We moved swiftly through the labyrinthine streets of Goldrose, the weight of Aurora's condition pressing on us. The cool night air whipped against our faces, the shadows providing cover as we navigated the maze of alleys and backstreets. Our plan had been flawless; we provided a good distraction for Rune. I had vastly underestimated the cruelty of a slave owner. We needed to take her back to the inn and care for her until morning. As soon as we could, we would need to find a healer.
We rushed her back to our inn, and I began frantically pulling the sheets off one of the beds, laying some of our towels down in place of the sheets. I frantically explained, "Rune, put her down on the bed. Vice, go back out to the caravan and grab my alcohol and padded bandages; both are in the back."
I wasn't a doctor, but I had learned some basics of treating wounds in the year I traveled by myself. We needed to clean her wounds in case they got infected. I examined the wounds; it seemed like she had suffered from a whip, and she was bruised all over, too. Aurora was passed out, her breathing even due to the medication, but she was far from out of the woods. The medicine she took had closed up some of the wounds, but the more severe lashes still festered, plus she had lost a lot of blood. After a few minutes, Vice came back with the supplies, and I began treating Aurora.
I rubbed alcohol with cotton across all of her flesh wounds and deeper cuts. Once that was done, I used various wraps and bandages to cover her wounds. I then took a washcloth and wiped away all the blood from her body. The others watched with bated breath as I treated her. After a while, I had done all I could as a novice. The rest would be up to her to survive until the morning. Rage boiled inside me. I hated the man I had sold her to—Leroy Hamilton—not someone I would soon forget. I also hated myself for being so stupid. All I wanted was to turn a profit. I was a monster.
I stood up and made my way out to the balcony. "Shit." I pulled away from Alice and made my way outside. The cold nipped at my skin, but I didn't care. I knew the risks and pushed her off a cliff for my own interests. I was no better than the slave traders we passed by in the market. I leaned against the railing of the balcony, staring out into the dark expanse of Goldrose. The lights of the city flickered like distant stars, indifferent to the turmoil in my heart.
I couldn't shake the image of Aurora's battered body from my mind. Her pale face, her broken form—I had been the one to put her in harm's way. For what? A few coins? The weight of my guilt threatened to crush me.
The door creaked open behind me, and I heard heavy footsteps. It was Vice. Her presence burned me; I just wanted to wallow in my regrets. She put a firm hand on my shoulder. "Key," she said softly, her voice a balm to my tormented soul. "You did what you could. She's still alive because of you."
I shook my head, unable to meet her eyes. "I sold her into that man's hands. This is my fault. If she dies..."
She twisted me around aggressively. "Armin used to beat himself up all the time just like what you're doing right now. Snap out of it. You made a mistake, right? Blaming yourself won't help her now. What matters is that we get her through the night. Tomorrow, we'll find a healer. We can't afford to lose hope. You can throw your pity party after we get her stabilized."
Her words were simple but held a profound truth. Despair would only paralyze me, and Aurora needed all the strength we could muster. Tears fell from my cheeks. "Goddammit. I won't ever take a risk like that again."
Vice frowned. "Didn't take you for such an emotional type. Crying like that over someone you just met?"
I wiped the tears away, my resolve hardening. "It's not just about Aurora," I said, my voice firmer. "It's about the kind of person I want to be. I won't let my greed endanger anyone else."
Vice nodded, a flicker of approval in her eyes. "Good. Then let's make sure we do everything we can for her now."
We headed back inside, where Rune and Alice were keeping vigil by Aurora's side. Alice heard us come back. "You okay?"
I sighed. "I'm okay."
The room was filled with an air of tense anticipation, each of us praying that she would pull through the night. I took my place beside the bed, ready to assist in any way I could. As the hours dragged on, Aurora's condition remained stable but fragile. We took turns watching over her, ensuring that her wounds were kept clean and her bandages were secure. The first light of dawn began to filter through the windows, casting a faint glow over the room.
"We need to find a healer," I said, breaking the silence. "As soon as possible."
Rune offered, "Let's go then. There should be some available now; it's almost 7:00 a.m."
I nodded. "Let's hurry."
This entire situation made me aware of just how important having a healer could be for us down the road. I mean, incidents are bound to happen in our kind of work. I asked Vice to stay behind with Alice and Aurora as we rushed out of the inn. From what I saw on our way to the market on horseback, there were a few medical centers that dealt in traditional care. For our needs, we needed a healer. Healing services weren't super common because most parties traveled with healers. Healing services were more for emergency care, if anything, and most smaller towns didn't even have them.
This city would have one, and if memory serves me correctly, I spotted the place on our way into the city. We really were in a race against time; we needed to get there quickly. Rune's hair fluttered in the wind as we both raced across town. His speed was on a level I couldn't keep up with, but before he pulled too far ahead, he stopped. He got to a small building in the shopping center. The building was a small stone structure with a sign on a big window that read, "Selene's Urgent Care."
I rushed inside; the door rang with a bell. The place itself was rather small. It had a desk tucked away in a corner by the other window, with a book placed on top. Nobody was in sight, and the place was pretty open-concept. In fact, if I were to wager a guess, it was a pretty new place. I couldn't see much dust, and the sofa still had some of the plastic on it.
I called out, "Is anyone here? We need help!"
After a few moments, a woman's voice called out from the back, "Just a minute. I'll be right there." I waited a few minutes, until a woman came out of the other door. Her hair was untidy, and it looked like she had thrown on some casual clothes at the last minute. I didn't let myself get too distracted, but I was a bit in awe. She was incredibly beautiful. I also noticed she was a full elf—something very rare to see in this kind of city.
Elves typically stuck to their own kind; they haven't been known to mingle amongst other races too often. She wore a casual white top and small cargo pants. Not something I would expect a healer to be wearing. She had long blonde hair and deep purple eyes. She had a white bow that tied some of her long blonde hair together. She was tall. I was only about 5'9", but she was at least 6'2". She looked like a refined woman, almost regal, but yet very casual in her outfit. She blushed. "I, uh, am Selene. I usually don't get customers so early in the morning. Sorry about my outfit; I was just making myself a coffee."
I interrupted her introduction. "We have an emergency. One of my friends got hurt badly. Can we please borrow some of your time?"
My sentence seemed to call her into action. She straightened up, her nervousness leaving her. "Please, lead the way." She seemed to notice my urgency and didn't waste time with questions. I nodded to Rune, and we led her back to the inn. We moved with urgency through the early morning streets. The city was beginning to wake, but our focus was solely on Aurora.
As we entered the room, Vice and Alice looked up with hope and desperation in their eyes. Selene didn't hesitate; she immediately assessed Aurora's condition, her hands glowing with a soft, ethereal light. She worked with precision and grace, her healing magic a stark contrast to the brutality Aurora had endured. As the light enveloped Aurora, her breathing became more stable, her wounds beginning to close. We watched in silent awe, feeling a glimmer of hope for the first time since the night had begun. Selene's presence was a beacon of salvation, and I silently vowed to never let my greed endanger anyone again.