It couldn't be.
Where had this note come from? The Inquisitor sat up and held the note in her hands, as if it were something precious that could break with the slightest breath.
What does this mean? Are we getting close to Solas? Was he here?
"Inquisitor, I'm glad to see you awake, but you should really lie back down. You could re-open your wounds," said Varric, who was attending a small fire.
"Varric, did you see anything strange last night?"
"Can't say that I did. Dorian and I caught some much needed sleep while Cole kept watch. He says he does need sleep. Creepy right?"
Lavellan made the motion to swing her legs over the edge of the bed but was caught by a sharp pain in her abdomen. She grit her teeth and stayed where she was.
"I woke up with something strange in my hand. Here." She handed the note to Varric. Dorian stood up from where he was, a glass phial with purple liquid in it in his hands.
Varric took the paper and opened it up.
"Shit."
"What is it?" Asked Dorian.
"Take a look yourself," Said Varric, handing over the note.
Dorian read the two words and then looked up at the Inquisitor, something like comprehension on his face.
"Do you know what this means?" started Dorian. "It means that he knows where we are and that we are looking for him. That he knows and yet still refuses to explain. Perhaps he is not meant to be found after all."
Lavellan didn't necessarily like that idea but she knew that Dorian could be right. Solas had vanished after Corypheus's defeat so swiftly and silently. And then to evade Leliana's agents like that…
"That may be so, but I think he still owes us an explanation. Several, in fact. If he knows we are looking for us and refuses to come forth, then perhaps it will be up to us to track him down in a more…forceful manner," the Inquisitor stated.
Varric and Dorian looked at each other and then over to Cole who was still dutifully keeping watch. No one had noticed the small wolf figurine facing away from their camp.
"If that's what it takes," agreed Dorian. "And on another note, this was left by the fire last night as well. I'm sure we can all assume this was also done by Solas. I've taken a close look at it, in hopes of figuring out what it is. I do believe it is meant for you, Inquisitor."
He handed over the silvery-purple liquid and said, "Bottoms up."
"What exactly is this supposed to do?" Asked Lavellan.
"Well, I've come to the conclusion that is a healing tonic of sorts. Although I've never seen one like this before."
"Just one more thing he knew that we didn't," murmured the Inquisitor.
She took the glass and drank it all in one sitting. It burned in her throat and stomach like a small fire. A sudden, sharp pain like a thousand daggers splitting open her stomach sliced across her wound. Lavellan screamed out in pain and clutched her stomach, falling to her knees next to her bed.
"Inquisitor!" Cried Dorian.
Cole appeared next to them and said quietly, "It is fixing her, helping her. It burns white-hot. What is this? What is happening? We must let it work through her system. It will help."
As soon as the Inquisitor's pain had started, it was over. She slowly moved the hand from her stomach and looked up at the others.
"Look," said Cole.
The Inquisitor brushed aside her ripped tunic and looked at her bandages. The blood on them was gone.
"By the gods," breathed Varric.
"If…if you could just excuse me," said Lavellan.
She turned quickly and moved to columns at the entrance of the ruins where she could have some privacy. She again moved aside her tunic and took out one of her small daggers. The bandages were white as snow, as if they had never been used. The dagger cut through them easily. They fell to the ground and the Inquisitor gingerly ran a finger over her once life-threatening wound, now only the slightest of a scar in its place.
A tear slid down her cheek.
"Thank you. Mala suledin nadas."