Adue, Chief Medic for the Guardians. So you might hope not to get to know me well, but you will. I will be conducting all your physical exams and observing on your tests tomorrow with Narrasa, he’s our Chief Talent Reader. It should be most interesting.”
The whole time Areathea talked a soothing calm flowed around her. “Well, let’s finish healing this so you can be on it tomorrow. If I know Hiymm, and I do, even after the night you’ve had, he’ll still be anxious to put you through all the hoops as fast as he can. I believe he has special things planned for you. So let’s fine tune this so you don’t have any discomfort.”
The communications link in the medic’s pocket sounded. “If I’m not missing my guess, that’s Hiymm now checking up on you.” She answered the device. “Yes, I have her.” There was a pause. “She’s fine, just a cut on her foot. I’m seeing to it personally. She will be as good as new tomorrow. Yes. All right, I’ll take care of it. You can tell Jattin I’m taking good care of his granddaughter.”
A second later, she closed the link, looking down at Rori.
“Well, from the sounds of it, your room is pretty much destroyed, so if it’s all right with you, you’ll bed down here for the rest of the night in one of the recovery rooms? Don’t worry, we’re on a high security floor, and your stuff will be retrieved and waiting when you wake up.”
“That’s fine,” Rori managed to say.
“Good. Then let’s finish healing your foot before we get any other interruptions.”
Rori felt the sensation stir her awareness and, without thinking, followed it back. She could almost see the healing waves as they ran over her foot, delving in, pulling together layer after layer of torn skin, working their way back out.
When finished, Areathea shifted to meet her look. “Well, that was interesting,” she said cryptically. “Now let’s see you to a room so you can get some sleep.”
“I doubt−”
Areathea raised her hand, cutting off Rori. “Don’t worry I’ll take care of that.”
Rori felt the nudges of relaxation the medic had been giving off increase, along with the urge to sleep. Rori covered her mouth as a yawn slipped free.
“That’s good. Now come this way.”
Rori slid off the table barely noticing there was no pain at all from her foot when it connected with the floor.
“We were very lucky.” Areathea talked as she guided her out into the hall. “I heard a boy almost fell. I know the boy. He’s the son of one of the system techs. Cute little guy, he knows just where I keep my treats when he comes to see me.”
Rori’s thoughts went to Tad and was hardly aware of entering the room and lying down. “I’ll see you in the morning. Well done. Thank you.” Areathea pulled the blankets up around her. “Sleep.” The word took her the rest of the way under.
Chapter Five
An older man hurried in through the open doorway. “All right now, let’s see what we have.” Thin hair rimmed his head with a dull brown ring. Annoyance radiated from him that Rori had trouble reading. He looked at the computer link and snorted. “They have you classed as a level four searcher and two empathic.”
“Yes,” Rori answered, feeling the nervousness she’d been experiencing since she’d awaken rise.
He rolled his eyes. “And what do they expect me to find.” He stopped, looked at her and froze. After a moment, he blinked. A thoughtful look crossed his face. “Well,” he drew the word out. “I think we can safely say you’re a lot higher than that.” Curiosity from him filled the air. “Let’s get started. You’ve done this before, but this time it will be more detailed.”
He touched the controls and the door slid closed. “Oh, I guess I should introduce myself I’m Med Narrasa, if you hadn’t guessed, and you are,” he paused obviously stopping to read it on the screen. “Aurora Straye.” He glanced back again. “Any connection to Jattin
Learning to Kill: Stories