"A name? Can you recall exactly what I said?"
Kate nodded. "Valori. You called for 'Valori.' Is she a friend or family member back home?"
"Valori? She is my friend...my friend from this world." Olivia grimaced as another stabbing pain flooded her head. "Whenever I try to picture her, I get the worst headache."
"From this world?" Kate glanced about the room and lowered her voice. "Have you visited BloodDark before?"
Olivia fought hard to keep conscious. "Not as Lauren. I am.... My name is Olivia. I’m a spy."
"So that's why Moreau called you 'Olivia' once without realizing it. I did wonder." Kate frowned. "Oh, I wish they'd given me something more to ease your pain." She placed a cool compress on Olivia's brow. "Do you think they're poisoning you?"
"Mind control. To stop me from remembering what I've seen and heard."
"Then this mail-order bride business isn't all it appears to be?" Olivia nodded. Kate growled under her breath as she freshened the compress. "I'm glad they rejected me now—almost. Mahvet seems a decent sort, surrounded by some not-so-nice types."
"He is... maybe. Moreau's family...not at all." Olivia took a deep breath and held it, then released it. "I remember now. I need Annara to come and rescue me. Tell the medic to bring Annara—Annara from the council."
"Annara? Another friend from BloodDark?"
Before Olivia could make her mouth form the word "yes" she fainted.
Chapter Three
"Lie still. The healing stones are doing their job well."
Olivia blinked twice. Fuzzy splashes of color filled her vision. The voice didn't sound familiar, but she did as she was instructed. A pleasant, relaxing warmth penetrated her head and shoulders, taking the throbbing pain away. She sighed.
"Do you think she'll be able to travel soon?"
The second voice did sound familiar. Olivia lifted her head an inch. "Valori? Are you here?"
"Don't move," the first voice commanded. "You'll be able to travel in a little while if you allow the healing stones to do their work."
Olivia could make out who was speaking to her now. The thin woman with a beaky nose and perpetual frown on her face had to be the medic. She occupied herself with removing small pebbles from a glass container and placing them on various points along Olivia's arms and legs.
The pain ebbed away from her entire body as the medic positioned the stones. Olivia drifted back to sleep, secure in the knowledge she wasn’t alone. She could wait to speak to Valori when she felt better. Valori would help her get in touch with Annara. It would all work out fine.
"Olivia, wake up now. It's time for dinner."
"Kate?" Groggy, but feeling better, Olivia sat up and yawned. "I feel like I've been sleeping for ages."
"You have been. Hungry?" Kate rolled a trolley containing two place settings toward the bed. "Look, they made us both a plate. How thoughtful."
Olivia scooted to the edge of the bed and put on her robe and slippers. Her stomach growled, protesting its emptiness. She picked up an eating utensil and dove into the casserole dish. "Hmm... Have they been treating you well, Kate?"
Olivia studied the middle-aged woman's composed face. Kate kept a stiff upper lip, but Olivia spotted the slight downward twinge around the corners of the quick smile Kate flashed in response. Olivia could tell it hadn't been easy.
"Well enough. They've allowed me to be your nurse and remain in the dormitory, but I'm not welcomed elsewhere." Kate lowered her eyes to her plate. "No doubt they'll make certain I'm sent back to Earth on the next scheduled Portal trip."
"Have you seen your professor?"
Kate shook her head. "No, I thought about slipping into the back of the room during the daily tutoring session, but I just couldn't." Her shoulders slumped. "It's best to make a clean break and not draw things out."
"You miss him, though. Don't you?"
"Is it obvious?" Kate forced a laugh, then dropped her fork. "One thing I won't miss is this food. Even the purple mash is off today."
Olivia had been shoveling her dinner so fast into her mouth she hadn't realized the taste did seem different—even for BloodDark cuisine. She put down her utensil. "You're right. It's a bit more bitter than usual. Oh, no..."
"What is it?"
"Maybe they put something in it like drugs. How would we know?"
Kate's eyes widened. She shook her head. "No, they wouldn't do such a thing. Why would they? They want me to go home, and they act anxious for you to recover."
"Really?" Olivia looked askance at her friend. "Have you talked with Moreau or any of the other Pure Bloods in charge?"
"Only the one time when I told them you'd fainted. They acted concerned about your health."
"You didn't tell them about Annara, did you?"
Kate frowned. "Who's Annara?"
Did it mean Kate had forgotten what she'd said to her, or she was playing stupid on purpose? Olivia decided to go with the first one and feel her out. "Nobody important." She swallowed some water and did her best to act casual. "I didn't happen to mention any other names in my delirium, did I?"
"None I recall. You were mumbling a bit, so the medic might have heard something, but I can't say for certain."
Olivia clenched her fists in her lap. Something was horribly amiss—But what?
"When will the medic and her assistant come back?" Olivia ventured. "I thought I heard them talking earlier today about how I'd be ready to travel before long."
Kate frowned. "That wasn’t today, Lauren. They were here last week."
"Did you call me Lauren?" A cold shiver of dread tingled down Olivia's spine. Not was all as it appeared. "Kate, I think you're forgetting things."
"Forgetting things? How so?" Kate shook her head and tutted. "I pride myself on my excellent recall of facts as a researcher. Surely I can remember the medic last calling upon you a week ago, and I definitely know your name.”
Olivia's voice
