“She was injured, Totaxxis. We had an obligation.”
The dour man scoffed. “She is a distraction. A nuisance. And is it true she lost all of her runes?”
“All but the translation rune, yes.”
“Sacrilege.”
“No. An injury. A most terrible injury. And now we are helping her heal. She has already responded quite well to her treatment. And very soon she will be ready.”
“Ready for what?”
“Elder Soparo has decided we will personally provide her with new runes ourselves.”
“Our Skrizzit will see to her? Afemale?”
“Do not be so surprised. And remember our vows. You may prefer to enforce the more Draconian rules, but we also provide for those in need. And she is most definitely in need. We have only the finest pigments available for our Skrizzit’s use, and for one who has endured her ordeal, it is only right. She suffered at the hands of the Raxxians, Totaxxis.Raxxians. And yetsomehow, she is now free. You know how unlikely that is once they take you.”
Totaxxis shook his head, his jaw flexing with annoyance. “Perhaps. But it is still not right. There are no women within our walls. It is the rule.”
Draikis shook his head. “A rule with flexibility, Brother. Besides, what are you so concerned about? We are immune from the feminine draw. We’ve taken our vows.”
“Yes, but?—”
“And if it is the Infala you are concerned about, you know full well there is no possibility of an Infala bond. Not only must she have a new one applied, which will take time to set in and bind to her body, but we are incapable of Infala bonding. So rest at ease. And if you must, you can simply avoid our guest.”
“And you?”
“I find her company quite delightful. I will gladly watch over her as she heals and ensure her runes are fully set. Then I will escort her from our walls. Does that put your mind at ease?”
Totaxxis’s scowl lessened, but only slightly. “It will have to suffice.”
“I am glad to hear it. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to speak with the healers. See you at dinner?”
“Naturally. From the Many, the One.”
“From the One, the Many, Brother.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Ella drifted in and out of consciousness, her mind a cotton candy tangle of thoughts, emotions, feelings, and something she couldn’t quite identify. It was like someone had poured glitter into a fan and now it was just getting everywhere, only the nooks and crannies were not her house. They were her mind and body.
Had she been a bit more knowledgeable about the ways of the healing tech being employed on her body, perhaps she would have deduced that more than just the healing salves and ointments were at work here.
Faint healing rays of varying strengths and varieties were gently fed into the lighting of her room, aiding her flesh as it healed, the energy penetrating clothing and dressings as if they were not there. It was a rather advanced bit of specialty tech, but the Norvalians were no ordinary priests, and as the highest priestly order of the Dotharian Conglomerate, membership had its privileges.
In this case, however, the typically benign rays were having a somewhat novel effect on the human they were healing. She was of a race they’d never been employed on, and while no harmwas being done, exactly how it might cause her body to react remained a mystery.
Ella didn’t know any of that. All she knew in her dream state was that her body felt amazing. Separated from the burning pain, the itching of knitting flesh, here she could feel deeper, and it was unlike anything she’d ever felt before.
Her nether bits tingled delightfully, the first hint of that sort of sensation since she’d nearly burned alive. Nerve endings were healing even stronger and more sensitive than before, it seemed. What that might mean for Ella as she continued her long road to recovery was anyone’s guess.
The rays dampened their strength when Draikis entered the room late at night. They would cause him no harm, but it was simply a safety protocol set in place long before Ella had ever arrived. Draikis quietly walked to her bed, assessing the poor woman.
There was nothing he could do, of course. This was healer territory, and he knew better than to try. But it nevertheless put him at ease seeing her sleep, resting comfortably, and even smiling at times as he stood over her, watching the curious female slumber. He’d saved her life, after all, and that made her his responsibility, and one recognized across countless cultures. Fortunately, she was out of the woods, it seemed. This one would live.
“Rest well,” he said softly, then turned and padded out, leaving her to the silence of the night’s embrace.
CHAPTER SIX
