Chapter Three
Is he going to be okay? I tried to whisper so I wouldn't wake Stark and was, apparently, unsuccessful, because his closed eyelids fluttered and his lips tilted up slightly in a painful ghost of his cocky half smile. I'm not dead yet, he said. And I'm not talking to you, I said in a much more irritated voice than I'd intended. Temper, u-we-tsi-a-ge-ya, Grandma Redbird rebuked me gently as Sister Mary Angela, prioress of the Benedictine nuns, helped her into the little infirmary room.
Grandma! There you are! I hurried to her and helped Sister Mary Angela ease her into a chair. She's just worried about me. Stark's eyes were closed again but his lips still hinted at a smile. I know that, tsi-ta-ga-a-s-ha-ya. But Zoey is a High Priestess in training and she must learn to control her emotions.
Tsi-ta-ga-a-s-ha-ya! That would have made me laugh out loud if Grandma hadn't looked so pale and frail, and if I hadn't been so, well, worried in general. Sorry, Grandma. I should watch my temper, but it's kinda hard when the people I love most keep almost dying! I finished in a rush and had to draw a deep breath to steady myself. And shouldn't you be in bed? Soon, u-we-tsi-a-ge-ya, soon. What does tsi-ta-ga-a-s- whatever mean? Stark's voice was thick with pain as Darius spread a thick cream over his burns, but in spite of the wound he sounded amused and curious. Tsi-ta-ga-a-s-ha-ya," Grandma corrected his pronunciation, means rooster.
His eyes glimmered with humor. Everyone says you're a wise woman. Which is less interesting than what everyone says about you, tsi-ta-ga-a-s-ha-ya," Grandma said. Stark barked a quick laugh and then sucked air painfully. Be still! Darius commanded. Sister, I thought you said you guys had a doctor here. I tried not to sound as panicky as I felt. A human doctor cannot help him, Darius said before Sister Mary Angela could respond. He needs rest and quiet and-- Rest and quiet are fine, Stark interrupted him.
Like I said before: I'm not dead yet. He met Darius's eyes and I saw the Son of Erebus shrug and nod his head briefly, as if he'd conceded some point to the younger vampyre. I should have just ignored the little interplay between them, but my patience had evaporated hours before. Okay, what aren't you telling me? The nun who'd been assisting Darius shot me a long, cold look and said, Perhaps the injured boy needs to know his sacrifice was not made in vain.
The nun's harsh words gave me a jolt of guilty shock that closed my throat and didn't let me respond to the hard-eyed woman. The sacrifice Stark had been willing to make was his life for mine. I swallowed past the dryness in my throat. What was my life worth? I was just a kid-- barely seventeen. I'd messed up over and over again. I was the reincarnation of a girl created to trap a fallen angel, and that meant deep inside my soul I couldn't help loving him, even when I knew I shouldn't . . . couldn't . . . No. I wasn't worth the sacrifice of Stark's life. I already know it. Stark's voice didn't waver; suddenly he sounded strong and sure. I blinked my vision free of tears and met his eyes. What I did was just part of my job, he said.
I'm a Warrior. I've sworn my life into the service of Zoey Redbird, High Priestess and Beloved of Nyx. That means I'm working for our Goddess and being knocked to the ground and burned a little really doesn't mean shit if I helped Zoey beat the bad guys. Well said, tsi-ta-ga-a-s-ha-ya," Grandma told him. Sister Emily, I relieve you of your infirmary duties for the rest of the night. Please send Sister Bianca here in your stead. I believe you should, perhaps, spend some time in quiet contemplation of Luke 6:37, said Sister Mary Angela. As you wish, Sister, the nun said and hurried from the room. Luke 6:37? What's that? I asked.
Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven,' my grandma said.
She was sharing a smile with Sister Mary Angela when Damien knocked softly on the half-open door. Can we come in? There's someone who really needs to see Stark. Damien glanced over his shoulder and made a stay-there motion behind him. The soft woof! that came in response told me the someone was really a somedog. Don't let her come in. Stark grimaced in pain as he abruptly turned his head away so that he couldn't see Damien or the doorway.