The Hunt for the Ghostkeeper

Chapter 15: Revivification

The colorless winter sun broke through the grey storm clouds and suffused through the Paris mansion. 707 lay on the beds in the circular room, all six forming a locus around the vacant center of the room. The rays of light crept over the blue sheets to the closed eyes of the Vexors. One bed was abandoned, as Nadine had awoken first and fumbled with a pot of water at the side table.

Layla opened one eye, groaned, and flipped over on her back, stretching her arms in the empty air.

As the moments continued to wear on, 707 awoke in the foreign beds. They took in their surroundings, confused at first, as if trying to remember a dream which was rapidly slipping away from them.

"Morning," Nadine said to them, taking out cups from the cupboard. "How are you three feeling?"

"Like I have the world's strongest headache," Rick said, sitting up. "Where are we?"

"Liebeaux Manor in Paris," Nadine replied, returning to the beds with a tray full of steaming mugs of hot tea. She placed one cup in Rick's hands and passed the tray along. "I'm Nadine, by the way. A member of 707."

"What happened?" Chase said.

"You're going to have to be a bit more specific," Mason said without lifting his head from his sky blue pillow. "Besides, we should be the ones asking the questions here."

"You all must be exhausted," Nadine said. "And it's freezing in here."

"The cold feels good," Rick said. "The summer's been brutal."

"Summer?" Mason asked. "What do you mean?"

"What?" Chase asked. "What- what's the date?"

"December 20," Mason said.

"What?" Rick asked incredulously, shooting up in his bed. "What- how-"

The door opened softly, and Circire and Hollingsworth entered. "Are they awake?"

"Yes," Nadine replied, sitting cross-legged on her bed.

"How are they?"

"Just in slight shock," Mason said. "They don't know how much time has passed."

"How is it winter?" Chase asked, bewildered.

"Just wait a moment, please," Circire said. "Now, how long exactly did you spend in the Underworld?"

"What does that matter?" Rick asked. "Like an hour. Who cares?"

"You," Hollingsworth said. "Because to us, you were trapped down there for six months."

"Six months?"

"We may be on the verge of discovering the relationship of time between the land of the living and the land of the dead, thanks to you," Hollingsworth said briskly.

Rick was astounded. Is this all they cared about? Finding more and more information without caring what they had just gone through?

"Of course, your well-being is a much more important factor," Hollingsworth said. "We- I- have put you in incredible danger. I thought I could protect you, but I was wrong. For that, I am sorry."

Rick was speechless, not knowing what to say.

"Chief, the young Zarrius girl has sustained an injury," Circire said, examining Rose's sleeping body, where the cut Celestia had carved in her neck was clearly visible.

"Can you heal her?" Hollingsworth asked, walking over to Rose's bed.

"Perhaps, but the injury must be on my own person." Circire ran her hands over Rose's neck, and held them in place for a few seconds. When she removed them, Rose's cut had completely healed, and her head jerked upwards. She started to speak but stopped when she noticed what the Prime Witch was doing.