Deadly Secret

Foxfire

By the way, the events of this chapter take place after Unlocked and may contain spoilers. Have fun reading!

A ringing of voices interrupted Esther's peaceful slumber. She awoke in a bright room, surrounded by colourful vials and lying on a raised, white cot.

A man dressed in an alicorn speckled coat cheerfully announced, "She's awake!" and Bramble's familiar monotone almost seemed relieved when he responded.

The stranger greeted Esther with a goofy grin, introducing himself as Elwin.

"Esther," she muttered. Her eyes flickered open and shut, attempting to adjust themselves, "Where is Luna?"

"Your stuffed alicorn? She's safe," Elwin handed Esther a vial filled to the brim with hot pink sludge, "Here, drink this. You know, I have a good feeling about you— I can't believe you have a stuffed animal. Usually I give them out to my patients after they've become a frequent visitor. Don't get me started on Sophie Foster,"

"Okay?" Esther held the vial to her lips, almost gagging at the smell, "Do I have to drink this?"

"I've seen worse cases of fading... Sophie Foster for one, but you did some damage to yourself. It will help stabilize your cells,"

She sighed and plugged her nose, gulping down the nasty potion.

Soon, Elwin presented a few new concoctions, and she was forced to swallow each and every one. By the end, Esther was nauseated and disgusted, but her senses were more aware, and her pounding headache slowly ebbed away.

After flashing a few bright lights and checking her responses, Elwin tentatively asked what she'd been doing in the hallway at night.

"Uh," Esther hesitated and darted a glance at Bramble, "I was... where am I?"

Elwin gave her a strange look, "You're at Foxfire. Are you having memory problems?"

He began rummaging through his flasks and bottles of questionable substances.

"No!" Esther blurted out, "I lightleaped here by accident?"

"You don't sound sure about that,"

The girl sighed and twisted a lock of golden hair around her finger, hoping Bramble knew more about the Lost Cities than she did.

What am I supposed to say? I just escaped my evil mother and got trapped underground, found a random pathfinder, and came here?

"Okay," the healer shrugged, "Magnate Leto can question you later. For now, why don't you stay here, and you can help out around our school healing center,"

"Is that where I am? The school healing center?" Esther grasped the side of her cot and clumsily stood up.

"Careful," Elwin warned, "You've been out for a while,"

Bramble helped steady her and sweetly presented her with Luna. The alicorn was slightly squished, but...

"You probably look better than I do, Luna," Esther muttered, "Okay, well you don't have to rub it in, dearest. My hair isn't that bad. I'm sorry if I don't have perfect ringlets! Hey, that's just plain rude. Okay, Luna, calm down— language! Goodness, Bramble was more worried about me than you were..."

Esther trailed off when she realized Elwin was watching her. It was foreign to have company, and if she wanted to start a new life in this strange world... talking to her stuffed alicorn wasn't a good place to start.

"So," she cleared her throat, "Where do I begin?"

"You can help me clean up and get the place ready for the next patients. After that, well, hopefully there aren't too many injuries, but I'll need your help if there are," Elwin winked.

She nodded absently and strode towards a wooden broom. The floor was like ice, and her bare feet silently suffered through sweeping shards and dust into a crystal pan.

Hours passed, while Esther grew fonder of the cheery healer. He sang a tune as they worked, and he seemed pleased when Esther caught on and began humming.

After thoroughly tidying and sanitizing the healing center, Elwin introduced Esther to several of the simple poultices and treatments.

She faithfully watched as he demonstrated several different ways of treating a shallow wound. The varying textures and colours and scents emerging from each bottle were fascinating. One smelled like cinnamon, another like rotten eggs.

A slimy blue substance exploded when introduced to acid. The goo flew everywhere, and Elwin only appeared more delighted. His glasses were rinsed off, but he insisted that his lab coat appeared even more magnificent with this accidental addition.

Esther combed her fingers through once golden hair, now splotched with bright, sparkly blue. It almost looked... better this way.

"Do you have any more things I could dye my hair with?" she glanced around the room, scanning it for interesting colour shades.

"But of course!" Elwin perked up and rummaged through a few drawers before selecting a cranberry red and jade green, "I'll find something to explode these,"

Esther sniffed the poultices, noticing that though green smelled of honey and jasmine, the red one hinted of metallic blood. Oh well, she thought, It's not like I'll fit in here, anyway. Might as well drown my hair in bloodlike potions.

Elwin used an eyedropper to squeeze a few trickles of acid and a black, runny substance into the vials. A long minute of anticipation passed, and Esther began to think they'd never rupture.

Then a quick flash of white, and red and green droplets glided through the air. Elwin chuckled. Esther asked for a mirror, and when presented with one, she was satisfied with the random colours. The red and blue bled together in some places to create a deep purple. It was magnificent.

Esther grinned, the smile creasing her face, and Elwin gestured towards his own messy brown locks, "I guess we both got a fun hairdo today. It'll go away in a day or two, so enjoy it while it lasts,"

While the healer and young elf were commenting on their locks, an ogre sauntered in. She wore a metal bikini, and her own hair was dyed a shiny red. The ogre subtly glanced at Esther, "Who's this? She looks familiar,"

"Ro," Elwin frowned, "I thought I told you to stay with Keefe?"

She snarled, fury blazing in her silver eyes, "Keefe is gone,"

"What?" The healer stared at the ogre, face paling. Ro trembled, and Esther backed away slowly. 

Angry ogres were not a pretty sight. Oddly enough, beneath the mask of ugly, unrestrained rage, a flicker of agony persisted. Ro cared about this Keefe, whoever he was.

Who is he? Keefe, Keefe, Keefe... it couldn't be. Not... Keefe Sencen, my fellow experiment. My... brother.

"Keefe Sencen?" Esther questioned. Her voice felt unusually small.

"Yes," Elwin furrowed his brow, just now noticing Esther, "How did you know?"

"Who are you?" Ro stepped closer, fingering a blade at her waist.

Esther froze, terror coursing through her veins. Should I tell them?

Suddenly, a blonde elf with warm brown eyes crashed into the healing office. Her eyes glittered with tears, "Ro, tell me it isn't true,"

The ogre nodded, glancing at polished nails, "He could've at least done it in style," but Ro's voice broke, and the joke fell flat.

"Sophie," Elwin greeted the newcomer, "As you can see, we have a guest. This is Esther,"

"Hi," Esther squeaked, "I can go away. I'm obviously intruding,"

"Is this a bad time?" yet another elf entered the scene. He bowed, peacock blue eyes flashing with anticipation.

Esther, Elwin, Ro, and Sophie turned to stare at him.

"Oh, I suppose I should introduce myself," he grinned, "My name is Beren,"