My Defender(54)

Ellie took a deep breath and continued. "Her death actually provided us with our first breakthrough. Because her body's healing abilities were overtaxed trying to heal the virus, it wasn't able to compensate for a birth defect that affected her heart. I was able to see the virus for the first time this morning.

"It was during an emergency meeting on Level One that Meryn suggested bringing you in, and that's pretty much where we are." Ellie sat down, feeling a bit dazed. So much had happened in the past few days, it felt like a lifetime.

"All of this happened in three days?" Anne asked.

Grant shook his head. "Feels like years."

"I was just thinking the same thing," Ellie agreed.

"I don't know how you coped with no supplies and with the children on cots." Rheia shook her head.

"It's a vampire city. Although they recently added an infirmary, it was stocked more for injuries than illness, which makes sense because neither shifters nor vampires get sick...usually," Ellie added, feeling like she had to explain why they had so little.

Rheia gave her a soft smile. "No judging here. Just admiration. I wouldn't have had enough beds to treat this back home either. The clinic isn't set up to be a hospital. It's more like your infirmary, meant to treat injuries." She jotted a note down on the fresh legal pad on the table in front of her. "Though I may have Adam start petitioning to expand, given the current situation. I'd rather have the facilities and not need them, than need them and not have them."

"May I ask why Kendrick Ashwood isn't present? It was my understanding he is one of the few witches who has studied human medicine and has successfully merged aspects of it with magic," Tarragon asked.

Ellie exchanged glances with Rheia who gave a slight shake of her head. Ellie understood, anything to do with the royal family needed to stay on Level One. "He's working on another issue at the moment, but Elizabeth and Broderick Monroe will be getting him up to speed for us," Ellie answered.

"When Aiden mentioned a virus, I made sure to pack what few antivirals we had. That should get us started. We need more though," Rheia added.

Ellie looked at her grandmother and Kari. They both nodded. "We'll get some here as soon as possible," Marjoram promised.

"I'm concerned with how quickly it seems to be spreading with no clear contamination path," Rheia said.

"It's rate is nearly exponential. In less than a week, if this keeps up, it could affect the entire city," Anne guessed.

Everyone looked at each other in horror. Anne gulped. "I didn't mean to jinx us."

"We need to work in shifts. If we get more patients, we can't spread ourselves too thin. For the past three days, we've all been going at one hundred percent, but that cannot be maintained in the long run," Ellie said, voicing her biggest fear.

"Ellie, if I may?" Kari asked, standing. Ellie nodded. Kari picked up her clipboard. "I have taken the liberty of dividing you into two working shifts. Day and night. We can alter this as needed, but I thought it would be a good jumping off point for now. Ellie, you, Grant, Marjoram, and Tarragon can take the day shift. The night shift will be Rheia, Anne, and Dr. St. John. Given Kendrick's unique dual abilities, I kept him free to float and work with Broderick in the lab. I tried to keep the groups split evenly to a doctor, a nurse, and a witch." She turned to Ellie. "Will that work?"

"I kinda love you right now." Ellie smiled. There was something about her friend that made you feel like everything was taken care of.

"I know." Kari grinned in return.

Ellie looked out at the group. "That's what we'll start with. Let's head up to Level Six and introduce you to the children."

Anne and Rheia nodded. As they filed out, Ellie grabbed Kari into a big hug. "Thank you."

Kari smiled. "It is the very least I can do. I will keep you organized so you can focus all of that amazing brain of yours on the children."

"Deal." Ellie looped her arm through Kari's, and they made their way to Level Six.





*****





By the time Ellie had introduced Rheia and Anne to the children and parents, gone over the city's layout, and explained the current political undercurrents, it was time to get ready for dinner. Kendrick showed up to escort Rheia and Anne down to Level One.

Grant held out his hand, and she took it gratefully. There was so much strength and gentleness to his touch; the simple gesture filled her with a calm contentment that made the day seem less bleak.

They were walking up to their front door on Level Six when they heard someone calling out to her. They turned to see Stefan jogging after them.

"The children?" she asked fearfully.