Rogue of Obsidian: The Ultimate Key

Chapter 8

Audra jolted up, wincing in pain immediately after.

Clutching her side with her less injured arm, she jerked her gaze to get a proper summary of her surroundings. Although, she realized rather early on that this was a healing room.

Feasibly, how could she not? what with all the medicine doves screaming past each other and the smell of highrousch off in the distance?

She rolled her eyes. She knew of Beta Stanley's general displeasure toward Doctor Fondi's psychedelic obsession and thus attempted to coerce him to quit many times. Evidently, her efforts were fruitless.

She was so distracted by yet another of her apparent failures, that she hardly noticed he presence of bodies in the room. She started when she saw her parents soundly asleep on each other and jolted again when she made contact with her sister's ever-uncanny gaze.

Elf immediately rushed to Audra's for she just realized she was lying.

"Audra!" Elf limply flung her noodle arms around her sister, "It is an absolute miracle you survived! Oh, Mother..."

Feeling a snappy remark coming on, Audra bit her tongue as Elf nestled her face into her sister's neck.

Dazed and confused, Audra cautiously patted Elf's back while attempting to start a conversation.

"What happened?"

Slowly, Elf stood up- a look of worry crossed her expression as she did so. Her eyes flitted subtly as she inhaled a sharp breath through her teeth.

Audra rubbed her face hoping to tone down the exasperation she felt from her sister's avoidance.

"Elf, please..."

She reached out, despite her bones screaming not to. She gently arrested Elf's hand in hers, but she did not reciprocate the touch.

"But... you'll be angry."

Audra rolled her eyes.

"I would say no, but being positive somewhat goes against my nature."

Audra's quip gave no results as Elf simply looked on, unmoving.

"I still deserve to know," Audra coaxed.

Elf sighed, crawling into the meager bed area beside her sister. Audra's hand slithered nearly involuntarily down further into the covers until it twined with her sister's cold, hopeless fingers.

For a minute there, both lay intensely. Audra felt the warmth of her breath escape when it was countered by the cool of her sister's.

Nevertheless, she persisted in her physical, negative adjustments in the hopes of enlightenment in her spiritual, positive adjustments. Although, Audra did worry about Elf's warning of anger coming to fruition.

Finally, Elf spoke again- tersely.

"You had a stroke, Audra. You nearly died."

Audra gasped. It was all returning to her now: Saux, the forest, the man with the deep voice, everything.

Without a physical warning, Audra hoisted herself out of the springy cot and made a mad dash for the exit. She dodged between seemingly bewildered doctors and healers in her furor.

They were only looking for the right moment to pounce and capture, Audra was sure of it. Everyone had to know now- about the outcast, the proverbial black sheep, and the overall traitor amongst them. Her.

There was no time to think; there was only time to-

"Quit running!"

Audra howled as Elf's body slammed into hers.