Free Opal's Wish: Book Four of The Crystal Warriors Series by Maree Anderson

the chair to greet Desiree’s friend.
    Roth was a tall, lanky man with black hair so bushy it almost made Sera’s wavy locks seem tame. He’d tied the thick mass back with a leather thong. He wore a Grateful Dead t-shirt that’d seen much better days, jeans so worn they were almost white, and scuffed black hi-tops. And if not for his large blue duffel with the distinctive caduceus enclosed by a six-pointed white star, Opal might have been forgiven for thinking Desiree had phoned a member of an indie grunge band instead of a doctor.
    She opened her mouth to thank him but Roth didn’t spare her so much as a glance as he strode past. Oh. Well, doubtless Desiree had briefed him over the phone, and it had to be a good sign that he was more interested in patients than exchanging pleasantries, right? She sank into her chair and tried to ignore the quivering in her limbs and the fluttering in her stomach—like she’d had one shock too many and was on the verge of collapse.
    Desiree had resumed her perch on the arm of the chair, and now she patted Opal’s shoulder. “Don’t fret. He’s good at his job.”
    “I’m
great
at my job.” Roth cast the correction over his shoulder as he dropped to his haunches before Dan and Sera. “Which is how I know your friend Opal needs a hot drink with plenty of sugar. She’s pale as a ghost and shaking like a leaf. Make yourself useful, Des.”
    Desiree made a rude face at his back and muttered an equally rude word. “Tea or coffee?” she asked Opal.
    “C-c-coffee.”
    “With milk and two sugars,” Roth said, still without turning around.
    Now it was Opal’s turn to make a rude face. She preferred her coffee black and unadulterated.
    “On it,” Desiree said, and scuttled into the kitchen.
    “You must be Dan,” Roth said.
    “His real name’s Danbur,” Sera piped up. “But he lets me call him Dan.”
    Danbur
. Unusual, but Opal liked it. Strong. Exotic. It suited him far more than “Dan”, or heaven forbid “Danny”.
    “That’s real good to know, sweetheart,” Roth said. “Okay,
Danbur
, there’s a few things I need to know about your medical history.”
    Opal watched Danbur’s face. His mouth had set in that stubborn line again. “I will answer no questions at this time, Healer,” he said. “You will first attend the child.”
    Roth gave an audible huff of displeasure. “
You
were unconscious. She’s over the worst now. She can wait ’til I’ve checked you out.”
    “Sera first. This is not a negotiation, Healer. This is a fact.”
    “Your funeral, dude.”
    Danbur’s eyes turned cold and deadly. “Or likely yours if you fail to heed what I observed during Sera’s breathing attacks.”
    Desiree’s friend didn’t miss a beat. “I’m listening,” he said. And once Danbur had said his piece, proceeded to question him thoroughly. Then he seamlessly switched his attention to Sera. “Hey, sweetheart, I’m Roth. Your mom’s friend Desiree tells me you had a bit of a scare tonight, so I need to check you’re okay.”
    Sera nodded solemnly.
    Desiree returned with a mug of sweet milky coffee for Opal, and another mug of something for herself. They sat in silence, sipping their drinks and watching Roth do his thing.
    He was über-gentle with Sera, allowing her to stay in Danbur’s lap. And Roth even got her to giggle as he deployed his stethoscope and had Sera perform the usual breathing tests with the peak flow meter.
    When he was done, he ruffled Sera’s hair and sat back on his heels. “Doing good, sweetheart,” he said. “You just need to catch some Zs. No need to break out the noisy, boring old nebulizer.” He held up his palm and Sera hi-fived him.
    “I know you’re real comfortable there,” Roth said, “but it’ll be easier for me to check Danbur out if you find another seat. That okay with you?”
    Only once Sera nodded did Danbur lift her from his lap. “Can I hold Dan’s hand while you do the ’xamination?” she asked. “It’s