Free Vampirates 3: Blood Captain by Justin Somper Page B

long. How could this possibly be okay? Grace watched as Mosh Zu maintained the contact between his hand and Lorcan’s chest. Mosh Zu was utterly still, as if alert to the smallest of signals.
    “All right,” he said at last. “That’s all for now.” He removed his hand.
    Grace felt shaken to her core. “He’s in terrible pain, isn’t he?” she asked.
    “Yes.” Mosh Zu nodded. “I thought this might be the case. You see, the wound around his eyes is only a distraction. The real wound lies much deeper. It’s like a thorn embedded deep within.”
    Grace felt all her optimism suddenly drain away. “Can you . . . ?” She hardly dared to ask. “Can you work on him? Can you remove the thorn?”
    “I can try,” Mosh Zu said. “It won’t be easy, though. It is a delicate operation and one that we cannot rush. We shall not use surgical instruments. We shall use the healing arts. And I would be grateful for your help.”
    Grace was surprised but pleased. She had a certain foreboding at the scale of the work that lay ahead of them, but whatever it took to get Lorcan better, it would be worth it.
    “We’ve made a start,” Mosh Zu said, more brightly. “That scream was the beginning. I know how it must have sounded to you, but actually that was Lorcan letting go of some of this deep-rooted pain.”
    Grace frowned.
    “You find that hard to believe, don’t you? But watch, I’m going to wake him now and you’ll see that he is more peaceful.” With that, he touched Lorcan’s head once more and the boy stirred.
    “How are you?” Mosh Zu asked him.
    Lorcan smiled. “I feel a little better,” he said, as if on cue.
    Grace couldn’t believe her ears. Mosh Zu turned and nodded at her.
    “I’m very tired all of a sudden,” Lorcan said.
    “Yes, of course,” said Mosh Zu. “You need to rest. We do, too. We’ll leave you now, but I’ll have Olivier check in on you from time to time. And there’s a bell beside your bed — if you need anything, simply ring.”
    Lorcan nodded. As he did so, Grace stifled a yawn. She couldn’t help it. Suddenly, she too felt incredibly tired.
    Mosh Zu grinned. “Do you hear that, Lorcan Furey? Nurse Tempest has grown weary from ministering to you.”
    “She’s very kind to me,” Lorcan said.
    “Yes.” Mosh Zu nodded. “There is much kindness in Grace. And now I must find rooms for her and her weary traveling companions, don’t you think?”
    “Yes,” Lorcan said. “I think you should.”
    “Sleep well, my friend,” said Mosh Zu. “Welcome to Sanctuary. I hope you will come to know deep peace within these walls.”
    Grace reached over and squeezed Lorcan’s hand. “Sleep tight,” she said. “Don’t let the bedbugs bite.”
    But as she turned and followed Mosh Zu out of the room, she realized that Lorcan had a whole lot more than bedbugs to worry about.

9
    STRANGE BEDFELLOWS
    As Grace and Mosh Zu stepped into the corridor, Shanti rushed over. Evidently Lorcan’s screams had broken through any sedative spell that might have held her back before.
    “What’s going on?” she cried. “Why was he screaming?”
    “It’s all right,” Mosh Zu said. “I know it sounded distressing . . .”
    “Sounded distressing? It was distressing! It was like hearing someone die in there!”
    “Nobody died,” said Mosh Zu, “I can assure you of that.”
    “Mosh Zu began his healing process,” Grace added.
    “What do you know about it?” Shanti lashed out. “I wasn’t talking to you anyway.”
    “There’s no cause to speak to Grace in that way,” Mosh Zu said. “I know you’re tired and upset and worried about Lorcan. But you must try to contain this sizable rage you feel. Get some sleep, and if you have any further questions, when we gather again later I shall be pleased to answer them.”
    Shanti opened her mouth to speak, but Mosh Zu had already turned from her. “Captain, won’t you come with me? We have much to catch up on,” he said.
    The captain