Page 25 of Lost Treasure

“Really good.Astonishingly good. Is this a national?”

“Yeah. Iappreciate you coming down, Olly, but I will recover. I guess ithad to happen eventually, but I always thought there would beanother body involved.” She chuckled weakly.

Olly knelt infront of her. “Please. Please come home. It is no trouble. You havedone so much for our family in the last few months. You even taughtDexter to dance. That must have been difficult.”

“He already hadbasics. He really wanted to learn to dance with Ambrose.”

Olly smiled.“He told me.”

“Ofcourse.”

“Now, I amgoing to nag you again. Come home.”

Haravin lookedmortified. “I can’t walk that far.”

“Oh. Too easy.Ambrose can carry you.” Olly grinned and went to the bedroom,gathering dresses and underwear with a few pairs of sandals. Shegrabbed Haravin’s purse and verified that the passport was insidealong with identification and her cards.

“Okay, Haravin,as your employer, more or less, I am ordering you to come to ourplace to be set up in the guestroom and to remain there until yourbody doesn’t feel like raw meat.”

“I don’t wantto be fussed over.”

“Well, I havealready called Nora, and she’s willing to do a shift with you,helping you navigate to the bathroom when I have to do stuff withthe publicist.”

There was asoft knock, and Ambrose opened the door, smiling, “Hey, Haravin. Iam going to pick you up very carefully.”

She nodded, andhe followed up with very carefully picking her up, and when shewhimpered, he paused. He set her down carefully and pulled Ollyaside for a rapid conversation.

Olly swallowed.“Okay. Right. Haravin, do you remember which doctor you saw thismorning?”

“Dr. Oriel. Shewas very nice.”

Ambrose noddedand walked into the bedroom, closing the door.

Olly took herhand and said, “Haravin, how long were you dancing?”

“Since I was akid.”

“Have you evergone in for any kind of surgery?”

Haravinfrowned. “Yeah. I had my appendix out when I was thirteen.Why?”

“You hadabdominal stitches?”

“No. But I hadto move carefully for a while. I was back to normal dancing in twoweeks.” Haravin asked, “Why?”

“BecauseAmbrose was there when they picked me up, and I had been sewn shut.I don’t think you were pulled all the way shut, but I think theynarrowed you to stop you from doing anything with any of the alphasaround at the dance competitions.”

“Wait. How didhe know?”

“He remembersthe sounds I made. Apparently, they haunt him.”

Ambrose cameback in. “The doctor is waiting at her office for us.”

Olly watchedhim carefully lift Haravin. “I will let Ford know.”

Haravin wasblind with pain, and she tried to hold the sounds in. Instead ofgetting better, as soon as she had left the ice bath and coldcompresses, the pain was so much worse.

Olly held herhand and stroked her head, nuzzling her cheek like she did at home.Haravin chuckled, and soon, they were at the centre. Ambrose pickedher out of the car like she was made of glass, and he and Oliviaescorted her to the building. They went up to the eighth floor.Even the pressure of the elevator hurt.

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