Chapter 16

Zeke used his knee to hold the wing in place, so the skin lined up right. The vial was upended over the skin and Zeke took a clean cloth and smeared in quick, long stripes over it. The underside was harder. He had to wedge his hand under the heavy wing and feel his way along the break in the skin. He winced every time his work shifted the limb, but a miracle did happen because nothing reopened while he worked.

Breath punching out of him, Zeke sank to the ground exactly where he was, using his back to keep his companion’s wing in place until the glue dried all the way. He had to. Standing was impossible after all that work. Zeke trembled as the adrenaline left him weak and shaken. It had been a while since he’d had to move that fast on a patient.

Good thing the manna apple left him full and sated for twenty-four hours at a time. After a rush like that, he was usually starving and parched. Instead, he sat and got his breath back while he waited for the glue to harden all the way.