"Of course."

Aphrodite and I went to the family room, which was almost as sterile and scary as the rest of intensive care. "I don't like it." I couldn't sit, so I paced back and forth in front of a really ugly blue-flowered love seat.

"She needs more protection than nurses looking through a window every once in a while," Aphrodite said.

"Even before what's happened recently, Raven Mockers had the ability to mess with old people who were on the verge of death. Grandma's old, and now she's--she's . . ." I stumbled over my words, not able to speak the frightening truth.

"She's been hurt," Aphrodite said firmly. "That's all. She's just been hurt. But you're right. She's vulnerable right now."

"Do you think they'll let me call in a Medicine Man for her?"

"Do you know one?"

"Well, kinda. There's this old guy, John Whitehorse, who's been a friend of Grandma's for a long time. She's told me he's an Elder. His number is probably in Grandma's cell. I'm sure he'd know a Medicine Man."

"Might not hurt to try to get one here," Aphrodite said.

"How is she?" Darius asked as he strode into the family room.

"We don't know yet. We're waiting for the doctor. We were just talking about maybe needing to call one of Grandma Redbird's friends to get a Medicine Man in here to sit with her."

"Wouldn't it be easier just to ask Neferet to come? She's our High Priestess and also a Healer."

"No!" Aphrodite and I said at the same time.

Darius frowned, but the doctor's entrance saved us from having to explain further to the warrior.

"Zoey Redbird?"

I turned to the tall thin man and held out my hand. "I'm Zoey."

He took it and shook hands with me solemnly. His grip was firm, and his hands were strong and smooth. "I'm Dr. Ruffing. I've been taking care of your grandmother."

"How is she?" I was surprised I sounded so normal, because my throat felt like it was completely clogged with fear.

"Let's have a seat over here," he said.

"I'd rather stand," I said. Then I tried to give him an apologetic smile. "I'm too nervous to sit."

His smile was more successful, and I was glad to see such kindness in his face. "Very well. Your grandmother has been in a serious accident. She sustained head injuries, and her right arm is broken in three places. The seat belt bruised her chest, and the airbags deploying burned her face, but both saved her life."

"Is she going to be okay?" I was finding it hard to speak above a whisper.

"Her chances are good, but we'll know more after the next twenty-four hours," Dr. Ruffing said.

"Is she awake?"

"No. I've induced a coma so that--"

"A coma!" I felt myself sway. I was suddenly flushed and hot, and there were bright little specks around the edges of my vision. Then Darius's hand was under my elbow, and he was guiding me to a seat. "Just breathe slowly. Concentrate on catching your breath." Dr. Ruffing was crouched in front of me, and he had my wrist between his large fingers, taking my pulse.

"Sorry, sorry. I'm okay," I said, wiping the sweat that was beading my forehead. "It's just that a coma sounds so terrible."

"It's actually not so bad. I've induced the coma to give her brain a chance to heal itself," Dr. Ruffing said. "Hopefully, we'll be able to control the swelling that way."

"And if you can't control the swelling?"

He patted my knee before he stood up. "Let's just take this one step at a time--one problem at a time."

"Can I see her?"

"Yes, but she needs to be kept quiet." He started leading me toward the patients' rooms.

"Can Aphrodite come with me?"

"Just one at a time right now," he said.

"It's okay," Aphrodite said. "We'll be right here waiting for you. Remember-- don't be scared. No matter what, she's still your grandma."

I nodded, biting the side of my cheek so that I didn't cry.

I followed Dr. Ruffing to a glass room not far away from the nurses' station. We paused outside the door. The doctor looked down at me. "She's going to be hooked up to a lot of machines and tubes. They look worse than they are."

"Is she breathing on her own?"

"Yes, and her heartbeat is good and steady. Are you ready?"