The moment Dane opened the door, a neighbor called out, “Dane, what’s all the commotion?”
Dane’s brow was furrowed, his expression heavy. “Wyatt got into a fight and hurt someone. I’m taking them to the clinic.”
The townspeople started murmuring amongst themselves.
“That madman is completely off his rocker. Why does he always have to be fighting? He’s nothing but trouble for Dane!”
“Can’t he just stay out of trouble for once? Always picking fights!”
Hearing this, Wyatt grabbed a wooden stick and charged at them, raving like a lunatic.
The locals scattered in fear, shouting “He’s crazy!” as they ran.
They arrived at the small town clinic.
A doctor examined Lowell and said the injury was serious enough to need an IV with antibiotics to prevent infection.
Dane said, “Ma’am, could you please start his treatment? I need to take Wyatt back to the mountains, but I’ll be back soon. I’ll cover all his medical expenses.”
The doctor nodded with a sigh. “Go on, then.”
After Dane left, the doctor turned to Tarquin and Lowell. “You both look like men of means. I hope you won’t give Dane a hard time over this.”
“He’s a good kid. He only looks after Wyatt out of the kindness of his heart. Technically, what Wyatt does has nothing to do with him.”
Lowell nodded in agreement. “We understand. We don’t blame Dane. I guess it was just my bad luck.”
The doctor continued, “Dane’s had a rough life. His parents passed away early, leaving him to raise his younger brother all by himself. He had to be both a brother and a father to him. And as if that wasn’t enough, he has to worry about a madman on top of it all… sigh…”
“It’s only in the last couple of years, now that Dane’s grown up, that things have gotten a little better for them. Before that, life was incredibly hard…”
The doctor, worried they might cause trouble for Dane, kept emphasizing how difficult his life had been.
Lowell and Tarquin listened in silence, exchanging a knowing glance.
At one point, while the doctor stepped out to tend to another patient, Lowell whispered to Tarquin, “Did you find it?”
“It’s being retrieved,” Tarquin replied.
Lowell stiffened. “Why aren’t you with them?” he asked urgently.


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