Human One

4. Adviser Cecil And The Sickness

"Kay!"

I push through the crowd gathered in the middle of the clearing people were dancing in minutes before, my target set on the middle where there is a small open space.

Please let Kay be alright. She has to be alright.

I burst into the opening to see Becky kneeling next to the little girl, her eyes trained downwards on the head resting in her lap.

Kay's eyes are squeezed shut, drops of sweat beading on her forehead as she clutches one of Becky's hands in her small, clenched fist.

There's a yelp and a loud thump behind me and I turn to see Sylvia arrive, a whoozy Max on the ground where she had dropped him.

"Where's Lager?" I ask in low murmur. He should be at Kay's side, but he seems to have disappeared.

"Weren't you listening to anything I said?"Sylvia growls, walking closer until she's only two feet away, her narrowed eyes staring me down. "I don't know where he is, No one has seen him since he disappeared with you!"

"Forget about Lager!" Becky snaps, glaring up at both of us with intense fury, her free hand stroking hair off Kay's damp forehead. "We need a medic."

There's silence, people shuffling on their feet and continuing to just look at her.

"Now." Becky growls.

Murmurs immediately start shooting through the crowd, people asking around for a doctor.

"Hellooooooo! Lightling Healer over here!" Max suddenly exclaims, raising a hand as he sits up, his hand shaking in the air.

"No way am I letting you near Kay in your state. You're intoxicated!" Becky says, hunching a little closer over Kay as if to defend her from the mighty force of a drunk Max.

Max scoffs, attempting to roll his eyes, but making his head roll along with it. "I've been drunk plenty of times before. That's all I used to do back in Lucem Villa."

"Have you ever healed anyone while drunk?" Becky asks with a raised eyebrow, to which Max responds with silence.

I lean over slightly towards Sylvia, wanting anything but to get closer to her but also dying of curiosity.

"What's this Lucem Villa place?" I whisper, looking to the side to see Sylvia throwing me a sharp glance, before huffing.

"It's like Highclere, but for the Lightlings, located on Mount Lux which is in the very center of their territory."

My eyes widen, my voice growing slightly higher in surprise. "Seriously? What's up with you Dalton-Dwellers and your fetish with living under mountains and rocks?"

Sylvia's scowl deepens, her hand twitching towards the whip tied at her belt.

"You should improve your listening skills, Human. I said it is on Mount Lux, not in it. Highclere is highly unique and original with its architectural structure." She sniffs in disdain, before turning away. I guess that conversation is over.

Suddenly Kay whimpers and we all freeze, my lungs inhaling a sharp breath.

I cast another worried look around the crowd. Where is Lager?

"I swear, if Lager doesn't get his cape-cladded behind out here right now to fix this, he'll have to deal with a very angry Halfling!" Becky exclaims., but even she can't hide the hint of worry in her tone.

"Move."

The word rings out across the clearing, hushing the Darklings gathered around and freezing their movements.