CHAPTER 7: HUNTER

The girl woke up abruptly. She was in a bed, her surroundings were unfamiliar and there was a dull ache across her chest. She could feel a large scar from her shoulder to her waist. As her eyes grew accustomed to the bright sunlight, she looked around. The lone window in her room was open with a broken vase next to it; the bed next to her was practically upturned, as if the sleeper had fallen out. She noticed something quite unusual, the broken pieces of the vase were scattered near the window, but next to her bed laid a stray piece of the porcelain. She thought maybe another ornament had broken, but as she looked at the broken pieces and fitted them together in her head, they were definitely missing a piece. I stray thought brought her calmness to a halt. Where is the shade? At that moment a women walked in with a vacant expression. She wore a white apron and had a blue cross on the front. She carried a bowl with torn rags in water. "Youre awake! How are you feeling?" she asked with a look of pleasant surprise. "I'm fine. Where am I? And where is t-" The girl was cut off by the nurse. "Thank the creator! That was a terrible wound you got. Nearly cut you clean in half!" she chuckled, and then paused and said, "I'm not quite sure why that's funny". "Anyway you the doctor said you were alright, you can leave whenever you want, unlike our other resident. The nurse raised an eyebrow as she looked at the other bed. Where is he, he should not be out of bed. Did you see him leave? The girl shook her head and was about to say something but was cut off again. This is bad, Luce will be angry She hurried over to the other bed and checked the duvets and noticed the broken vase. Finally. The girl thought sarcastically, then she noticed something metal glinting out of a half opened bedside draw. She reached in and took it. It was a ring. It had a green crystal in its centre. What was your name again? The nurse asked affably I didnt say Thats why I asked The girl hesitated, Lia Well Lia, my name is Ameld. Do you remember anything about how you got that cut, or how you ended up in the town centre? I was escaping a shade, I was his hostage and then I came to the town just as the bandits had attacked. I fought to the centre of town with the shade, which had tracked me here. Thats where I fell unconscious, You were kidnapped by a shade, escaped, came during the raid then fought with the shade before falling unconscious And I fought a free ether And an untethered ether. Right. She looked at Lia sceptically. I think you might need to rest here a few more days, What? I am not delusional, I have the rope burns to prove it She stood up tried to show her the marks where the rope had cut into her wrists but they had gone. Thats not possible. She examined her arms, all the wear marks gone. But thats no- She coughed violently, she covered her mouth and saw there was blood. Thats it! you are definitely not ready to leave yet! Ameld said. Lia opened her mouth to argue but started coughing again.

Ameld forced her to lie down on the bed and said, If you so much as stand up while I am gone I will tie you to this bed. Are we clear? Lia nodded her head. Take a few of these, she handed her a few of the wet rags. Lia used them to clean here hands and soothe the cracked feeling in her windpipe. Ameld didnt leave for long. She was soon back sweeping and clearing up the room. You are lucky in some ways, few of the men who came back were injured, you were worse than the others. Luce could focus on you. Lia massaged her hands. She was wearing the ring. I dont remember putting that on. Odd. Its good to know the raid wasnt that bad for you. Lia said. Ameld seemed to ignore the comment and walked to the door, finished with the cleanuup. She paused and before she left she said quietly, I didnt say that. With that, she left. Ameld walked down the stairs, then let out a sigh and let her shoulders slump. I better tell Luce about what happened. She straightened up and out onto the street. This particular part of town hadnt been badly hit, the church was still standing but bandits had broken the door to loot the ornaments. Only the small, wrought iron cross, bolted to the far wall had been left alone, not valuable enough to merit the effort it would take to remove it. The house that had typically taken in the sick wasnt large enough for all the injured so the pews were pushed aside and the church was used. Although she had overheard some of the women and even some of the older children say it was for another reason. Luce had spent her time going between the patients, checking their temperatures, bandages and, a few times, giving their final rites. Luce Ameld called. Luce was still in the middle of giving the final rites with the family of guard, she finished, closed his eyes and went to Ameld. What is it Ameld? Luce walked between patients as she talked to her. The girl woke up, Luce took a second to remember who. Any problems? She has breathing difficulty and- Breathing difficulty? Luce interrupted I was talking to her when suddenly she coughed up blood, her wounds seem healed though, but thats not the problem. What is it? She claims that the wound was caused by an ether and the night before the attack she was hostage of a shade Luce continued checking her patients Does she have a concussion? Not that I could tell Luce paused for a second. You cant be taking her seriously? Whether or I think shes telling the truth is unimportant, if there had been a shade, well, its better we dont speak of such things. Luce seemed to be deep in thought, Return her here, there are others in need of a clean room and bed. She walked off in the direction of the pigeoncoops. Lia lay in bed, her throat burned irritably but not unbearably. She knew that if she waited too long the Shade would get away. Elderai or not, the Imperial legion needed to

know about the Shade. The more time she spent here the more time it would roam the country, murdering and killing as it saw fit. But for now, she decided, she would rest.