For several seconds, Anden stared in openmouthed horror and astonishment, unable to make sense of the impossible sight. Recovering himself, he got out of the car and went to help. When he reached them, he hesitated, drawing away from Ayt as if instinctively avoiding a viper. Then he put a hand under the injured woman’s other arm and opened the rear door of the car, helping Shae to lay her down in the back.
Shae dropped into the front passenger seat. Anden got back into the driver’s side. He turned to Shae with wide, questioning eyes. The Weather Man looked terrible. Ash coated her hair and darkened the film of sweat on her face so that she looked nearly as gray as a corpse herself.
“Shae-jen,” Anden said slowly, “why exactly are we saving the life of Ayt Madashi?”
“We need her,” Shae answered grimly. “The city needs her. This would be the worst time for the country’s largest clan to fall into chaos, or to the Koben family, which might be nearly as bad.” She read the stricken question in Anden’s eyes, and said quietly, “I haven’t gotten any news. Have you?”
Anden shook his head. “I’ve checked with all the hospitals.” Shae had reached him at the clinic in Paw-Paw where he’d been working, dealing with the influx of injured people overwhelming Janloon’s medical facilities. In between rushing around caring for patients, he’d been alternately phoning the main Kaul house, Shae’s house, the Horn’s house, the Weather Man’s office—trying to find out if the rest of the family was safe. The phone lines were jammed; it was sheer luck that Shae had gotten through to him on a pay phone outside the temple after only three attempts. He was still in medical scrubs and wearing his jade, having rushed out immediately without telling anyone.
Anden glanced over his shoulder into the rear seat of his Ryuna 5T Wagon, an eminently practical vehicle that Hilo had teased him about, but whose nondescriptness he was now thankful for as it would be the last car anyone would think to scrutinize if they were searching for the Pillar of the Mountain. Ayt Mada was breathing, but not moving. “The bomb site is only a few blocks away and there are ambulances and Mountain clan Green Bones there,” Anden said. “Or should we take her straight to Janloon General?”
“Neither,” Ayt said, with enough vehemence that Anden flinched at the voice of his family’s mortal enemy coming from directly behind his shoulder. “No one in the Mountain can see me like this. Do you understand?” Ayt took a rattling breath and tried to sit up. “I . . . I need to get back my strength first . . .”
“You need a doctor, Ayt-jen,” Anden said. “You’ve lost too much blood.”
“Enough that I might die of my injuries within an hour of being found. Get me away from everyone.” The demand in Ayt’s voice was laced with an emotion that Anden did not recognize at first: fear. It took him a moment to understand. There might be members of the Mountain clan, ardent supporters of the Koben family, or those who nursed a long grudge for the rivals Ayt had killed over the years, who would not be unhappy if the Pillar turned out to be simply another unfortunate casualty of today’s heinous attacks. Even in a hospital under the care of her own Green Bones, in her weak and vulnerable state, Ayt could not be certain of her safety.
Cursing silently to himself, Anden wiped the grit from his glasses, then started the car and began to drive. Fortunately, the roads were empty—he’d managed to get through the security cordon around the disaster area only because he was a doctor—so it took less than fifteen minutes for him to reach the only place he could think of to go: his own apartment in Old Town. When they arrived, he pulled his car into the underground parking lot and parked next to the elevator, sending Shae ahead to make sure they wouldn’t run into anyone in the hallway. Anden had a raincoat in his trunk, which he threw over Ayt’s shoulders, pulling the hood over her head to hide her face. The Mountain Pillar was barely conscious; her aura was feeble, and she could not stand on her own. Anden lifted her easily in his arms and carried her into the elevator, then down the hall into his apartment. The Pillar’s arms dangled, the multitude of gemstones on her body bright against pale skin, their energy creating a climbing pressure in Anden’s head and chest. It was the most unreal thing he could’ve imagined: the formidable Ayt Madashi, laid so low, helpless in his arms.
Once inside, Anden laid Ayt down on the sofa and stood back, wiping his brow, which was covered with sweat from anxiety rather than exertion. Shae locked and deadbolted the door and drew the window blinds. For a second, the two of them stood in the darkened living room, breathing hard and staring at Ayt and each other in disbelief. Then Anden let out a tense breath. “Shae-jen, can you help me? I need the first aid kit from under the bathroom sink, and also, could you boil a pot of water?”