Chapter 9

Never before had Brad met a doctor who radiated such composure and fearless resolve, especially one of Rylie's age. Silence stretched between them before he finally said, "Alright, let's see what happens."

A sense of trust took root-his grandfather would not have let her near unless he believed that she could pull off the impossible. If she failed, Brad had already accepted his fate.

Fromn her bag, Rylie drew out a small vial, hands steady as she measured out the antidote. She took Brad's arm, swabbed the skin, and explained, "This first shot is an alkaline agent. It's the only thing that can offset the pure Nexo-7. You should know, the pain will get worse before it gets better."

With only a short nod, Brad replied, "Go ahead."

Needle poised, Rylie eased the medicine into his vein, watching the liquid disappear into his bloodstream.

For a brief moment, Brad's reaction was mild - a tense jaw, a quickened breath. The calm didn't last.Heat ignited in his nerves, rigid tension locking his body as if fire raged under his skin.

A low cry escaped him, teeth grinding as cold sweat dotted his brow. Desperation twisted his hands into the sheets, and the chains quaked under the strain,seconds from snapping apart.

The agony crashed over him, wave after wave. Each gasp came faster, raw and jagged, as he pitched forward, dropping to the floor in a wild bid to escape the pain by slamming his head against the floor.②

Recognizing the signs, Rylie slid down beside him and caught his head before he could hurt himself,tucking it safely against her shoulder.

"Don't try to knock yourself senseless before the medicine works," she said, her words half-muffled in the chaos.

Lost in the storm of pain, Brad breathed in her scent -a trace of lilies that seemed to calm his heart even as his body rebelled.

Instinct guided his movements as he clung to her,arms wrapped tight as if only she could keep him anchored.

Rylie stayed still, letting him hold on, her chest tight with each breath. With a gentle touch, she rubbed his back and spoke close to his ear. "The worst will pass. Just a little longer."

Minutes slipped away before Brad's breaths finally found a steady rhythm, and the trembling in his limbs eased. Even as he clung to Rylie, she simply stayed by his side, offering quiet presence until his senses fully returned.

A gentle voice broke the silence. "Are you feeling any better?"

With slow reluctance, Brad released his hold and looked up at her, his gaze a tangle of gratitude and confusion.Though his skin was still drained of color, the agony had melted away, leaving a flicker of something new behind his eyes.

A hoarse whisper escaped him. "You've won," he admitted, relief threading through his words. For the first time in hours, the pain no longer ruled him.

A hint of a smile touched Rylie's lips. "Didn't I promise you'd make it till morning?"

The antidote, potent and pure, did its work at astonishing speed. With a flick, Rylie turned on the lights. Brad's instinct was to squeeze his eyes shut-until he soon realized that his sensitivity to light had vanished. By the time he blinked in surprise and tried to focus on Rylie, she was already slipping out the door.

The second she stepped outside, the Morgan medical staff swept in, crowding around Brad for a quick check. After a flurry of examination, one doctor hurried off to update Sean. "Mr. Brad Morgan is stable. The new medicine is highly effective. It should last for a while!"

The news landed like a punch to Evita's gut. Her heart sank as she listened, convinced that Rylie had exaggerated the antidote's dangers just to drive up her price.

Frustration burned in Evita's eyes as she watched Rylie disappear down the hall. Leaning close to her apprentice, she muttered, "Follow her and find out the one behind this. I want to know who dares steal credit from me."

Sean's demeanor shifted as he approached Rylie,offering her a check and new respect. "Here's your payment for today. I hope you'll return soon to assess my grandson's progress."

The amount - ten million - left Rylie more than satisfied as she pocketed the check. Just as she was about to leave, Sean called after her, "Young lady,what's your name? Where can I find you? Tell me how to send for you next time."

Rylie simply answered, "I'll come when you need me," before turning on her heel and vanishing down the hall.

One by one, the celebrated specialists were dismissed, their services no longer required.

Brad's next awakening felt different-he noticed a surprising lightness in his body, as though a great weight had been lifted.

Settled at his bedside, Sean watched him with quiet worry."Are you feeling any better, Brad?"

With a gentle nod, Brad settled back, then asked in a hushed tone, "Where did she go?"

Sean looked puzzled. "Who do you mean?"

A faint crease appeared on Brad's brow."The young doctor. Didn't you ask her to stay?"

Realization dawned across Sean's face. "Ah, the miracle worker. She promised to return. The Aetheris Pharmacy sent her, so she's likely one of their doctors. She's a gutsy one, that's for sure."

Brad, catching the lingering scent of lilies, allowed a small smile to break through. Softly, he murmured,"She truly risked everything to save me."

The sight caught Sean off guard. It was the first smile Brad had shown since falling ill, and relief mingled with wonder on the older man's face.

Sean squeezed his shoulder and gave his word,saying, "I'll see you well agan, Brad. And if you've taken a liking to that young woman, I can make sure she returns."

"There's no need for that, Grandpa," Brad replied,shaking his head as the smile faded from his lips."I'm sure our paths will cross again."

With the Morgan mansion fading behind her, Rylie found herself wandering through the lively streets of Crolens' night market, searching for something to eat. There, in the thick of the crowd, she stumbled upon Selah Hobbes,

Taking a seat beside her old mentor, Rylie watched Selah tend to a line of patients at her makeshift stall and bought herself a glossy candy apple. "Why are you running this roadside clinic again?" she asked, a note of weary affection in her voice. "Freddy said you were working at the little pharmacy this morning.Now you've set up shop clear across town after dark."

Rylie's earliest memories of Selah dated back to when she was just eight. Wandering from place to place, Selah had treated whoever needed help-and she had been Rylie's very first teacher in the healing arts.

Years had slipped away, but Selah's determination to help the vulnerable never changed.

Mixing herbs for a patient, Selah shot her a wry smile. "What else can I do? Folks without money have nowhere else to go. Hospitals turn simple problems into life-threatening crises with their endless delays."

As she greeted a middle-aged woman in line, Rylie said, "Dinner's done for me, so let me lend a hand.When we wrap up here, I'll take you home myself."

The woman took a seat, her hands nervously pressing against her throat. "Doctors at VitaLink say l have malignant lymphoma," she replied. "They want to cut out the tumor and start chemo right away. My son's wedding is coming up next month-I have to be there. Please, is there any chance for me to recover without surgery?"

Without a word, Rylie accepted the stack of X-rays and medical papers. Her brow creased as she pored over the test results.

Anxiety welled up in the woman's eyes as she caught sight'of Rylie's frown. "So it's hopeless, isn't it?" she asked, voice trembling. "They want me to have surgery, but I could never afford the high cost. What should I do?"

As she studied the test results, Rylie paused,fingers gently probing the woman's neck. "These records don't even look like they're from the same patient.Ma'am, are you certain these belong to you? No chance they got mixed up?"

The woman quickly nodded, worry etched deep in her face. "Yes, I'm certain. Just these scattered scans and medications have drained almost twenty thousand from me already."

Dropping her hands to her lap, Rylie spoke with quiet certainty. "There's no sign of a tumor."

Shock flickered in the woman's eyes. "What did you just say?"