Divine Charity

Chapter Two: Rescued?

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RESCUED

Lena heard voices. Felt hands on her body. A pink flash of light so bright it lit the surrounding air. The smell of smoke. The taste of blood. Confusion. Noise. Cold. Moist air permeated every inch of her. She couldn't move. Her vision blurred and her ears buzzed. In and out of consciousness she floated.

Sasha cried out in the distance. Lena's eyes flew open in horror when she tried to call out, but couldn't; tried to move, but was immobile. Panic flooded her. Her babies! Where the hell were her babies?

"She's awake!" a female voice said, laced with urgency.

Lena tried to focus on the woman, but quickly gave up when all that floated in front of her was a pink ethereal light.

"Kravan'n? Kravan'n? Where is he?" The male voice was anxious, thickly accented. In her confused state, Lena couldn't place the accent and attempting to do so exhausted her. It was all she could do just to keep her eyes open. Why couldn't she move? Or speak?

"She needs blood!" The woman spoke again, her tone commanding.

"By the All! Rescue the bantlings!"

"Where has he gone?"

"Hold her still."

"They're in shock."

"By the Eternal One, I cannot find him!"

"Nor can I. Where has he gone?"

Lena tried to move her head to see who was speaking over her, but the night was too dark. Fog or smoke–she couldn't tell which–obscured her already compromised sight. She could only make out moving shadows. A different blackness tried to steal her sight, but she fought against the faint. Her heart cried out in desperation. Were her children hurt?

"Calm yourselves," barked a voice of command. "I am well."

An enormous shadow of a man hovered over her, and she tried desperately to make out his features. Even in her confused state, she recognized his air of authority. Whatever happened to her now was up to him.

A worried female voice spoke. "We have to go. She needs blood and even then, there is no guarantee. I've never seen a head injury this severe where the patient survived."

"Yet she is with us still." The man said, his slight accent sharpened by his demand. "Do not will her into the grave with your words. Give her my blood."

"I can't! It'll kill her!" the woman balked.

"Do it now!" the large man instructed, his tone brooking no disagreement.

Lena tried to focus her vision. Her gaze landed on the shadowy male figure above her, but darkness swallowed her. When she woke again, nausea assailed her just before an oddly soothing cold settled into her bones. She was too tired to fight against the darkness.