"You're not fine. You have a concussion," Quillon informed her with a censorious look. "A fact I find concerning given the frequency with which you collect head injuries and the state you were in a few days ago. I believe I warned you of the dangers of pushing yourself too hard."
Kira grimaced. Now that he said it, she did have a vague memory of him cautioning her on several things. Most of which her primus, and thus her, hadn't paid much attention to.
"Your recklessness will cost you one day. My skills aren't infallible. You risk permanent damage if you continue like this."
Kira settled deeper into the bed. "It's not that I don't understand what you're saying."
It would go against Quillon's healer instinct to allow her out and about considering the state she was in not that long ago. It must be infuriating to have a patient who refused to pay attention to his advice.
Especially one who was still in the early stages of recovering from ki poisoning.
It wasn't that Kira didn't want to listen. She couldn't.
As someone who walked the warrior's path in addition to the healer's, Quillon had to understand that sometimes circumstances didn't allow you to pay attention to what your body was telling you. In moments like these, you had to push forward, regardless of the danger or the possibility of permanent injury.
Time was of the essence. Kira couldn't afford to go easy on herself. Every second she lay here, Jin and Elena sunk deeper into danger.
That was unacceptable.
Quillon's face held frustration. "Talk some sense into her."
Harlow remained focus on the knife and block of wood he was whittling. "She's not going to listen."
Quillon shook his head as he stomped toward the door, muttering under his breath about stubborn idiots.
Kira felt sympathy for the healer as she watched him go. She'd done it. She'd finally driven Quillon mad.
She'd like to say she was surprised, but she did have a history.
"He's angry."
"Yes." Harlow set aside the block of wood and sheathed his knife. "That was quite the show earlier."
"Do you think they bought it?"
"Kashori and Asanth, yes. They're all too willing to believe the worst of you. Your cousin seemed less convinced. She likely suspects something."
Observant of her. Kira didn't know whether to be proud or worried about that fact.
"And the emperor's people?"
"Only they know."
Kira glanced at the sheets of rain lashing her windows and balcony. "We always knew they'd be the toughest to deceive."
The emperor surrounded himself with the brightest and most talented Tuann. With how long they lived, they'd probably seen everything by this point. Misleading them would be tough. Even for Harlow.
"It will be difficult to shed the image of an immature, possibly insane child later," Harlow warned. "The Tuann have a history of not changing their opinions once they've been formed."
That was funny coming from him, considering he was the one to suggest this as their back up plan in the event politely asking for access to Aeron fail. In her opinion, it was a stroke of genius. Making her seem unstable so he would have to put her under house arrest, enabling her to sneak off planet with none the wiser.
"That's a problem for future Kira. Besides, being underestimated isn't so bad. It makes it all the more satisfying when I slap them in the face later."
If anything, this could work in her favor.
Harlow arched an eyebrow at her, changing the subject. "The primus was overkill, don't you think?"
Guilt made Kira wince. Yeah. Maybe.
