What a day it had been.

  Most of Nela's time had been spent having to tell the various patients, as well as a few visitors, that Jisry was wrong. No, they weren't all going to die. No, the captain wasn't unfit to lead. No, this...shit, Nela didn't even want to think about that last nonsense idea the older healer had tried to spread.

  And that was all before he woke up from Jylania's spell and tried to do it all over again.

  It was a good thing everyone there was recovering to some degree. If Nela had been forced to deal with fresh injuries on top of Jisry...it was enough to drive someone mad. The old man probably had never faced a situation like this, Nela noted with grim amusement.

  Climbing up the stairs, she and Jylania entered their room. Hamond was already here, and...Ugotlas as well. Strange, but Nela could deal with that. What was more concerning was Edeline and Ronny not being back yet.

  "You look tired," Hamond commented.

  "Like you can talk," Nela retorted. Hamond's clothes were stained with sweat. He'd obviously spent time outside doing...something. Maybe asking about that goddess thing?

  "I believe we will not attempt to hold meetings on a roof in the future," Ugotlas said, voice calm as if it were something normal.

  "Why didn't you come back here?" Nela gave them an annoyed look. "We're all busy. It would just be you two."

  "We didn't want to risk the people downstairs overhearing," Hamond answered.

  "Then speak more quietly." What was with Hamond lately? Nela already knew the answer, but come on. He needed to get over it.

  "Given how the family downstairs reacted to my arrival, I doubt that would have helped."

  Nela had to admit she hadn't expected Ugotlas to come to Hamond's defense. That wasn't about to stop her though. "So you're telling me there's not a single spare room you could find? They're all filled up?"

  "Yes," Hamond said, "To be honest, I wonder if this one here was actually empty when we arrived."

  Moving people around to make space for newcomers? Nela could see that being a possibility, but there was only so far that could go. "Makes me wonder what she'd do if they found any more survivors."

  "It is likely space is more limited than the captain would admit," Ugotlas said, "You see why I did not reveal myself immediately. The problem would be even worse if it were someone affected by the spell of the Sluice."

  "Like that horned man then." Nela caught on immediately. "So you think he was trying to get in or get help, then?"

  "Very likely." Hamond let out a long pained sigh. "That guard from last night apparently claimed he heard a voice outside the barricade, but didn't do anything about it."

  "What an arse," was all Nela could say. It went against everything she'd been taught as a healer. If it weren't for...well, everything going on, she'd rather see that man removed from the town watch.

  "Captain Takhat doesn't know what to do about it," Hamond said, "Of course, she's not ready to admit that the creatures could still be men and women."

  "Come on!" Nela felt frustration surge. "She saw that bird woman staring at her, same as I did. That's not a beast thing."

  It wasn't just her healer training that drove her irritation. Nela of all people knew what it was like to wake up and feel like her body was not her own. Wanting to change it like someone taking off clothing, feeling a bit hollow at the thought she couldn't. Thankfully, it only came about to Nela on particularly bad days, and she'd learned ways to deal with it. Above all else, there were still good days too.

  If anything, these creatures would have it worse. No good days. No ways to deal with it. Just an uncertain future with a body that was as much beast as it was man or woman. If there was anything Nela could do to help them, then she would do it. By the Fae, she would help them.

  And if they truly were gone, unrecoverable, that help might simply be giving them one last mercy. Far better than leaving them to die of hunger or thirst. Everyone here, from the captain to Jylania, should agree about that.

  "I agree it is worth looking into," Ugotlas said, "But doing it here would be unwise, with the views of the captain and the other survivors. Finding an alternate location in Lasfont where we can aid these creatures would be needed."

  "That another thing you want me to tell Edeline and Myronel to do?" Hamond asked wearily.

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  "I have a different plan. I shall act to misdirect them, while you meet with the woman we saw."

  "Excuse me?" Hamond's doubts had to be similar to Nela's own. Deceiving Takhat like that couldn't end well. Although...Nela couldn't see any other way to do this.

  "We were going to investigate the rumors of the goddess of the fountains, were we not? I will be asking various people around here about that. If questioned on where you are, I will note you are seeking information elsewhere. This will be true, as you will be finding out if that woman can be spoken to. If so, then finding out any details about the spell is the next step."

  "It's not going to be anything useful." Hamond sounded even more annoyed. "We aren't dealing with trained thaumaturges here. They won't know just what they saw."

  "Even if they aren't, we can still help them," Nela said, making up her mind. It wasn't like the captain was in a position to deny Nela much of anything. One of the advantages of being a healer was getting to make personal demands from time to time. Her grandfather had cautioned her about taking it too far, but Nela was confident Morgivel would be fully behind this.

