Privanax let out a huff of impatience but said, “She will visit you soon enough and she will explain.For now, I need more samples of your blood.It will take time, to make sure our way of curinghellixaxavais safe for you, but I believe that the Fates will see you healed.”
As Privanax approached her with his tool, Cecelia thought of the group of women, thought of Lainey confronting the guards every time they entered their room.This might be her chance to get some answers.Some real answers.“And what about after?What is going to happen to us?No one has told us anything.”
“That is for the Prime Leader to address,” Privanax said, his expression stoic and unchanging.He grabbed her arm and Cecelia felt a prick as it drew her blood.
Still, she pressed on, “But surely you’ve heard?Please.You don’t know how nerve-wracking it is, just sitting in that room all day and not knowing what will happen to us.”
“Nerve-wracking?” Privanax repeated slowly, his mouth moving around the words awkwardly.
“We’re scared,” Cecelia admitted, watching the vial fill with her red blood.
Privanax went quiet and waited until the vial was full.He removed his instrument and then walked back to the table, placing the vial in a machine that filled with blue light.A humming sound echoed around the room.
Finally, he said, “Vaxa’an has ordered your return to your home planet, but only after I have treated you.You do not need to fear, female.You may tell the others that all who wish it will go home shortly.”
Cecelia’s heart jumped and her lips parted.“Really?”
“Tev,” Privanax said, jerking his head in what Cecelia guessed was a Luxirian version of a nod.He approached her with another tool, this one she didn’t recognize.“Now stand.I need to scan.”
Cecelia did as he asked in a hopeful daze.As he waved the tool up and down her body, reading results on something that resembled a tablet, Cecelia couldn’t help but wonder if it was possible to cure her cancerandbe delivered home safely.It seemed…far-fetched.But what else could she hope for?If Privanax was convinced that there was a cure, if the Luxirian medicines worked on her, perhaps she would be free of her disease.Finally.
She frowned.But what had Privanax meant when he mentioned something about a woman from her planet?Was it possible that there wasanotherhuman on this planet?
One thing at a time, she told herself silently, letting out a breath.Her skin felt hot, even in the cool research laboratories and she suddenly felt very, very tired.She wondered if she could manage to sleep a little that afternoon.
Privanax kept her there for what seemed like a couple hours.She’d been pricked and prodded and he’d taken a few more blood samples to run his tests.Finally, just when she was reaching her limit, he told her that he would escort her back to the ‘command center’ and she figured that was where they were being kept.
They’d flown to the labs on a hovercraft and as Privanax led her to one, she was too tired to remember being frightened of heights.
“So, what’s the diagnosis, Doc?” she murmured, slouching down on the floor of the hovercraft as Privanax started it up.The floor hummed to life and Cecelia drew in a deep, gasping breath.It was so damnedhoton Luxiria.The heat and humidity was so stifling that it was hard to breathe.And she was pretty certain that she was already running a slight fever.
Privanax looked down at her pathetic form.“Diagnosis?” he repeated.
“Do you think you can cure me?”
The hovercraft lurched forward into flight and Privanax steered towards the steel compound built into the side of a dark mountain…the command center, she now knew.“Tev.It will be easy enough.But there is a process.”
Cecelia sucked in a breath.“What’s the process?”
“First, we must cleanse you.The Fates demand it.”
“Cleanse me?” Cecelia said softly, wiping her forearm over her forehead.“Like…take a bath?”
Privanax snorted.“Of a sort.You will wash in a sacred place, blessed by the Fates.It will draw toxins from your body so that our medicines will have an easier battle and a surer success.You must bathe every span for a short period of time and only then can we begin your treatment.”
“Okay,” she said slowly.“Look, Doc, I’ll do whatever you want me to if there’s a chance that this will work, okay?You just tell me where and when.”
“Where and when,” he repeated, glancing back down at her, understanding her meaning.They were closer to the command center now.“The ‘where’ will be in the northern lands.There are many sacred pools scattered across Luxiria, but your body does not adjust to our heat very well, especially here in the Golden City.The northern lands are cooler, more agreeable with your human temperature,tev?”
Cecelia nodded slightly.“Cooler sounds nice.”
“One of our Ambassadors has an outpost in the northern lands.I will request permission from our Prime Leader for your transport and then Ambassador Rixavox will accompany you.He will act as your guide.”
More sweat beaded on her forehead.She was actually longing for the labs at this point, even though they were frightening in a clinical way.They reminded her too much of her chemotherapy sessions, of the quiet stillness as her body was being pumped with chemicals.
“As for the ‘when,’” Privanax continued, “it is possible that you can depart this next span.I will speak with the Prime Leader once he is done with the council.”
“The sooner the better, I suppose,” Cecelia said softly, but she didn’t think that Privanax heard her over the rushing hot wind.Her skin felt stretched too tight as they landed in front of the command center and disembarked.There were guards posted at the door and they greeted Privanax in Luxirian, a guttural yet flowing language, as they passed through the doors.They both gave her curious looks, but didn’t seem overly shocked to see a human roaming about.
