When Valkyrie came to, she was back in the Sanctuary. She was being carried, bridal style, through a familiar hallway. She blinked a few times to clear her eyes, and looked up at Skulduggery. His attention was on where they were going. His jaw was clenched. She could see Ghastly and Ravel walking beside him, both looked grim.
"Skulduggery...? What's going on?"
He glanced down at her and the tension in his jaw slackened somewhat. Ghastly and Ravel glanced at her when she spoke. All looked relieved.
"You're ill. We're taking you to the medical bay."
She took a moment to digest that information. A swell of distorted memories came back to her and she tried to make sense of them. She'd been standing in the corridor listening to Skulduggery and the others. She'd been feeling ill. And then... Dr. Synecdoche had been talking to her?
No, Darquesse said with a certainty that surprised Valkyrie. You were talking to Ravel. You called him hot.
Right...She vaguely remembered that now. Ghastly made some comment about it. Then two men had grabbed her arms.
That was Skulduggery and Ghastly. They caught you after your legs collapsed, and that happened before you called Ravel hot.
Okay yeah... But then they disappeared, she'd been standing there alone, until...she'd been injected with something? Yes, that was right. Dr. Synecdoche had given her an injection. Even now, she could still feel the string of the needle in her neck.
That didn't happen, insisted Darquesse.
Valkyrie's brow furrowed. It must have. She remembered it happening. She'd had the injection, she'd collapsed...or wait had she collapsed and then had the injection? Either way she'd woke up...and ...oh...
"Was I asleep?" she asked aloud.
"You fainted. But you were only out for about a minute. " Skulduggery answered.
"Oh," was all she said. That explained it.
"How are you feeling?" Ghastly asked.
"A bit strange...I was having this weird dream and it sort of feels like I haven't woken up yet."
"Well at least you're looking a bit more lively now. You gave us quite the scare when you fell." Ravel said. They had reached the double doors that led to the medical bay and he held them open so they could pass through the threshold.
The bay was quiet. There were a few patients dotted about the place and a handful of Sanctuary personnel caring for them; running tests and sorting through paperwork. But it was no where near as crowded or hectic as it had been a few months ago, when the bay had been filled with victims of Argeddion's experiments.
Skulduggery, set her down gently on the nearest empty bed. Ghastly waved to get the attention of one of the doctors. Her stomach dropped at the sight of Dr. Synecdoche coming to meet them. It may have only been a dream but the memory of it still unnerved her.
"Grand Mage. Elder Bespoke. Detectives." she greeted them with a formal nod before turning her eyes to Valkyrie, "What happened?"
"I'm ill." Valkyrie said. She kept her gaze on a spot just above the doctor's right shoulder in an effort to avoiding meeting her eyes.
"She fainted a couple of minutes ago. We think she might have a fever." Skulduggery added when she didn't elaborate.
Synecdoche nodded and called to one of the nurses, "Could you get me a thermometer, please?" Then she turned her attention back to Skulduggery, "How long was she unconscious for?"
"Not long. About a minute."
"Did she obtain any injuries when she fell?"
"No."
The nurse Synecdoche had called to approached with a thermometer in hand. Valkyrie didn't know the name of the nurse, but she had seen her around the medical bay a few times, and she was relieved to see it was not one of the nurses from her dream. She handed the thermometer to the doctor without a word before heading back to her workstation.
"Open your mouth and hold the thermometer under your tongue" Synecdoche ordered, Valkyrie complied. But she could help but flinch when the woman accidentally brushed against her. This is silly, she thought, I'm getting all worked up over a fevered dream.
"39.3 degrees," the doctor said once she had checked the temperature reading.
"That doesn't sound good." Ghastly remarked.
"It's a little high, but I wouldn't worry just yet. How are you feeling besides feverish, Valkyrie?"
"Lightheaded, weak, my eyesight was bad earlier too but it's a lot better now."
"And how long have you had these symptoms?"
"Since I woke up this afternoon."
Synecdoche nodded, "There's a good chance, you just have an ordinary viral infection. We sorcerers don't get ill as often as mortals because our magic boosts are immune system, but it's still possible. I can give you a booster jab that will increase your white blood cell count. That should kill off most infections and get you feeling back to normal within the hour."
Valkyrie frowned. Jab? She didn't like the sound of that, but before she could say anything, the first few bars of Elize's 'Itsy Bitsy Spider' resounded from Ravel's phone. He hurriedly excused himself from the room.
Ghastly sighed, "I told him to stop using that ringtone, but he never listens."
"That'll be Madam Mist then, I take it?" Skulduggery said.
"Yes, wondering where we are, no doubt. We're supposed to be discussing negotiation strategies over lunch before we meet with the Venezuelan elders this evening."
Ravel returned a minute later looking harassed. "I'm afraid we're going to have to love you and leave you. Ghastly and I have been summoned to another meeting by her ladyship."
"Have fun," Skulduggery said. Ravel grimaced, "Take care of our favorite detective, doctor."
