Mortal Decoy

Chapter 15 - Samara

Unfortunately for me, my much needed rest was rudely interrupted by my bladder. I walked groggily to the washroom through the dim hallways and quickly relieved myself. As some of my sleepiness faded, the pain filtered in. I touched my back and my fingers came back bloody. Looked like the wound on my back was leaking. I grabbed a new shirt from the shelf and started back towards my room. I was much too lazy to change now when my bed was calling. I'd just put on the new shirt in the morning before I went out.

Wrong move.

"Ara?" Kivani said from behind me. I turned around, my drowsiness making my senses muddled. What was Kivani doing out at this time?

"What?" I said, too tired to come up with a clever remark.

"Turn around." He ordered.

"Why?" I squinted at him through the darkness. When I made no move to turn, he just marched past me. I realized belatedly what he was looking at.

"You're bleeding!"

"It's nothing." I said hurriedly, my sleepiness washed away. If Kivani thought I was too hurt he wouldn't let me go to the tear. I tried to make a quick exit but Kivani grabbed my arm, holding me in place.

"You need a healer."

"I'm fine. It's just a scratch."

"A scratch would not be bleeding this much. Why didn't you tell me about this earlier." Worry and anger mixed together in his eyes as I met his gaze.

"Because it's nothing I can't handle." It was the truth.

"Just because you can endure it doesn't mean you should have to."

I didn't know what to say. My whole existence pretty much revolved around how much I could endure. Comfort was not a luxury I was afforded.

Kivani searched my face. After a long moment of silence he grabbed my hand.

"Come on, I'll bring you to the healer." I stumbled along after him, still overwhelmed by the flood of thoughts his simple statement had stirred up.

He pulled me through an unfamiliar hallway to a closed door at the end. He knocked three times and then waited. Nobody answered as seconds ticked by.

"He's probably asleep. We can just wait till morning."

"No, you're losing blood. We can't just leave it like that."

"Then I'll bandage it a little. No big deal."

Kivani just scowled at me and knocked on the door again. I heard shuffling inside and then after a few moments a middle aged man opened the door, blinking blearily at us.

"What could you possibly need at this hour?" He grumbled. Then he noticed who he was speaking to and quickly changed his tune. "Sir Kivani! What do you need?"

"Ara is injured and needs to be healed immediately." Kivani said.

"Oh, okay." The healer said, still disoriented from sleep. "We can go to my treatment room. Follow me."

The man led us to a room two doors down from his own and walked in. He quickly lit some lamps, illuminating the room with a golden glow. The room was similar to my room back at the church in Luton. There was a bed and a desk. Though this room also boasted shelves stocked with bandages and salves.

"Please have a seat on the bed and indicate where you're hurt." The healer said to me. I sat on the bed.

"I have a wound on my back,'' I said, pulling up my shirt enough to reveal the bloody gash. Kivani sucked in a breath at the sight of the wound.