That’s right. That man took me here. What was his name? Dirkus? No, Draikis. That’s it.
A faint hum ran through her body, inaudible, but she could sense it as nerve endings and flesh ever-so-slowly regenerated. The machinery was a mystery, hidden from sight but somehow focusing some kind of energy wave over pretty much her entire body. Dead flesh sloughed off one cell at a time, replaced by the best approximation the alien technology could fashion, stimulating her own healing factors and ramping them up tenfold.
Pain was minimal, the dampening devices not exactly muting the sensation but rather shifting how her body reacted to it. The result was a not entirely unpleasant feeling. At least, not so long as she didn’t think about what had led her to this situation.
The gentle vibration washed over her, up and down her body, gently massaging her damaged flesh back to some semblance of cellular integrity. Oddly, despite the discomfort, brief jolts of almost pleasurable tingles lit up certain bits of Ella’s body when the energy’s intensity lingered. Unexpected, but not unwelcome.
She took a deep breath, dropping into her own body, claiming what good she could of the sensations.It could be worse.
Ella lay there, mentally floating, her body still, taking in the serenity of the silent room. Clean, ornate, but not gaudy. Some order of something, he’d said, but it was kind of a blur. Given her injuries, it was to be expected.
Speaking of injuries, her attention shifted focus a bit, and she noted that the prior burning of her skin had diminished greatly, most of it replaced by an annoying itching sensation.
Better than the alternative, she reasoned, breathing deep, inhaling the novel smells of this place, the gentle breeze through the open window carrying the aromas of the native plants and flowers. There was also the smell of food. Baking, perhaps? Someone was up early, preparing whatever they were making before dawn, just like so many did back home. And she actually felt a little pang of hunger. A good sign, in her opinion.
Being hungry meant her body wanted nourishment. It also meant she was probably out of the woods, at least of the worst of it. Usually, she wouldn’t have any appetite if something traumatic had happened. Of course, that was also during far tamer kinds of events. Maybe it was the healing ointments. Maybe she’d just been out a long time, and her body needed food. She really couldn’t say.
How longwasI out?she wondered.
The handsome man who’d been tending her was nowhere to be seen. In fact, she seemed to have the entire room all to herself. Ella was, for the moment at least, quite alone. The question would have to wait.
She closed her eyes, allowing herself to drift back to sleep. There would be time for answers.
Later, she mused, drifting back to sleep. Quiet and restful, thankfully devoid of further bad dreams. She’d have time to revisit her memories later. For now, she would rest.
CHAPTER THREE
The elderly man, broad-shouldered and strong in his ornate garb, but gray with the passage of time, nodded his head as he mulled over the rather unusual situation. “She is a fighter; I’ll give her that.”
Draikis’s full lips cracked a little grin. “Indeed, Elder Soparo. Though we are unfamiliar with her race, she is definitely a resilient specimen.”
“Odd we have no record of her kind,” the older man mused.
“The Dotharian archives are vast, but new additions gained in the expansion do take time. If she is of one of those worlds, it could be several cycles before the absorption is complete and her kind is officially listed as a Dotharian realm in the public register.”
“Indeed.” Elder Soparo shrugged. “Whatever the case, she is our responsibility for now, and she will require a great deal of attention. We can heal her injuries, it seems, but it will take time. Time, and resources.”
Draikis’s shoulders pulled back slightly. Proud. Confident. “I am the one who rescued her. She is my responsibility.”
“You were injured yourself, my boy. It is fine if you wish for one of the others to take over for you.”
“I’m fine, I assure you. I’m healing right up. The burns were only superficial, and compared to what this woman endured, they are laughably minor. So, if you approve, I will continue my sacred duty to care for the life I saved.”
The old priest cracked a pleased smile. “Your dedication to your oath and duties has always been an inspiration to the others. A guiding star, of sorts. Of course, you may help her on her healing path.” A minor flash of concern crossed Soparo’s face, gone in an instant, but the thought lingered. “But you know, Draikis, it has been a very long time since a female has been permitted within these walls.”
“I am aware,” he replied, already knowing where this was going. “But she will be bedridden for some time. Sequestered in that manner, she will not be much of a distraction for the younger adepts.”
“Those poor lads,” Soparo said with a chuckle. “I may be old, but I remember my younger days. It can be a trying age.”
“It can. But even if they did happen upon her, their vows are strong. They will remain true to their calling. To their oaths. They are a strong group of young men, and short of an Infala bond, which is incredibly unlikely given their youth, all should be fine. Besides, we do not even know the status of her runes. The outer layers of her skin were badly burned. Whether the pigments even survived the flames remains to be seen.”
“The poor woman. I do not envy her this road to recovery. And if she has truly lost her runes? They are such an integral part of our lives. I am loath to imagine what she would go through. But out of all, the Infala is the most powerful rune, as you well know. Robust and all-encompassing. With that power, there is still a chance it may well have survived, even having suffered the most serious of injuries such as hers.”
“True. And I am hopeful for her. Regardless, she will heal at her own pace. And the process will take place well away from the adepts. As for the rest of us,” Draikis said, tapping the rune on his chest under his tunic, “we do not have to worry about that. Neither female wiles, nor the draw of the Infala can overcome our vows.”
“Well said, Brother Draikis. Still, these will be interesting times, my boy. Interesting times, indeed. If she survives.”
CHAPTER FOUR
