Flux

17

Errend wasn't sure all the powers skills of sight gave a person, but he was starting to wonder. Did Inta know? She had to know. Her mother was gifted beyond measure, and even though most treated her like a diseased sorceress out to eat their souls, many had still come to her for aid.

Sardini halted in front of a nondescript door that looked like all the others. She went to open it, then stopped and looked up into the security camera mounted a few feet away in the middle of the ceiling.

Errend had noticed these. They were fairly new, he thought. When he escaped years ago, they had cameras mounted at corners here and there, but now these new cameras that seemed to be able to see three hundred and sixty degrees could be found every fifty feet or so.

Staring into the camera, Sardini looked to be concentrating. Then Errend heard the door click. What had just happened? Had the door been locked?

"They did more testing on mom today while you guys were in that meeting. She's tired but seeing you will help her feel better. I know it."

Sardini smiled warmly at Errend, not even realizing how her words tore at his insides like hot metal. Still smiling, she continued.

"They locked her in our rooms after, in case she found out you were here. They don't want her getting upset. They are afraid she will do something stupid." The little girl said the last word like it's the silliest thing she'd ever heard.

Errend understood as long as Sardini was here and no way for Inta to get her out safely, Inta would never do anything to risk Sardini's safety.

Sardini grabbed the handle turning it, but before she opened the door, she stopped and looked back at everyone with a severe look on her face that was far too old for her young age.

"Mother doesn't know I have any abilities. She also is unaware they lock our door. The security man is instructed to unlock it for the doctors only or me. I..." she blushed slightly, looking down, her feet shuffling. She bashfully looked back at everyone confessing, "I may have changed the man's memories of his orders slightly. He wouldn't have let you guys in otherwise."

She rushed to defend her actions, sounding like a little girl for the first time since Errend had met her, obviously worried the adults would be upset at what she had just done.

"I swear I don't mess with people usually. I mean, not on purpose anyway. Well, we better hurry. Not sure if what I did is permanent."

Looking a little worried but determined, Sardini ducked her head down and quickly pushed the door open, quietly hurrying in.

Errend grabbed the door behind her and waited for Aiya and Marvin to enter before he followed, gently closing the door behind him.

He had avoided acknowledging his feelings up until now, but a nervous tension had turned his stomach to a rioting storm of knots and butterflies. Could Inta forgive him?

He let the emotions run their course but kept to his training and didn't let them have control. They would pass and be gone soon enough as long as he kept moving.

Still following Sardini, they entered a narrow white hallway. It reflected the white light, immaculate and polished like waxed marble.

As they turned a corner, Errend heard Aiya suck in a breath and quietly exclaim as their eyes fell on a frail figure curled up on a lounge chair.

"Oh..."

A cream carpet in the centre of a small sitting room was decorated with sparse furniture. More white offended their eyes as Errend, Aiya and Marvin took in the glass coffee table with white legs, one white wooden end table, a small white bookshelf in the corner and a white love seat across from the white lounge chair.