Early the following day, Lidia returned to the hospital, taking Jaheira with her, and climbed back along the wet wooden stairway that snaked around the Coronet. The rain had returned and left over last night, and the water still hung in the air, clouding any view of the street from left to right. To a place that generally buzzed with life during the day, the fog was a muffler that stilled the River District's heart for a moment, at least until the sun rose higher to break the spell.
But at the moment, from the highest point in the stairway, everything below seemed to be covered in a thick blanket, as though the small row of shanties atop the Coronet were adrift in a gray ocean covered in its spray.
Sebire opened the door before Lidia and Jaheira didn't even have a chance to knock, gesturing for her to enter with a harried look and then shutting the door behind her.
The six beds in the hospital were empty, but one or two had a browning spatter of blood on the sheets, a shock to the eyes after the grey stillness outside and within.
Only one body was laid on the cots, covered in a worn sheet stained with the faint old shadows of blood. Ganthet stood hunched over the body, carrying out a silent rite — likely the closest thing to a funeral this body would ever see before being sent away to be burned at the mass grave outside the town walls.
Lidia glanced to Sebire expectantly, wondering if she'd even slept since they'd last met. She guessed not.
Sebire waited until Ganthet was finished, wiping her hand on a clean corner of her bloodstained apron.
"Dearest," she called out.
Ganthet unfolded his hands, raising his head and turning his sightless eyes to her voice.
"You remember the one who rescued you from Lehtinan? I asked her to come over."
Lidia took a step forward, and Ganthet seemed to immediately track the sound, turning to her and bowing his head.
"Good of you to come," he said. "Too many unfortunate ones, here, need the Crying God's care — far more than usual, I'm afraid."
"What's been the trouble?" Lidia asked.
Gently and reverently, Ganthet pulled the sheet from the corpse laid out on the cot.
The body was that of a middle-aged human woman with lank, graying brown hair, dark, bloodshot eyes wide at some unseen horror, mouth agape, skin milk-pale, worn, and paper-thin.
At the base of the body's neck were two small puncture marks that wept blood and water.
"She was lucky that she died and nothing more," Sebire said. "More than once, we lost one, only for them to rise as a half-turned vampire thrall. There is only one thing you can do for them, then."
With a large, gray hand, she reached into a pocket on her apron and presented a stake.
"Are vampires here unusual?" Lidia asked.
"They are," Ganthet said. "We would treat anyone who came through these doors, of course, but until that point, we only saw the occasional Shadow Thief. Now, ever since the past tenday —"
He drew back the sheet to reveal that the woman had been wearing a plain brown dress. "Now we're seeing this ailment from ordinary folk from the street."
"This is far from the first poor soul I have seen," Jaheira said, contemplating the body. "Not only are they in the River District, but they are also active in the Docks."
"The docks?" Ganthet said. "That is the first I have heard of them hunting there. That is concerning to me."
"Have either of you you spoken to anyone about this?" Lidia asked.
"To whom would we go? The guards would prefer not to think on this part of the city, especially without coin in hand," Sebire said with unusual venom. Ganthet quickly nodded in agreement.
Lidia thought about what the knights of the High Hall had said about Ilmater in general and this shrine in particular and saw Sebire's point. It still didn't sit well with her that vampires would be allowed to run amok, and nothing could be done.
She had the Order's attention, at least. Maybe, if she built up enough capital and made a convincing enough case, they'd look into it, though they likely had more significant problems to deal with than a couple of vampires in the slums.
By the time Lidia and Jaheira had returned to the Coronet, the others had left to do this and that, according to Bernard.
Lidia hoped they didn't plan on going far, not if they wanted their share of the proceeds sometime this tenday. She hoped to visit the Promenade at the first chance she got and sell the gems from the dragon's lair.
But first, she had an important errand.
Jaheira insisted on accompanying Lidia at least to the front doors of the High Hall. Gorion had intended Jaheira to be Lidia's guardian, but over time, she considered herself more a friend. Still, she occasionally had bursts of motherly concern, and Lidia usually chose to humor them.
"You're best off not traveling alone anywhere in this city," Jaheira said, "if you plan to make an enemy of the Shadow Thieves."
"And, I suppose the Cowled Wizards as well," Lidia replied, "if Valygar is to be believed."
Jaheira shook her head and gave a rueful laugh. "In any case, you've managed to make some powerful enemies with Irenicus hunting you besides. I dislike the circumstances, but perhaps powerful allies in your corner would help. I can only hope you chose wisely."
Amidst the bustle of the waking city, after dodging several morning runners and carts, they soon found themselves in front of the high red double doors of the High Hall of the Radiant Heart.
Lidia drew a breath, staring toward the statues that adorned the top as though they had any guidance they could offer. She clasped her small brass holy symbol in her hand, running her thumb over the bound hands of Ilmater.
She directed her thoughts towards Imoen, as though her friend could hear her from far away: If this means it takes a bit longer for me to find you, I'm sorry. And I hope you understand.
But I am coming for you, regardless. All you need to do is hang on until then.
Lidia went to the door, giving her name to the guard on duty, and then was escorted inside.