Chapter 115
Ioannis watched as the healers worked, noting how they explained each step to Ellie before touching Micha, showing her each remedy before applying it. The pendant maintained its gentle warmth against her skin as the girl's rigid vigilance gradually eased.
Lucas had settled into a chair near the window, Shadow still clutched against his chest as he observed the proceedings with evident relief. "See, Ellie?" he said softly. "I told you they were different here."
Something in Ellie's expression shifted at his words, a flicker of hope breaking through her tactical mask before she carefully schooled her features once more. She stroked Violet's fur with her free hand, the repetitive motion seeming to steady her as the healers continued their examination of Micha.
"He's severely malnourished," the head healer said, her voice pitched low as she checked Micha's vital signs. "But otherwise in remarkably good condition considering what he's been through."
"I made sure he ate first," Ellie said, her voice matter-of-fact despite the profound sacrifice this simple statement revealed. "Even when there wasn't much."
The pendant cooled against Ioannis's skin. This child had gone hungry to keep a younger one fed, had put Micha's needs before her own so consistently that it seemed unremarkable to her now. Through her bond, she felt Nickolas's matching admiration and sorrow, carefully controlled beneath his composed exterior.
"You've taken excellent care of him," Luna Harvey said, her voice warm with genuine admiration. "Far better than many adults could have managed in such circumstances."
Ellie's eyes narrowed slightly, as if searching for deception in the praise. Finding none, she simply nodded, her attention returning to Micha as the healers finished cleaning and bandaging his feet.
"He'll need to stay off these feet for at least a day," the head healer explained. "The salve will accelerate healing, but the cuts need time to close properly."
"I'll make sure he rests," Ellie promised, her fingers absently stroking Violet's fur.
Ioannis watched as the healers completed their examination of Micha, noting how they continued to explain each step to Ellie, showing her each instrument before using it. The pendant maintained its gentle warmth against her skin as the girl's rigid vigilance gradually softened.
"Would you allow them to examine you now?" Ioannis asked gently when they had finished with Micha. "Just to make sure you're not injured as well."
Ellie hesitated, her dark eyes flickering between Ioannis and the sleeping Micha. "I'm not hurt," she insisted, though the way she favoured her left side suggested otherwise.
"It won't take long," Luna Harvey assured her. "And you'll stay right here beside Micha the whole time."
After another moment's consideration, Ellie gave a terse nod, though she remained standing protectively beside the bed. "Just be quick."
The healers approached with the same careful movements they had used with Micha, explaining each step before proceeding. Ioannis noticed how Ellie flinched almost imperceptibly when they examined her ribs, though her face remained expressionless.
"Three bruised ribs on the left side," the head healer noted quietly. "And what appears to be an older fracture that didn't heal properly."
Ellie's expression remained carefully blank. "It doesn't matter. I'm fine."
The pendant cooled against Ioannis's skin. What had this child endured that made broken bones seem inconsequential? Through their bond, she felt Nickolas's controlled fury, banked beneath his composed exterior like embers waiting to ignite.
"We can help with the pain," the healer said gently, showing Ellie a different salve. "This will reduce the inflammation and help the bruising heal faster."
Ellie studied the container with that same tactical assessment before giving a small nod. "If it doesn't make me sleepy. I need to stay alert for Micha."
"It won't affect your alertness," the healer promised. "Just ease the pain."
As the healers finished their examination, Ioannis noticed Ellie's eyelids drooping despite her obvious determination to remain vigilant. The purple wolf in her arms emitted soft sounds as if trying to tell her that its ok, they’d take first watch.
Violet's sounds were unlike anything Ioannis had heard before, more complex than the patterns she'd witnessed with Shadow and Green. The toy seemed to be adapting to Ellie's specific needs, creating a lullaby of low-frequency tones that spoke directly to the girl's suppressed wolf nature.
"Perhaps you should rest now," Ioannis suggested gently. "The healers have finished, and Micha is sleeping peacefully."
Ellie shook her head, though the motion was less decisive than before. "I need to stay awake. What if they come for us?"
"No one will come for you here," Luna Harvey assured her, moving to adjust the blankets around Micha's sleeping form. "This territory is protected by hundreds of pack wolves. No humans from the facility could get past our sentries."
Ellie's dark eyes studied Luna's face, searching for deception. The pendant warmed against Ioannis's skin as she watched the girl's internal struggle, exhaustion battling against years of conditioned vigilance.
"Lucas," Ellie said finally, turning toward the boy who still sat by the window. "Will you watch Micha while I rest? Just for a little while?"
Lucas straightened immediately, pride evident in his thin face as he nodded. "I'll stay right here," he promised, moving his chair closer to Micha's bedside. "Shadow and I will keep watch."
Something in Ellie's rigid posture softened at his earnest commitment. She glanced toward the connected room Luna had mentioned, her tactical mind visibly calculating distances and sight lines.
"The door stays open," she stated, not a question but a non-negotiable condition.
"Of course," Luna confirmed. "We've arranged the beds so you can see Micha from your room."
Ellie nodded, her decision made despite the wariness that still shadowed her eyes. "Just for a little while," she repeated, as much to herself as to the others.
Ioannis watched as the girl finally allowed herself to be guided to the connected room, Violet still clutched against her chest. The pendant pulsed with gentle warmth as Luna Harvey showed Ellie the bed prepared for her, explaining the call button that would bring assistance if needed.