The Urbem (Completed)

Chapter Thirty-Four: 'Di-Mi-Tree'

(Nephele)

For the next week I was on edge and about two days away from asking for medical help. They had beaten him so hard he'd slipped into a coma. His breathing was steady and with him not being awake it did make it easier for me to clean and bandage his wounds... But if he didn't wake up soon I'd have no choice but to take him to the hospital where he would inevitably be killed. That was probably why I left him for so long; I didn't really want him to be euthanized, but it was getting to the point where it was either trying to save his life and being discovered or letting him die and keep my Insurgo identity a secret... There would be no contest; he would have to go. 

Today would be the ninth day that he was unconscious and I was in a bad mood. I had a feeling Mya was getting suspicious as she came round a few days ago and saw him covered in bandages and healing creams. No woman would ever normally bother with that, so when she asked, me I had to make up some awful lie about how his blood was staining my floor and the only way to stop the blood was to bandage it... But that raised the question how did I do it without touching him? 

I flailed a lot under that one, and, in the end, only came up with, "I used gloves." Stupid answer... Stupid situation to be caught in. Already 'Dimitri' was causing trouble and he hadn't even woken up yet. Mya hadn't been to see me since then, and she was off in training... I had a feeling I didn't have a lot of time left behind these walls. 

'Are you coming home soon?' Imara's voice was eager. 

"I think I might have to," I said out loud, my mind feeling too crowded to add my own voice to it as well. "I think I made a mistake a few days ago." 

'A mistake? What kind of a mistake?'  I glanced to the bathroom door and groaned before throwing myself on the bed.

"A stupid one; a really big, fat, stupid one."  I could hear his agitation at my vagueness. 

'Please elaborate, cub.' 

"Imara," I whined, burring my head in a pillow, "I don't want to stay here anymore. I want to come home... I want to go back to you."  He sighed. 

'I want you to come back home too.'  I grinned as I thought of the camp.

"Do they miss me? Have Lyra and Felix made up yet? How about Rya, has she had the cubs yet? And Le...And Lexio? How is he?" I let this floods of questions be heard as I realised I really hadn't allowed myself to think of life outside the Uxor walls. Really, I'd missed everyone more than I cared to let on. Imara started to talk but I heard a creak from the bathroom doorway and I closed the link between us immediately.  My head snapped up and my mouth hung open; 'Dimitri' was listening in on my conversation.

"What are you doing?!" I hissed, jumping up and storming over to him. 

"I could ask you the same question," he snapped back. "Who were you talking to?" He looked over my shoulder and around the room. "Got more Uxors hiding in here, ready to beat the shit out of me at the next chance they get?" 

"Watch your mouth," I replied, "and I wasn't talking to anyone." 

"Lies," he said, staring at me defiantly... Then his eyes widened. "You're looking at me." 

His accusation jolted my mind; how could I be so careless? I wasn't supposed to look in his eyes, and what had I been doing for the past two minutes? Staring at him like the fool I was. I dropped my eyes to his neck.

"No, I wasn't. Now shut up and get back in the bathroom until I call you, Seventeen." The veins in his throat tightened and I could imagine him grinding his teeth together.