“I’ll have food served in a few minutes,” Pandora informed her. Emily’s stomach rumbled at the thought of food. “I expect you to eat every last morsel. I’ll force it down your throat personally if you refuse to eat.”
“I’ll eat,” Emily said, hastily. She knew Pandora wasn’t joking. “Can I have something to wear?”
“If you can stand up,” Pandora said. “Your clothes were beyond repair, I’m afraid, but there is a nightgown in the cabinet.”
Emily sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. The room was windowless, but otherwise it could have passed for her bedroom at Whitehall. A bedside cabinet, a desk, a pair of chairs…she wondered, as she forced herself to stand on wobbly legs, why Markus had bothered to install a bedroom in the bank. It didn’t seem large enough for a married couple, yet it was too large for a bank clerk…she shook her head, dismissing the question. She’d worry about it later, if there was a later. The nightgown, thankfully, was long enough to cover everything. She pulled it over her head, wincing as it scratched her skin. The door opened a moment later, revealing Frieda. She was carrying a large tray of food.
“Eat,” Pandora said. “Or do I have to compel you?”
“No,” Emily said, hastily.
Frieda put the food down on the table, then gave Emily a hug. “I thought…I thought…”
“It’s all right.” Emily held the younger girl for a long moment, then looked down at where her watch should be. “How long was I out?”
“Twelve hours.” Pandora lifted her wand, meaningfully. “Eat.”
Emily sat back on the bed, taking a deep breath. It smelled nice, although there was an edge to it that made her stomach churn. Someone had probably laced the dinner with potions to help speed her recovery. She braced herself, then took a bite. Beef stew, mixed with mashed potatoes and chopped vegetables. She wondered, as she took another bite, just why Markus had installed a kitchen in his bank too. But then, he had expected trouble.
“I have good news,” Frieda said, as Emily finished her meal. One of the potions must have been an appetite enhancer. She hadn’t been able to keep herself from eating, once she’d had a few bites. “Caleb is alive and on his way.”
Emily sagged in relief. “What…what happened?”
“The message didn’t have any useful details,” Frieda said. “Markus said he would summon Caleb as soon as you were awake.”
Emily let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. She’d been too tired – and then too drugged-up – to dwell on the fact Caleb was missing, yet…she looked at her fingers, feeling relieved. Caleb was alive! And his family…she hoped his family had survived. They’d already lost one son in the last few weeks.
“Good,” she said. She looked at Pandora. “Can you show him in when he arrives?”
“If you wish.” Pandora’s voice tightened. “But make sure he does all the work.”
Emily felt her cheeks heat as Frieda giggled. “I didn’t mean it like that,” she protested. “I…”
“Markus also wants to speak to you,” Frieda said. “Should I go fetch him now?”
“Maybe,” Emily said. Her stomach felt satisfied, for the moment. She knew that wouldn’t last. She’d been so drained that she’d need to eat again soon, as the potions worked their magic on her body. “Do I look reasonably decent?”
“You look like a woman who donned a burlap sack instead of a dress,” Frieda said, mischievously. “Why, I recall a story about a happy couple who accidentally swapped clothes when they had to get dressed in a hurry…”
“I don’t want to know,” Emily said. She’d never liked wearing revealing clothes, even for Caleb. The nightgown she’d worn to Alassa’s hen party had technically covered everything, but it had been so revealing that she’d blushed when she’d worn it. “As long as I’m not showing off anything important.”
“It was funny,” Frieda said.
“The aftermath probably wasn’t,” Pandora said. She tapped Emily’s shoulder, passing her a potions bottle. “When you feel hungry again, eat. Take two spoonfuls of this potion every hour until the bottle runs dry. You” – she looked at Frieda – “make sure she eats, when she’s hungry.”
“Understood,” Frieda said.
Pandora nodded, giving Emily a sharp look. “You pushed yourself to the limit,” she warned, firmly. “I won’t hesitate to put you to sleep if I think you’re risking your health again.”
Emily nodded, keeping her face expressionless. Every Healer – everyone she’d met with some medical training – seemed to have the same bedside manner. The Healers at Whitehall were strict, often threatening to tie students down if they didn’t stay in bed until they were fully healed. Lady Barb had even told her class, a couple of years ago, that hardly anyone could be trusted to take care of themselves. Her patients always thought they knew better than their healers.
Pandora slipped out of the room, leaving Emily and Frieda alone. Emily looked at Frieda, seeing the strain on the younger girl’s face. Frieda had done well, very well; she needed to rest herself, not stay up to watch Emily. And yet…Emily felt a sudden rush of affection that surprised her more than she cared to admit. Frieda had risked everything to save her.
She looked up as Markus entered the room. “Emily.” He sounded tired. “I’m glad you recovered.”
“Thank you,” Emily said. “Are we safe here?”
“For the moment.” Markus gestured towards the wall. “The mob is still out there, but so far they haven’t done more than tickle the wards. I imagine that will change soon.”
“Probably.” Emily frowned as his words sank in. The Fists of Justice had smashed Sorcerers Row, but not the banks? It was odd. Taking out the resistance made sense, she supposed, but the banks were their scapegoats for the whole crisis. They’d have to smash them sooner or later. “They have an incredibly powerful entity on their side.”