Chapter 90
Inside the building, Lynn was kneeling next to a patient, fumbling frantically with a roll of gauze.
Panic was written all over her face; she was clearly in over her head dealing with mass casualties.
Sienna quickly stepped in, placing a steadying hand over the younger girl’s trembling fingers. “Take a breath. Hand me the antiseptics. You just pass me instruments and secure the bandages p>
Lynn looked up at Sienna’s composed profile, her eyes immediately welling with grateful tears. “Dr. Sloan p>
Sienna didn’t let her finish. She snatched the gauze, redid the dressing in three swift, expert motions, and patted Lynn’s shoulder. “Med kit. Now p>
She turned back, grabbing a tube of ointment, and handed it to the young guide. “Please make sure the village chief distributes this to those with minor cuts p>
“On it p>
For the next several hours, Sienna’s hands never stopped moving.
Guided by her relentless focus, Lynn slowly transformed from a panicked mess into a steady, reliable assistant.
The guide and the chief worked tirelessly to move patients and comfort terrified families until their voices went hoarse.
By the time Sienna finished stabilizing the last critical patient, the first pale light of dawn was bleeding into the sky.
Massaging her pounding temples, Sienna turned to her intern. “You’re in charge of the remaining minor injuries. If any new critical cases come in and you can’t handle them, apply ice and keep them stable until I get back p>
Lynn looked at her nervously. “Dr. Sloan, where are you going p>
Sienna gestured to the exhausted, shivering villagers scattered across the courtyard. “A lot of people are showing signs of hypothermia and fever. If we don’t manage it now, infections will spread.
We have no timeline on our backup, and waiting is a death sentence. I’m going out to forage for medicinal herbs to bring their fevers down p>
She was already packing her gear as she spoke.
Lynn hesitated, wanting to ask how long she’d be gone, but swallowed the question.
Catching her anxiety, Sienna walked over and gave her shoulder an encouraging squeeze. “Don’t panic. Just take it one step at a time, exactly like we did all night p>
“You’ve been doing great,” Sienna added, a warm smile reaching her eyes. “If you hadn’t been here holding the line with me, I never would have gotten through all those patients p>
Lynn nodded emphatically, a new spark of confidence shining in her eyes.
Sienna tracked down the guide. “I spotted some medicinal herbs on the hike up. The terrain here is perfect for fever-reducing plants. Can you take me out to forage p>
“Absolutely!” the guide agreed eagerly. “Eagle’s Point is famous for its wild medicine. I know exactly what grows under every rock on this mountain p>
They geared up and headed out immediately.
The torrential rain had reduced the dirt trails to deep sludge that swallowed their boots up to the ankles. In areas where the path had entirely collapsed, they were forced to scramble over jagged boulders on their hands and knees.
The guide blazed the trail, frequently reaching back to haul Sienna over steep drops.
Fortunately, the herbs were abundant and easy to spot.
In less than two hours, their woven baskets were packed to the brim, and Sienna was carrying an extra satchel in her hand.
“That’s enough,” she panted, wiping sweat from her brow. “Let’s head back and start brewing a batch p>
The guide nodded, taking the heavy satchel from her as they began the treacherous descent back to camp.
Without them noticing, the relentless downpour had softened into a fine, freezing mist.
Suddenly, the radio clipped to the guide’s belt let out a loud burst of static.
They both froze in their tracks.
The signal was back!
The guide’s face lit up with relief as he scrambled to hit the receiver. A crackling voice cut through the air. “Message from Central Command! Reinforcements and medical teams are inbound. ETA to the Eagle’s Point triage center is thirty minutes p>
Sienna let out a long, shuddering exhale, allowing the tension that had wired her muscles all night to finally slip away.
But in that split second of relief, her boot lost its grip on the slick mud.
Gravity seized her, and she plummeted over the edge of the steep ridge.