William and Linnea. Charlotte, too, had behaved as if her presence was anticipated.

“No.” William answered. “Quinn, are you hungry?”

“I … I don’t know,” she said. Now that she thought about it, she should be hungry – starving, really. Outside of a cup of hot chocolate with Annie, she hadn’t eaten anything since William had made the two of them some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches when they had first arrived at Nathaniel’s house.

“Linnea – I’m sorry to do this to you, and you can be mad at me later,” William said, “but will you please go and ask someone to bring up some dinner for all of us? I’m sure it will be fine for you to go back in with Mother and Thomas soon. But Quinn and I really need to speak privately with Father.”