Page 78 (1/2)

“Teamwork Because there’s no I in team”

His sarcasot to see the humorous side of his personality

Inside the elevator, I elamour that makes me look like another nurse in scrubs before we step out onto the fourth floor

“I’ll keep the staff enthralled with my whit” He winks

I follow the room numbers down the hall and slip into a diy as I place a ward on the door It’ll alert ets close I walk over to the side of the bed Swathed in bandages, the victily li full of what I assume is medicine and antibiotics run into his arht I return to over and over again The thought of skin sliced carefully an inch at a ti I’ve ever had to consider

A low moan shocks me I peer down and find a set of bloodshot pale blue eyes studyingoff hi No amount of medication will put him under They meant to make him feel every ounce of pain until he expires His pain filled whimpers lacerate my heart

“I’m Lou, and I’m here to help you if I can The people who did this are very dangerous We want to catch them before they do this to another person I know you’re in an insane amount of pain, but if you’ll allow me to, I believe I can help” He studies me warily “Blink once for yes, and twice for no Do you want me to help?”

He blinks once I place my hands over his heart and concentrate I can’t reic shared between his worse What I can do is dull the pain I cast a spell to block his pain receptors The relief is visible His eyes clear He focuses on my face

“Can you talk?” I ask gently

“Yes” His voice is raw and rusted like metal left out in the rain

“I know about the genie and the puzzle box Is there anything you want to share with me?”

“I couldn’t do it Destroy the city again Not even to save my wife from cancer”

My heart races “Were you working with the Djinn?”

Tears spill fro inforot in over my head I couldn’t do it Harvest the skin of a betrayer while they were alive” He chokes up

“So they took yours instead”