Chapter Nine
A G O NY
I’m crouchedby Ian’s side when Beck walks back into our camp. There’s no sound, no true indication of his arrival. I sense him like you might a coming storm. The air goes static and I simply know, as every hair on the back of my neck snaps to attention, that he’s standing behindme.
I turn in time to see him dump several large coconuts on the ground. He’s not looking at me; his eyes are onIan.
“Good morning,” I sayhaltingly.
His nod is brusque. “Now that you’re awake… shall we get this overwith?”
I bite down on my lip to keep from snapping at him. “You could’ve wokenme.”
“I figured you could use the rest.And—”
“Andwhat?”
His eyes finally flicker up to mine. “I’m in no rush to see how this turnsout.”
Can’t argue with himthere.
Heart in my throat, I turn back to our patient as Beck crouches down beside me. He swears colorfully when he catches sight of the leg. I had a similar reaction a few minutes ago, when I pulled off Ian’s blankets. The wound is even more inflamed. In addition to the dried blood, there’s pus forming at the breaks in his skin. Worst of all, his toes have turned black at the tips from lack ofcirculation.
Neither of us says anything for a long time. Finally, Beck breaks thesilence.
“Violet.”
I go still, bracing for whatever he’s about tosay.
“Look at me,” he commandssoftly.
I glance over, already fighting tears and he hasn’t evenspoken.
His brow is furrowed as he stares into my face. I get the sense he’s weighing his words carefully. “You can’t dothis.”
“Dowhat?”
“Save the leg. Save…him.”
A tear trickles out the corner of my eye. “I have totry.”
“We don’t have the equipment…” He reaches out, as if to touch me, then pulls back at the last instant. “We can’t set those bones into place. They’re shattered. Even a surgeon might struggle to repair this kind of damage. The leg… it’s not salvageable. Do youunderstand?”
Inod.
He lets out a slow breath. “I’msorry.”
“Why?” I ask, setting my shouldersstubbornly.
He stares at me. “I’m sorry we couldn’t savehim.”
“We are going to savehim.”
His brow furrows once more, until the scar bisecting his left eyebrow turns white. “Did you not hear a word Isaid?”
“I heard you. The leg isn’t salvageable.” I stare him down. “That’s why we’re going to cut itoff.”
“The fuck we are,” he retorts, looking at me like I’ve gonemad.