I slowly sat up, but he pressed me back down. When my back reached the gurney again, I slapped his hand away.
“No, that’s not fair.”
“Life isn’t fair, princess. Deal with it. What were you thinking sucking all that magic into you? I’m surprised you didn’t overload yourself and drop dead on the spot.”
Anger cut through some of the brain fog. “Well, if someone had taken the time to explain this vow he made to me, then maybe I wouldn’t have. You can’t just throw car keys at a person and tell them to drive on the highway. Especially when they are screaming at you they don’t want to be there in the first place.”
He dropped my hand, then crossed the distance to the front of his desk. “You signed up for this, agreed to help me. I didn’t force you into the helicopter. All mages are the same, taking more than they need, grabbing whatever they can get.”
The medicine had taken full effect and my brain felt like a foggy car window, but I refused to listen to him berate me while I lay flat on my back. Especially about something I couldn’t control.
I ripped the IV out of my arm. He shouted, darting forward, and seized the line and my arm to keep me still.
“I won’t lay here and let you yell at me while I’m doped up. I am incapable of doing anything about it and it’s not fair, or kind,” I said, shoving him away from me.
He stumbled into the instrument cart and the captain’s voice lashed out in the room.
“Knock it off, you two. You’re adults, for fuck’s sake.”
Fin reset the tools and I drew my bleeding arm into my chest. When he finished, he came over and tried to push me back down, but I refused to let him. I shifted to the side of the gurney and tugged the hospital gown closed. I still wore underwear under it, but I didn’t want to give the captain a flash of that either. Not that he would appreciate it, anyway.
“You need to rest,” Fin said.
“You need to go the hell away and stop badgering me while I’m half naked and wounded. You can yell at me afterward. I’ll still be here, in your service, under your supervision,” I grumbled.
I climbed off the table and my legs gave out from underneath me. Fin, of course, was there to gather me into his arms. I wanted to shove him away, but I didn’t have the strength to stand, let alone push his arms from around my hips.
When I finally got my feet under me, I turned to the doctor. “Can you find me some clothes please.”
Fin glared at me the entire time, but eventually a soldier brought me some clothing.
I made Fin turn around while I dressed and then sat back on the gurney. The doctor came over and I allowed him to put the IV back in.
“Fin,” I called.
He turned, guilt set into his jaw and shoulders.
I felt braver now that I was dressed and I lifted my chin. “If you want to yell at me, now is the time. But you only get this one chance. Then I’m leaving.”
He stepped forward until his hip bumped the table. “Leaving?”
I straightened the line of the IV, eyeing how long it would take to finish so I could walk out the door. “Yes, leaving. I’m not a child and I’m not here for you to scold when you feel like it. You can register your disapproval at my actions, and help me correct them, but you will not treat me like a baby in need of reprimand.”
He dragged in a long, slow breath. “When you collapsed tonight, and me as well, I thought you’d died. It scared me more than I can even admit aloud. I apologize for lashing out at you.”
His face actually appeared contrite. As much as I wanted to believe him, my pride had taken a hit, especially since he chose to yell at me in front of the doctor, and the captain. My face heated, thinking of how they were listening even now as he explained his actions.
“Next time, maybe give me the damn instruction manual.”
He nudged the table, and I reached out to keep my balance.
“Next time?” he asked.
I shook my head. “It was a figure of speech. I’m going home tonight. I need some time to think about things and consider some stuff.”
Like how much I want to climb onto your lap and learn what your lips taste like.
I eyed the IV. What did he put in this thing?