wrath of the Sea Queen (84 page)

Salma wiped down C
a
eli's face and arms with a wet washcloth
twice, and then a third time as she
noted
the relief it provided.  Then she
retrieved
the
bottle of water
she brought
with her
when she returned
to the room
and handed it to C
a
eli
.
 
Salma wanted to keep her fluid level up to prevent any further dehydration.

As her niece was again tormented with pain, Salma tr
ied
to figure out how C
a
eli was
even
conscious.  The medicine should have knocked her out.  Salma made the decision to give her one more dose.  If it didn't work this time, Salma would not give her any more.  So, as C
a
eli lifted the water bottle, Salma deftly injected her arm yet again.

"Not again, Salma
," C
a
eli protested weakly.

"This is the last time, Dear."

C
a
eli
was grateful for the water
that Salma gave her
.  Her
throat
cr
ied
out
like
the victim of
a sandstorm in the Sahara.  She wanted to flood it with water.

"
Whoa,
do
n
'
t
drink
so fast. 
You can have
as much as you want, but take small sips
or you will end up regretting it
. 
I
a
m sorry I can't fix this yet, but hopefully that
last
shot will ease
your
pain. 
Once the pain
eases
,
the
n the
nausea should subside as well. 
Come on. 
Let's get you back to bed."

After
C
a
eli was situated
and seemed to be feeling slightly better, for the moment
, Salma pulled a chair over and placed it beside the bed.
 
S
he
watched
as
C
a
eli continued to
sip
from
the water
bottle.  Salma noticed how
the weight of the bottle caused
C
a
eli's
hands to shake and her frustration to grow.

"Give me that bottle.  I
wi
ll refill it for you in a while.  Close your eyes and try to relax.  Let the medicine do its work," Salma instructed C
a
eli in her professional voice.

"How is Max?"

"He is fine.  Why do you ask?"

"I think I scared him at the arena," C
a
eli said.

"How?"

"He heard me cry out, Salma. 
Did you know that h
e has a special talent
?  He heard us talking on the plane.
"

"Well, talent or not, he is no worse for it.  Max seems to have taken quite a liking to you.  I think he may give Vin a run for his money when it comes to worrying about you," Salma smiled as she told C
a
eli how Max described her as a Sea Goddess.

"Where
i
s Vin?"

"He
i
s
waiting
out in the lounge."

"Is he very upset
with me
?
  I only wanted some water.
"

"Upset? 
No, but h
e is
very
worried
.  Luckily
, he is wise enough to heed my advice
and
stay out there so that you will rest. 
You, on the other hand, are
not doing as you've been told
.  Please, C
a
eli,
stop worrying about
every
one
else.  The only thing you should be thinking about right now is get
ting
well.  You need t
o
rest
for that to happen," Salma advised.

"
Well, at least I am not the only person you irritate.  I really like
your aunt
.  I suppose she might suffice if you don't change your mind.
"

"
You l
eave Salma
out of this
!
"
  C
a
eli replied to Rika's proposed threat.

"
I will
be happy to
if you accept my offer. 
In the meantime,
w
ith her
watching over you tonight, I will remove
the ban I placed between you and your man
. 
I think your aunt
will do well enough to keep you apart while
you
take some
time to reconsider
your options
.  There is no need for you to suffer like this
, C
a
eli
.  I can cure you
.  There is still time to save your baby
.
"

C
a
eli could tell that Rika's presence
retreated
after those last
frightening
words.  Instantly, her pain eased
a considerable amount
.  Had Rika been making her pain worse this whole time, like she did at the arena?  C
a
eli
wondered how she
had
bec
o
me so weak in such a short time.
  Now
that
she thought
about it, C
a
eli favored the notion
that Rika might have had a hand in her
swift
decline.
 
It was too much for C
a
eli to sort through
alone
.  She closed her already drooping eyelids.  Turning slowly, C
a
eli moved onto her side and laid her hand on the empty pillow where Vin would normally have slept beside her.  She needed a different perspective.  C
a
eli needed Vin.

Seeing C
a
eli begin to drift off, Salma pulled a book
out of C
a
eli's suitcase
,
made
a
comfortable
place
on the chair
,
and
began to read.  C
a
eli, however,
f
ought
not to succumb to the
chemicals racing through her body and
darken
ing
the e
dges of her mind. 
It seemed to
C
a
eli
as if
falling asleep would endanger her further.  It was an odd feeling, and C
a
eli had no idea wh
at triggered it
.  Yet,
it was strong enough to make her
resist the pull of the drugs Salma had given her. 
C
a
eli
needed a distraction to occupy her mind.

"
Vin.
"

"
C
a
eli
. 
I'm here.  How are you
? 
What d
o you need?
"

"
I
needed to hear your voice, if only like this.
"

"
You can hear me in person
if you prefer
.  I
wi
ll be right there.
"

Vin turned in a rush from where he stood at the window in the lounge.  He had been waiting anxiously for a chance to see C
a
eli.  In a breath, he cross
ed
the lounge and
stood
only
a few
steps away from
his
hotel room door.  He stopped
outside
at C
a
eli's request.

"
You better not
come in
side
.  Salma will get upset.  In fact, she
wi
ll be mad if she finds out that I'm talking to you now.  She wants me to sleep.
"