Of Love and Valor

31: Borrowed Time

Fire, all around me, getting higher and hotter with each passing second. I run as fast as I can, keeping low, coughing into my sleeve, but the flames pursue, closing in. People are shrieking over the roar of the flames. Occasionally I hear the sickening sound of a blade cutting deep into human flesh. Dark shadows move through the flames—Erivim? ghosts? something else? I push myself to run even faster, telling myself to breathe even though that's next to impossible with all the smoke. The heat is crushing me.

Will I make it out of here alive?

Ahead, an opening. I push myself even harder, muscles screaming in agony. Almost there. Almost there. Almost—

I burst out of the flames and keep running, running. Though the flames are gone, the heat does not decrease. Then I crash into something and tumble gracelessly to the ground, coughing violently.

"Vell, vell, vell. Vhat have ve here?" a menacing voice remarks overhead in an unmistakable Kedar-Jashun accent. I look up. Three figures stand over me, hooded robes obscuring their faces. I scoot away from them, trying to get back to my feet, but my muscles protest every movement. I've pushed too hard, done too much.

"It is her fault! All her fault!" a woman's voice accuses somewhere behind them. "She is ze reason my son is dead!"

Other voices join hers in condemning me. Where have they come from? What are they talking about? I curl into a ball, hoping that if I ignore them, they will disappear. My heart is pounding in my ears, and I'm drenched in sweat. It's still so horribly, oppressively hot.

"Ve have heard your cries, and ve have made our decision. She is a demon, and she must be put to death," the menacing voice declares. "Gazer ze stones."

"Please, don't! I was fighting for my life, for my home! It was kill or be killed!" I protest, struggling anew to get away. Rocks start hitting the ground dangerously close to me. The roar of the flames and the shrieks of the dying meet my ears again. It must be getting closer. Which is worse?

Maybe they're right about me.

Maybe I should just give up.

"Azerai. Azerai!" a voice calls my name somewhere far away. Something like sunlight starts to push the flames and my attackers away. "Stars above, she's burning up. Thariyae, bring some water and some rags, quickly."

Something cool and wet settles on my forehead, startling me awake. I try to sit up, but I barely manage to turn my head. My body's not responding right. Everything hurts, and it's still unbearably hot. Krethzirae is standing over me, a wet cloth in her hand.

"You're awake. That's something," my roommate says, but her voice is laced with concern. "How are you feeling?"

"Hot," I whisper. Making my lips move is incredibly strenuous. What in the world is wrong with me?

"There's no way she can work today." Krethzirae has turned away, toward someone else. Who else is here?

"This is ridiculous. She was fine last night," Thariyae's voice replies. She comes into view, touches my face. Her hand is soothingly cool, but she jerks it away. "Yikes, you weren't kidding, though. More wet rags, all over. Then one of us has to go to a Kazmiohn and probably the other to a healer."

"You go, now. The sooner we get help, the better. This is serious."

"Serious?" I inquire, wondering how she means it.

"Like Thariyae said, you were fine last night. It's come on so suddenly, and as warm as you are...." Krethzirae's voice trails off. More cool wet things on my chest, arms, legs. "Did you do anything unusual yesterday?"