Falling Grace

Chapter Nine

Kora woke in a soft bed. It didn’t feel like her own bed, but it also didn’t feel like Sahale’s cot either. She recognized the feel of it after a few more moments and remembered that she was in a hospital. Her arm had gotten stitched up just the day before. She sat up slowly and looked around her. Sahale was sleeping in a chair nearby, or Kora thought she was. She wasn’t sure if vampires really slept or not. She decided to ask instead of being clueless. “Sahale?”

There was a moment of silence. “Yes, Kora?”

“Do vampires sleep?” It seemed like a silly question now as she said it aloud, but Kora was still curious.

Sahale chuckled softly and shook her head. “No, I’m afraid not, Kora.” She laid back in her chair, making herself more comfortable. “But I’m not like other vampires, so I need sleep.”

Kora cocked her head to the side. “What do you mean by that anyway?” She remembered Sahale saying that once before, only yesterday in her tree house.

“It’s a secret,” Sahale teased, pressing her index finger gently to her own lips. She winked at Kora. “Get some rest. You’re not ready to go back out yet.”

“Where did Avalon go?” Kora asked, ignoring Sahale’s advice.

“She went to wait on Calanon. She’ll be fine. Now go to sleep,” Sahale said more gently.

“Wake me when they get here?” Kora asked as she was closing her eyes and lying back on her bed.

“Of course,” she heard Sahale murmur as she fell back into unconsciousness.

Not an hour later, the doctor entered the room with a clip board and pen, as they all usually carried. “We have some medication for her to take,” he explained as Sahale looked at him for an explanation.

“I’ll have her take it when she wakes up,” Sahale replied, closing her eyes again.

“I’m afraid she has to take it now,” the doctor interrupted once more. A nurse was accompanying him into the room. She had the usual rack of sorts with her that they used when they needed to check your blood pressure.

Sahale’s eyes narrowed slightly, but she nodded. “Fine, fine, you can give her the medication. But don’t bother her for too long; she needs her rest.”

The doctor nodded and sat on his chair beside the patient bed. “What is your relation to her?”

“I’m her aunt. My name is Sahale Sky.” Her eyes pierced his, almost as if she were daring him to ask for any more information. She just wanted him to get it done and get out.

* * *

                Calanon woke with a start as some clanging echoed around the stone walls of the room. After he had his talk with Raginmund, he remembered that the wolf had gone back to his place in the labyrinth. Calanon had nowhere to go from there until Lond came back with two other dwarves. They invited him to stay the night with them, so he did.

                Now he opened his eyes and sat up to see his friend banging a rather large hammer against some metal. “What time is it?” he asked Lond.

                Lond didn’t answer for a few minutes as he examined his work. Calanon was beginning to think that the dwarf hadn’t heard him the first time, but as he was about to repeat himself, the dwarf spoke. “Early morning, lad,” he answered in his usual gruff voice. “Breakfast is on the table.” Lond nodded his head toward the kitchen area where a steaming bowl sat.

                “Thanks, friend,” Calanon said appreciatively before standing. He stretched his arms out and made his way to the table, but when he sat down, the stew didn’t look nearly as pleasant. “What is it?” he asked.