“It certainly sounds possible,” Carling said. She liked how the doctor processed information.
“If this progression is as logical as cause-and-effect, if we could find some physical nourishment that you could tolerate, we might be able to put you into a holding pattern,” Seremela said. “We need to get you into some kind of remission. Perhaps we can’t achieve an absence of all symptoms, but we need to at least try to halt any advancement. It could buy us some much-needed time.”
“That’s an excellent point,” Carling said slowly. “I’ll keep it mind. In the meantime, why don’t you take a little blood and I’ll put it in stasis. That will preserve it until you can get it refrigerated properly.”
“Excellent,” Seremela said with satisfaction.
After the medusa had drawn a vial and Carling had spelled it, she turned to her leather bag to open it and pull out the tube containing the papyri scrolls of her sketches of Python. She took them over to a dresser and beckoned Seremela over as she unrolled them on the dresser’s flat surface.
The medusa breathed, “These are incredible.”
Carling watched the other woman’s face as she reached out to touch the edge of the top scroll with reverence. Seremela’s pleasure was like a keen, bright light. Carling said, “I want you to take these.”
Seremela’s eyes went wide. Both she and all her head snakes looked so shocked, Carling had to bite back the sudden urge to chuckle.
“I couldn’t accept these,” Seremela said. Then, in a stricken whimper, “Could I?”
“Of course you could,” Carling said. “Talking with you has been incredibly helpful. It’s been a comfort as well.”
“It’s been a privilege to meet you and help in any way I can.” Seremela touched the edge of the top sketch again. “You shouldn’t feel like you need to give these to me.”
“Consider it my way of saying thanks,” Carling said. “And honestly I think you’ll enjoy them so much more than I do. I haven’t thought about or looked at them in centuries, until Python came up in conversation with Rune.”
“This is a hell of a thank-you,” Seremela said. “Rune had mentioned something about paying me for my travel expenses and my time. If I do accept these sketches, I don’t want to hear any more talk of payment. All right?”
Carling said, “If that’s the way you need to give yourself permission to enjoy them, I’m not going to argue with you.”
Seremela laughed and clapped her hands. “Then thank you, yes, I accept.”
Carling smiled as she rolled up the sketches, slid them back in the tube and handed it to Seremela, who perched the tube on top of her physician’s bag between the straps. Both women were smiling as they walked out of bedroom to find Rune still dressed in black and armed for war.
He wore two guns in shoulder holsters and a short sword strapped to his back. He had changed out of his sleek dress shoes and now wore steel-toed boots. As Carling and Seremela entered the living room, he was just rolling up his sleeves and strapping leather armbands with throwing stars to his forearms.
After she took one thoughtful look at him, Carling didn’t waste time asking for an explanation. Instead she turned her attention to Seremela. “We need to get you out of San Francisco.”
“And we need to do that as fast as possible,” Rune said. He yanked the straps closed on one armband and began to fasten the other.
“What’s happened?” Seremela said. The medusa looked frightened.
“Never mind, Seremela,” Rune told her. His expression had turned killer cold, but his voice remained calm. “This doesn’t concern you. The less you know about things, the better.”
Carling said, “I’m going to call Khalil and use that last favor. He’ll see that she gets home safely.”
“Sounds good,” Rune said. “Then you and I can take off.”
A loud knock sounded on the suite door. “Nightkind SFPD,” a male said in a voice meant to carry. “Open up.”
Rune said to her, “Call him.”
She spoke the words that were the spell that sent the call spearing into the night.
The knock at the door turned into pounding. “Sentinel Ainissesthai, we know you’re in there. You need to come into the precinct with us for questioning.”
“Get in the bedroom,” Rune said to Carling and Seremela. He positioned himself in front of the door.
Carling grabbed Seremela’s arm and marched her into the bedroom as the cyclone blew into the suite. At the bedroom door, she glanced back to see Rune throw himself at the door, bracing it with his shoulder against the kick from the hall that was meant to break it down.
Khalil materialized in front of her gaze. He looked over his shoulder at Rune then turned to her. The Djinn’s spare, elegant features were sharp with interest.