Chapter Thirty-Six
Mary sat on a bench outside Tony and Naura’s apartment, listening to the sounds of a difficult birth in progress.
She lifted her head from Rykaur’s shoulder and met his worried gaze. “Is she going to be okay?”
“I do not know,” he answered in a low voice. “But Zaureth and Abbie are both with her. I cannot think of anyone more qualified to help her than those two.”
A scream rent the air, and Mary jumped to her feet to pace. “That didn’t sound good, Rykaur. I’m not sure I can ever go through anything like that.”
Rykaur stood and took her hand, forcing her to stop pacing. “Not all births are difficult. I do not know what is happening in there, but I am sure that Zaureth has it under control.”
Mary flinched as another painful cry rang out from the apartment. “Dear God.”
A gorgeous older female stepped into the hall, her face pale and tears sparkling in her light green eyes. “Naura is having difficulty dilating, and the baby is becoming distressed. If she has not birthed him in the next hour, he will have to be cut from her womb.”
Rykaur moved to console the elder female, tugging Mary along with him. “Abbie is a good healer, my lady. Naura will be okay. I know she will.”
The tall regal-looking female gave a watery smile. “Thank you, Rykaur. And who is this you have with you?”
“Mary, my mate.” He glanced at Mary. “This is Laurel, our queen.”
Laurel extended her hand. “I am pleased to meet you, Mary.”
“The pleasure is mine, my lady,” Mary responded, mimicking Rykaur’s words. She accepted the queen’s hand.
The queen gently squeezed Mary’s palm. “Under better circumstances, I would offer an invitation to dine with us. Perhaps once the babe is born…” Her voice trailed off.
“Of course, my lady. If you need anything, please let us know.”
Laurel nodded her thanks and returned to Naura’s room.
Mary and Rykaur moved back to the bench to wait. They sat there for what seemed an eternity before Zaureth appeared in the doorway. “We need to move Naura to the clinic, Rykaur. Go fetch an ATV large enough to hold her comfortably. Abbie and I will need one as well.”
Mary jumped to her feet and began running toward the great hall without waiting for Rykaur to answer.
She grabbed the first big four-wheeler she came to and climbed on.
Rykaur rounded the corner behind her, his gaze scanning the ATV’s in rapid succession.
“Take that one.” Mary nodded to a mule sitting on the end. “It has a back seat with enough room for Tony to hold her. Can you drive that thing?”
Rykaur was already sliding behind the wheel and turning the key.
“I guess that’s a yes.” Mary gassed the four-wheeler and spun back toward Naura’s apartment as fast as it would go.
Tony came through the doorway, holding his pregnant mate in his arms. His face appeared pale and gaunt, and his eyes were red with unshed tears.
Mary’s heart went out to the man. But not as much as it did for Naura.
Naura’s damp hair hung loose around her shoulders, and several strands stuck to her perspiring face. A cry suddenly wrenched from her throat, and her body arched back in Tony’s arms.
Rykaur came around the corner, hell bent for leather. “Get in!”
Tony rushed across the floor and climbed onto the back seat as quickly as possible without causing his mate any more pain.
Abbie jumped on the back of Mary’s four-wheeler while Zaureth boarded the mule with Rykaur and Tony.
“Drive,” Tony growled as another hoarse cry burst from Naura.
Mary took off with as much speed as the ATV possessed.
“Hold on!” she yelled to Abbie, damn near taking the first corner on two wheels.
Abbie’s arms came around Mary’s waist, her chest pressing against Mary’s back. “Don’t worry about me, just drive!”
Mary maneuvered the corner and blasted down the hall with the efficiency of a dirt track driver.
They arrived at the clinic ten minutes later. Abbie jumped off the back and ran to a table situated in the center of the room. “Turn on all the lights you can find.”
Doing as Abbie demanded, Mary hovered nearby, watching as Abbie grabbed numerous objects and set them up on a long stainless steel table.
The sound of the mule stopping in the hall caught Mary’s attention.
Tony came barreling into the room, his now unconscious mate held high against his chest.
“Put her on the table,” Abbie snapped, readying an IV bag.
Once Tony had Naura on the table, Abbie started the IV in her hand and pulled out a syringe. She injected the contents of the syringe into the IV, grabbed some scissors, and began cutting Naura’s clothes from her body. “Everyone out but Zaureth.”
Mary and Rykaur immediately moved toward the door.
“I’m not leaving,” Tony snarled, staying by his mate’s side.
Abbie barely spared him a glance. “Fine, but I need you out of the way. Move up there behind her head.”
Out in the hall, Mary and Rykaur stood in front of the open doorway, holding hands and watching as Abbie attempted to save Naura and her unborn child.