Dark Faïz (Book 2) [Completed]

Chapters 7-1

When I woke up, I noticed that I was alone in the dormitory. As I approached the terrace, I watched the fog slowly dissipating over the island in the distance, indicating that night was approaching. I then wondered how long I had been asleep. I didn't have time to remember my last hours spent in the conference room, because there was a soft knock on my door.

"I didn't know if you were awake," said Lexy, whose head appeared in the doorway. "The doctors want to see you."

My friend, embarrassed, waited for my agreement, which I gave her without delay with a nod. It was then that a man of medium height with a brush cut and a woman, much older, who had the most austere look on her face and with hair pulled back, appeared. Their basic clothing didn't suggest their profession. My gaze fell again on Lexy, who signaled to me that she would wait outside the room during my consultation.

"Good morning, Miss Reyes!" started the woman roughly. "So far your test results are quite good."

Then she turned to her colleague to let him speak. He immediately consulted a file he was holding.

"Apart from bruises, which are mostly on your upper body and on your back, you have nothing broken, which is a miracle when you see the multitude of bruises on your skin and the trace of strangulation around your neck. These traces give an idea of the violence and shock of the blows received."

The doctor paused and hesitated for a moment before continuing. As he opened his mouth to speak, the woman cut him off.

"You are therefore able to go wherever you want!" she affirmed, scowling at her colleague.

I thanked them politely. Before they left, I hastened to ask them for news of Faïz. The two doctors looked at each other, visibly overpowered.

"He was less lucky than you," the woman said without emotion in her voice. "His condition is much more critical, but we can't tell you anything more about it at this time."

I watched them walk away, running a hand over my face, turned upside down by the news. A ball of anxiety was now squeezing my throat. My only desire at that moment was to go find him.

We were alone with my friends in the refectory. The atmosphere around the table had changed. Lexy seemed anxious for the continuation of the events and tried to understand the David's words while not ceasing to rephrase her own words in loop, as if a revelation were going to hatch from her mind.

"A perfect law? Anyway, nothing is perfect! Everything can be modified. Maybe we should just find the person who wrote it?"

"The dawn of time, Lexy! They have existed since the dawn of time, these laws," specified Asarys, annoyed by her monologue. "And you, Zoe! Stop staring at the damn door hoping to see him appear!"

I shrugged as the only answer to my friend's hurtful thought before I answered,

"I'm worried about him and they won't let me go see him. And the others? Damn it! What are they doing?"

"The group is still in the conference room," replied Lexy. "They're setting the schedule for tomorrow. I ran into Madame Min in the halls when I was on my way here with the meal trays."

"Yet again we aren't part of the planning!"

"They probably wanted to spare you all that," declared Asarys while crunching on her apple. "You come back from a lot."

"In short," interrupted Lexy, "Barthey and the rest of the team are giving you a few hours to breathe."

"Yes," Asarys added. "Take the opportunity to regain some strength and rest a little. The only positive thing in all of this is that Malika's classes are canceled for tonight."

She slowly pushed her tray away, then added sullenly,

"There's no way I'm dying here without having bitten one last time into a good prime rib!"

"I'm going to the dorm," Lexy suddenly exclaimed, getting up from the table. "I slept very little last night, and something tells me that there are still surprises in store for tomorrow."

"I'll join you," I replied in a low voice, staring into space. "I just need to go breathe some fresh air."

"Do you want me to accompany you to the courtyard?" Asarys asked, worried.

"I won't be long," I reassured her. "Go, I'll join you right away."