CHAPTER 12
Solas was seated in a hospital waiting room, sipping on a styrofoam cup of vending machine coffee. It tasted revolting, but he had grown accustomed to the tinny flavor over his years spent in late-night hospital wards when nothing else was available. He was sitting on a sofa sitting opposite Leliana. His friend was intently reading a tabloid-style magazine with garish neon-colored headlines like "Married to a Darkspawn" and "Drug Smuggling Nugs Invade Redcliffe Castle."
The two looked up when a woman dressed in maroon scrubs entered the room, pulling down her surgical mask to announce in a distinctive cadence, "Tis remarkable that Dr. Lavellan survived. She is still unconscious, but I expect that she'll wake soon. She put up quite the fight."
"Thank you, Morrigan," Leliana responded in a terse voice, slapping the magazine in her hand shut.
Solas had first met Morrigan in medical school, learning some odd years later that she was an Inquisition agent as well. He knew that Leliana and Morrigan had a complicated history, resulting in part as Morrigan rarely heeded her superior's demands. She was, after all, fickle, reckless, and manipulative. Also, Solas had observed, a competent neurosurgeon. The two of them sometimes consulted each other on cases, and although Morrigan sometimes made him uneasy, he did not carry any ill-will towards her.
Solas had breathed a little easier when he spotted Morrigan waiting outside the hospital doors when he hopped out of the back of the ambulance. After all, his colleague was one the only doctors employed by the hospital, besides himself, competent at treating magical injuries.
"What is the prognosis?" Solas asked the raven-haired woman. He was leaning back in his chair in a weak attempt to appear neutral even if internally, he felt as if he was shaking like an earthquake. He would have preferred to treat Ellana personally, but ethics would argue that her animosity towards him would have been a conflict of interest.
"Some severe ecchymosis and contusions on her face, a few rib fractures. No internal hemorrhages, I expect she'll be up and talking within the hour, if not already. She'll be in some minor discomfort and pain over the next few days, but nothing that should interfere with her everyday life."
Solas and Leliana exhaled in unison.
"Although it is not for me to say," Morrigan continued, "It appears you two have a much larger problem to explain to the scholar what happened."
"Broken promises, half-truths," Solas mused, searching Leliana's face to try and discern what the spymistress was thinking, "What compelling story will we weave for the unsuspecting Dr. Lavellan to wake to?"
Memories of Ellana in the ambulance flashed before his eyes. Her face was swollen and discolored; blood was running out of her nostrils. She had slipped in and out of consciousness, calling out desperately in Elvhen for her parents. When he suggested to Leliana that they be contacted, she informed him that they were both long dead. He advised the paramedics not to administer any sedatives if it made her drift off too far into the Fade. So she had suffered.
Solas was heavy with guilt. Dr. Lavellan would surely protest knowing that Solas had seen her In such a state, but considering he was the only mage on site able to stabilize her with his mana, he had ridden along doing his best to offer comfort.
"We could invent a story, a roving vandal or elvhen tomb raider," Leliana countered.
"T'would be most unlikely." Morrigan scoffed.
"As is an escaped Elvhen fanatic who seeks to find an ancient device designed to bring down the veil and institute a mage ruling caste system," Solas fervently reminded the two women, "The primary goal is to keep the Evanurius from locating the foci, informing Dr. Lavellan of her part seems essential to that quest."
"Alright," Leliana assented. "Although I don't think telling her the full truth of her power is wise. Perhaps we focus on her study of Elvhen artifacts. She'll need a security detail, at least."
"That seems prudent," Morrigan advised quietly, "Speaking of the patient, I should go and check on her vitals. I cannot tarry longer."
Solas nodded farewell to her as she exited. Sinking into the sofa. he rested his head on one of his hands, pulling out his cell phone to check his faculty email. I forgot about Dagna. He thought to himself remorseful.
"Solas, I am worried about Ellana," Leliana confessed in a shaky voice he had rarely heard. She clutched a manilla file to her chest.
"Yes, tell me again what about this situation, in particular, gives you concern," Solas responded, sarcastically fidgeting with the plastic lid of his coffee cup.
"I went through her University file, did you know she listed her thesis advisor as her emergency contact? I think its been a long time since she has had anyone close in her life."
"You understand privacy laws protect that information."
Leliana gave him a bold and unrelenting stare. "Who I am trying to protect is Dr. Lavellan. Knowing this information it is clear she has minimal support in Val Royeux."
"Well, did you contact her advisor?"
"No, I thought that would lead to more questions."
"Do your agents know where Andriul went?" Solas asked, shaking his head. He had very little patience left for the dark games the Inquisition played.
"A few guesses. She is underground. I am skeptical that she'll strike so openly again after being defeated. Do you remember when on a whim she hunted elves on the Arlathan streets? I still have nightmares about what we found. The years in prison have weakened her significantly."
"That explains the halla," Solas observed grimly. "Andruill needed the ritual to fuel her magic."
"Blood magic?" Leliana asked curiously. "She is that frail?"
"Magic?" Solas ruefully lamented, bringing a blue flame in his hand. "The power dwindles more year-to-year. Soon, I doubt even the most powerful among us will be able to light a candle."
"So the Evanurius are desperate to find the foci as time is running out," Leliana wondered out loud. She pulled the hood of her purple jacket up, sinking a bit against the chair cushions. "It is the only known way to tear down the veil?"
"Correct," Solas said, rising from his chair. Glancing down at his white shirt, he realized he was covered in a film of dry blood. He needed a shower and a nap. He wasn't sure what order. Pausing at the door, he stopped in the exit before looking back at Leliana for a final time that evening.
"Nightengale?"
"Yes?"
"Develop your preferred script for Dr. Lavellan. I will follow-it."
He slammed the door shut before he received an answer.