Masquerade ✔

Chapter 52

"Thank you." The nurse shut the door behind Clara as she slowly approached Ezra's bed.

The doctors had cleaned him up. Tubes filled with liquid ran from a machine Clara didn't recognize into Ezra's arms. What looked like a simplified version of an oxygen filter sat on his face.

Clara sank into a chair next to his bed and took one of his hands. She stared at his face. He looked more peaceful than she had seen him in years. "Thank you, Ezra," she whispered. "I think everything is going to be alright."

She sat in silence with him for a while. There was nothing else to do, but Clara didn't mind the peace. She could actually relax here.

After maybe an hour, there was a knock on the door. Clara called for whoever it was to come in, and a smile lit up her face.

Her three siblings came tentatively in the room, but when Emme saw her, she ran up to her and jumped in Clara's lap.

"Emme, be careful," Amyeliana warned.

"It's alright." Clara stroked Emme's hair and looked up at the twins. She caught sight of Cadence behind the group. She winked at Clara and then left the room to give her some privacy.

Archibald went up to Ezra's side opposite of Clara. "Is he going to be alright?" he asked.

Clara nodded. "Yes, Archi, I think he's going to be just fine." Her three younger siblings all physically relaxed at her words. "He needs rest and some medicine, but he'll be alright."

"What happened, Clara?" Amyeliana asked.

"I'll tell you all about it," Clara promised. "But not right now."

Clara unwrapped Emme's arms from around her waist. Emme had attached herself to Clara, curled up in her lap, but now Clara lifted her up so she could stand, and then put Emme back down in the chair.

"You three should take some time with him," Clara said. "I need to find something to eat. Will you be alright by yourself?"

The twins both nodded. "We'll be fine," Archibald assured her.

"Will you come back soon?" Emme asked quietly.

Clara kissed the top of her head. "Yes, of course," she said. "I'm just hungry. And I need to talk to Cadence."

She left them settling in around Ezra's bed and was pleased to find Cadence waiting in the hallway just outside of the door.

"Any idea where to find food in this place?" Clara asked.

Cadence gave a knowing smile. "Absolutely. There's a dining hall on the top floor."

"Brilliant. Let's go there."

The hall was mostly empty. There were stations set up around the edge of the room, each with a different option.

"Do we have to pay?" Clara asked.

Cadence shook her head. "No, just go up and ask for what you want."

"Er, any suggestions?"

Cadence laughed. "Here, just sit." She pointed at a table. "I'll get something that you'll like."
When it came to food, Clara trusted Cadence's judgement, so Clara did as she said and watched her friend go up to one counter and talk to the staff member behind it. A few minutes later, Cadence came back with a tray piled with steaming rice, vegetables, and chicken. She set it down in front of Clara, went away again, and came back with two glasses filled with light blue liquid and a bowl of soup for herself.