The Unknown Alchemist

Chapter 26 - Accidents happen

The Corinthians sat around the breakfast table in their guest suite reviewing some papers and discussing the meetings from the previous day. The sun was only beginning to rise and they nursed their coffees and enjoying the fresh air through the open windows.

"I'd like to adapt some of the modifications they've made to the city walls to our own. It's a really solid transport system," Arctos suggested, showing Adelyn a sketch of the changes.

Adelyn glanced at the sheet as she took a bite of fruit. "The walls seem a bit overkill. They're relics from the Tidal Wars. Are we really expecting an invading army?"

Arctos rubbed his beard thoughtfully. "No, but if we don't fix them up now, they'll be completely useless if ever we did need them."

A knock at the door interrupted the discussion and Hayden rose to answer it, inviting Tobias in for some breakfast.

"Good morning," he said, taking a seat at the table, accepting a cup of coffee from Sari. "I recognise it's a bit early, but there's an engineer who has been waiting in the front meeting room all morning. Seems excited to share something with Avery. I thought I'd show him in before he bursts."

"She's sleeping," Roedin snapped.

Adelyn's eyes darted over to her to brother as she noted his tense posture. Roedin saw her look and a small blush crept up his cheeks. Adelyn checked to see if Hayden noticed but he kept his face unreadable as always.

"Humans need a lot of sleep. Nearly a third of the day," Adelyn explained. "Of course, they can function on less but our surgeon told us seven or eight hours at least."

"Avery is still out cold. We were out late so she didn't even stir when I got up," Niamh added.

"Oh! I had no idea," Tobias mused. "How do they get anything done?"

Adelyn laughed. "Avery manages just fine. She'll go all night if her head's in a project. Then she crashes hard. Sari once found her asleep, literally, in a book! Remember—"

Adelyn cut herself off when she saw Sari staring at the wall with unfocused eyes. Sweat beaded on her brow and her coffee cup was stalled half-way to her mouth. Hayden was around the table in an instant, pulling the mug away and cupping her face in his hands.

A scream sounded from an adjacent bedroom as Sari sprung out of her chair, pushing past Hayden. The bedroom door flew open and Avery crashed into Sari.

"It's okay! It's over! You're okay!" Sari said, trying to catch her as she stumbled to the patio doors. Avery raced outside and tripped over a lounge chair, falling to her knees in the grass.

Tobias followed, reaching the edge of the patio before Arctos caught up and stopped him from getting too close to the mortal. His eyes widened at the sight of Avery's shoulders and back.

The human knelt on her hands and knees gasping for breath, the morning dew soaking the hem of her short summer nightgown. The scars seemed particularly menacing on her pale winter skin. Arctos stepped between them to block Tobias' view as Adelyn slowly approached Avery and draped the blanket over her shoulders.

"I'm sorry," Avery gasped. "It was a dream. I'm sorry."

"Shhh, it's fine. There's nothing to be sorry about," Adelyn reassured her.

"I woke up and didn't know where I was and the air felt so hot. I had to get out."

"Don't worry about it." She dared reach over and rub light circles on Avery's back, and for once the girl didn't pull away. Adelyn wanted to pull her into an embrace but that would be too much.