  Hamond turned away, staring silently out the window. "I don't like dividing us up even more, but fine," he said at last, facing them once again. "If Captain Takhat finds out, though, you two will have to handle it."

  "I'll just say it's my idea." Nela hesitated a moment, not sure if she wanted to voice the other part. Forget it, this shit needed to get done. "Not like she can drive me out. Who's she going to turn to? Jisry?"

  "Hopefully not me," Jylania remarked.

  Nela chuckled. "You're years away still from being a full and proper healer, you know."

  Jylania smiled back, as much shy as it was sly. It was good to see the girl was starting to be more outspoken. There had been times when Nela had wondered about Jylania's silence.

  Hamond, however, was not the least bit amused. He was again looking out the window, facing north across Lasfont as the sun set. Looking out to where Edeline was, Nela realized. The two really should have been back by now, something that Hamond knew as well as her.

  "You're still worried about her, aren't you?" Nela couldn't hold back the question.

  "How do you do it?" Hamond responded with a question of his own.

  Nela knew exactly what he meant.

  "Part of it is just my work as a healer. You probably already know this, but the wounds of someone bleeding in front of you aren't going to wait on you to get your personal shit taken care of. The injured and sick come first, second, third, and so on."

  Hamond nodded.

  "But there's the other part of it too, the part I have to remind myself of every so often. The truth is...that me and Ronny being together should never have happened."

  "Excuse me?" Hamond drew back in confusion.

  "He's a noble. I'm a peasant. The only reason we met is the kingdom we're in is falling apart in this war, and even that wasn't sure. So many things had to go just the right way for us to get this far. So many more things have to go just right for it to keep going."

  Someone could write a whole book on the blank stunned look on Hamond's face.

  "I won't lie. I want it to go as long as it can, and I'll do what I can to make that happen. That's how I met you and Edeline, back in Hallowscroft. But I know that any day, anything could turn out different. Then it will end. So I want to make today as good for Ronny and me as possible. We might not have a tomorrow."

  "You're just as worried as I am, aren't you?"

  Hamond's question struck hard, forcing Nela to gather her thoughts. "I guess I am," she admitted, then cleared her throat. "But what I said? Ronny knows that. He'll fight his hardest to get back to me. And Edeline will do the same for you. Even if they're late now, they'll both be back."

  "We should make plans though for if they cannot," Ugotlas noted.

  Nela spun to face him, fury rising. "You may think you are helping," she said, poking the air in front of the sphinx with a finger. "You are not helping. Shut up."

  "No...he's right," Hamond said, "If they aren't speaking to the captain right now, something happened to them."

  Nela wanted to say it was just his fear talking, but she couldn't ignore the possibility either. "Well, we'd know if the Sluice cast that spell again, so it's not that. What else in Lasfont could stop them?"

  She regretted it the moment she said it. Nela knew exactly who else could stop them, and she'd just called attention to that. Shit. So much for trying to calm Hamond's fears. That one question had undone everything she said. She really needed to learn just when to stop talking.

  Hamond just shook his head slowly. "Thank you," he said, "But I...I can't keep avoiding this. Also, if I'm going out into Lasfont for other reasons, I should see if I can find what became of them too."

  "If they don't show up right now, that is," Nela said.

  They both paused, waiting to see if she was right. It was a heavy silence, with both of them probably hoping they were wrong, that Edeline and Ronny would show up any moment. The two would share stories about how they just managed to defeat a snake monster, and then laugh over some ridiculous joke.

  The moment passed, and then another, and another still. The pair did not arrive.

  "You think the captain will send you two out instead?" Nela finally asked.

  "No," Hamond stated, "If she thinks she lost all three of that group, Takhat will not risk us without an absolute guarantee of success."

  Nela had expected as much, but it was still annoying. "Guess we really are defying the captain, aren't we?"

  "Maybe I can convince her," Hamond said, with a face full of doubt.

  "And maybe the Spellking will just give up if someone asks him," Nela shot back, "Why do people get stubborn over stupid shit?"

  "Wouldn't say we're any better." Hamond tried and failed to suppress a yawn.

  "I guess not," Nela said, "I also guess you might want to start on the food. Or do you want me to do it?" It wasn't like Edeline was here to insist Hamond handle the cooking, after all.

  "I would rather you do it," Ugotlas spoke up again, "I have much more to discuss with him regarding our plans for tomorrow."

  Nela sighed. In truth, she hadn't wanted to do it, only offering because it would give Hamond a reprieve. But there was no time to relax, not when the possibility that Edeline and Ronny could be hurt or in danger...or worse.

  At least there was one advantage to that. "Jylania, come here." Knowing to cook was a useful skill, but it was one they hadn't had a good opportunity to teach the girl. "I'm going to show you how to make this stew."

  It taking Nela's mind off of Ronny didn't hurt either.

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