Chapter 33: 33_Protecting Amie

The physician was practically foaming at the mouth, aggressively bouncing about as he waited for her to advance. “Come on, then! To the death!”

Thoran mildly glared at him, finding the man more irritating than usual today.

Gritting her teeth, she approached the shivering man feverishly waiting to slash her down.

He didn’t hesitate. The moment Amethyst was before him, he bounded forward, shouting as he swung his weapon with full force.

In an instant, she’d transported herself behind him, his sword cutting through nothing but air.

Startled at the sudden trickery, he looked back at her with wide eyes. “What the hell? She’s… she’s a different species! Well, that’s not fair!”

A shove from Thoran’s boot had him stumbling forward.

“Shut up and fight. Bitching about fighting a girl.”

“Sh-she’s not just any girl,” Dr Finch complained, carefully moving around her now. “She’s a stronger species. You set me up.”

“Would you rather fight me?” Thoran offered.

The physician dashed forward with a high cry of war. His sword clanged against Amie’s and she grunted, gritting her teeth as she shoved him off.

He came back with relentless blows, his eyes crazed. He was fighting for survival, that alone made him a hundred times stronger. She couldn’t let her guard down.

The first moments of the fight were startling and frightening for Amie as she tried to thwart the physician’s attacks, but soon she grew accustomed to it, her blood pumping well as she swiftly slid around, defending and attacking just as Eroz had taught her.

She got better and stronger as she fought, nearly overpowering him several times. Dr Finch realized it too, noticing that she was getting stronger and that his own strength was quickly waning.

He couldn’t hang on for much longer, he had to do something quickly.

A small green jar on the corner of his table caught his eye. That’s it! In that jar, he’d poured the remaining sample of a healing oil he’d been working on. If he could only get that jar, he could have her flat on the ground and at his mercy!

Just then, she came at him with her sword raised high, the blow of which would surely make him bleed to death if it landed. In a panic, he scampered under her raised arms and grabbed the jar off the table.

As she turned back to attack him once more, he desperately flung the jar toward her running feet. It smashed open and oil seeped across the floor. The next step her booted feet took slid right over the oil and, with both legs flung in the air, she crashed onto the floor.

This was his chance! Sword held high, he dashed toward her. He would cut open her neck and win back his life!

With a cry, he swung down at her, eager to end it.

A mighty force struck against his weapon and sent the physician flying. He crashed into the wall and fell to the floor, rolling onto his side with a groan of pain. A heavy boot ground into his neck and, with startled wide eyes, he gargled, gripping the thick shoe.

Desperately, he looked up in trembling fear and was met with the dark eye of a shiny pistol.

Above that eye were two grey ones that glared at him with more rage than he’d ever had the misfortune of witnessing.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Thoran growled, fury tightening his grip on the gun. “Did I say you could hurt her?”

Dr Finch’s eyes widened behind his cracked spectacles. No. They’d set him up. Tearing up, he gripped the shoe tighter, trying to ease the merciless pressure it applied. He couldn’t speak. He needed to beg for his life! He’d told him to fight the girl, how would he win if he didn’t hurt her?!

“You can’t fight a girl without cheating your way through?” Thoran demanded then, his eyes darkening with rage. “Why should you live, Finch? When you’re that pathetic a fucking creature.”

Wincing as she slowly sat up, Amethyst groaned. “H-hey… he tried to cheat.”

“No surprise,” Gunnar said flatly, helping her back onto her feet. “That’s the kind of person he is.”

Leaning on Gunn’s supportive hand, she looked over at where the physician was pinned to the floor by Thoran’s boot.

“The medication,” Thoran said. “Hand it all over.”

Staring up at him, Finch suddenly got an idea. He needed to leave here alive, handing over the medication would make his survival unnecessary for them. Desperately, he shook his head.

He would try to negotiate for his life.

Unfortunately for him, Thoran wasn’t interested in any form of negotiation. His angry eyes were momentarily filled with dazed disbelief at the pale man’s audacious refusal and, in the next moment, he’d slammed a fist into Dr Finch’s face.

Amethyst gasped, gripping Gunnar’s arm. “Oh, my God…”

Knocked into oblivion, the physician immediately lost consciousness. A few gurgles made it out of his mouth and then he was silent, out cold.

“Great,” Gunnar said. “Now, how do we find the medication when the bastard’s blowing bubbles in heaven?”

“Doubt he’d go to heaven,” muttered Thoran, marching to the backroom of the small establishment. “We’ll find the stock ourselves!”

Blinking in mild shock, Amethyst glanced around at them. “Is he alive?!”

“Yes,” Gunnar said. “Don’t worry.”

She released a breath of relief.

“Where’s the goddamn stock?” Thoran growled from the back.

“What kind of medication are you looking for?” Amethyst asked. “Maybe I can help.”

“You’re a doctor?” Thoran asked, sticking his head out to look flatly at her.

“No,” she countered. “But I did get all sorts of treatment growing up, so I’ll know most of this stuff. Plus, I used to read my nurse’s practice books.”

He stared at her for a moment more and then straightened, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Fine. Give it a try.”

___________

Half an hour later, there was a pretty stack of crates on Dr Finch’s table. Thoran and Gunnar stood side-by-side, staring at the crates of medical stock.

Sticking her head out of the backroom, Amethyst looked tiredly at them. “Hey, what else… what else did you say the symptoms were? Bone pain?”

Gunnar looked at her. “Muscle pain for the old folks.”

“Ah.” Nodding, she went back in.

“How on earth does she know exactly which medication he would’ve given us for each ailment?” Gunn asked.

It was through personal experience, Thoran thought to himself. What had she said? She’d received countless treatments growing up? And she’d mentioned having been bedridden when they’d gone to the cave. He tilted his head. It seemed the little spoilt princess had had her fair share of pain in life. He found himself incredibly curious to know more about it. Clearly, it had been bad enough for her to need a healing gem to keep her alive.

“I’ll go get a cart for the journey back,” Gunn said. “This is three times our usual amount.” He walked out of the room and into the alley.

Thoran stayed there, stuck on that last thought about Amethyst needing her gem. With a frown, he raised his head as he realized she’d gone silent.

“Are you done?” he asked. There was no answer. “Answer me.”

When she remained quiet, he went across the room, stepping into the backroom.

There she was, leaning heavily on a big pyramid of boxes as she struggled to remain standing, her eyes falling closed.

“Amethyst.” He marched over to her. “What the hell’s the matter?”

He grasped her arm and she weakened, losing strength as he caught her.

“Hey!” His mind flared with alarm, urgency roughening his actions as he shook her in his arms. “Amethyst? Look at me, damn you.”

Her breathing was shallow, her eyes struggling to focus on him. Thoran stopped. Her gem.