"I hope you feel better soon, Val." Ghastly said.
While she said her goodbyes and thank-yous to the two elders, Doctor Synecdoche busied herself preparing the jab. By the time the doors had swung shut she had a syringe ready and waiting. Valkyrie recoiled at the sight of the barrel full of a translucent liquid tipped with a sharp point. This was uncanny now. What if her dream had been a vision of some sort? A warning of what was to come?
That's ridiculous. It was just a dream. Nothing more. Now stop panicking.
"Could you take off you jacket, please?"
Valkyrie didn't particularly want to take off her jacket, and she certainly didn't want to be stabbed with another needle, but she did as she was asked. Loathe as she was to admit it Darquesse was right she was making a fuss over nothing. It had been just a dream.
That's right.
"This might string." Synecdoche said.
Valkyrie gritted her teeth and braced herself. Ignoring the panic bubbling in chest. The needle did sting when it entered her arm. But it was a bearable pain. She dealt with far worse on a daily basis, during training or on cases. Never mind the times she'd been tortured and tormented.
"Are you okay, Valkyrie? You look... uneasy." Skulduggery said, he sounded worried again. She didn't like it when he sounded worried.
"Fine. I'm fine." she answered, trying to convince herself as much as anyone. Then it was over. Synecdoche removed the needle from her arm and placed a plaster over the wound.
"There we are. You should start to feel the benefits of the jab in the next ten minutes but it'll take about forty minutes or so until you're completely back to your full health."
"Thanks," Valkyrie mumbled.
"It might also be wise to run a few tests. As I said earlier, you probably just have an ordinary viral infection, which this will clear right up. But if you'll allow me to take a blood sample I can check for anything more serious."
"That sounds like a good idea," Skulduggery said.
"Sure," she agreed, because she couldn't think of a rational argument against it.
Doctor Synecdoche put away the used syringe and pulled out a new one. Unlike the old syringe this one was empty of any liquid. She used it to draw blood from the vein on the inside of Valkyrie's elbow. As she did so she happened to glance down at Valkyrie's hands. She frowned.
"When did you get these?"
Valkyrie looked down, realizing she was referring to the half-healed grazes that were scattered across her hands.
"Last night, we were monster hunting in the sewers underneath Dublin."
Synecdoche stared at her in disbelief, "You obtained an injury in a sewer and you didn't seek medical attention immediately? Do you have any idea how many pathogens are found in sewage?!"
"I wasn't badly injured, and I cleaned all the cuts afterwards."
The doctor shook her head in dismay, "No wonder you're ill. A blood test hardly seems necessary now. Next time please come here straight away."
She glanced up at Skulduggery, "And you need to keep in mind that while you may be immune to illness your partner is not."
"Duly noted, doctor."
She pursed her lips, then sighed and handed Valkyrie another plaster.
"Stay lying down for the next fifteen minutes. You can leave after that but take it easy for the rest of the day." she said, before adding, "Keep her out of trouble, detective."
"She won't be in danger of anything more than a paper cut." Skulduggery promised.
After she was done taking the Valkyrie's blood, Doctor Synecdoche moved onto another patient on the other side of the bay, leaving them in peace. Valkyrie was rapidly beginning to feel better. The dizziness and brain fog lifted and the general feeling of unwellness she'd had all day left her, leaving her mind clear and her body energized.
"Wow, that jab-thing is really effective."
"I take it you're feeling better then?" Skulduggery asked.
"Much better."
"I'm glad to hear it."
She smiled. Now, that she was on the mend she could appreciate just how ill she had really been. The whole morning felt like a distant memory. A confusing blur that mixed reality with dreams. Then she remembered how ridiculous she'd been acting and lost her smile.
"Ugh... I can't believe I fainted; in front of people! This is so embarrassing..." she groaned.
Skulduggery chuckled, "Almost as bad as all the drooling you did."
She stared at him. "I did not!" she said in a horrified whisper, "Please tell me you're joking."
He laughed again, and she relaxed when she realized he was, indeed, joking.
"Oh my god, I actually hate you."
"No you don't." he said. Then his voice became serious, "I am sorry though."
She raised an eyebrow. Apologies from Skulduggery were a rarity and this one was a surprise.
"What for?"
"I should have listened to you when you told me you were ill. I shouldn't have made you come into work today."
"Oh that." she said breezily, "Yeah, I'm furious about that. Absolutely fuming. Positively livid. Next time you better listen to me or you will face my terrible wrath."
He tilted his head and gave her an amused look, "Sarcasm dose not become you."
"Nonsense, everything becomes me. I am a very becoming person."
"If you're quiet done being silly, we have research to do."
She sighed and got up from the bed, "Alright, fine. I'm done. No more silly."
He gave Doctor Synecdoche a wave goodbye, and they headed towards the medical bay's exit.
"You know, if you were really sorry about making me come into work today, you would let me skip the research and take me out for ice cream instead."
"I'm not that sorry." he said as they entered the corridor beyond the double doors, "And you're not getting out of it that easily."