Josiah's Bride by Jory Strong

Author:Jory Strong
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: gangs, postapocalyptic, urban romance, dystopian romance
Publisher: Jory Strong

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Chapter 14

Two of Josiah's soldiers opened the stronghold's front doors. Saul sat in the heavy chair that the men jokingly referred to as el trono, the throne. His legs were stretched out in front of him, while DeAngelo and Hector leaned against columns to the left.

"You're looking comfortable in my chair, amigo," Josiah said. "Thinking to become warlord?"

"Not yet." Saul pushed himself out of the chair, eyes going cool and flat after a glance at Ella. "You just passing through?"

"No." Josiah halted Ella and turned her to face him. "There's an injured man I want you to attend."

Her eyes blazed with joy, as if he'd given her gold coins or jewels. "I'll do what I can for him."

Nessa and Blaine had followed them into the stronghold. He directed a glance at Blaine. "Take Jacob to see the pigeons."

Jacob's hand went immediately to Ella's. "You'll come get me?"

"As soon as I can."

She leaned down, gave him a hug before Blaine led him away.

"Take over here," Saul told DeAngelo, the edge in voice saying, and so it begins, trusting another woman.

Josiah's hand dropped to the long pistol in the holster at his waist, delivering his own message. Careful, amigo.

They entered into a stairwell Ella hadn't been shown on their wedding day. Went up a flight of stairs to a section of the stronghold that also served as a dormitory.

A soldier sat next to an open doorway midway down the hall. He slipped the knife he'd been tossing from hand to hand into its sheath and stood. "Nothing to report. He hasn't moved. Hasn't made a sound."

Josiah acknowledged him with a nod then went into the room, taking up a position on the opposite side of the bed so he could watch Ella work. The prisoner looked closer to death today than he had the night before, though someone, probably DeAngelo, had stripped him out of the blood-encrusted clothing and cleaned him up, splinted his fingers, bound his ribs and put casts on his legs.

Ella made a sound of horror at seeing the damage and evidence of torture in the lack of fingernails. "How long has he been like this?"

"I don't know. He was brought into the warren last night."

The same joy he'd seen at asking her help sparked in her eyes. "From Rapp's territory?"

Next to him, Saul shifted subtly, like a man expecting an ambush. His suspicion was nearly enough to scent the air with gunpowder.

Josiah said, "Rapp pulled him out of Krish's warren and handed him over to me."

"He's one of your men?"

"No. A prisoner."

She bent over the man, took her time giving him a thorough examination. Finally straightened and asked, "Do you want him to live?"

Truthfully? He didn't care. But for his softhearted wife he would lie. "Yes."

"He needs a doctor. I'm fairly certain there's pressure building on his brain. It needs to be relieved. Some of the drugs you produce might slow the swelling, but to survive and stand a chance at fully recovering, a hole needs to be drilled into the skull.

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