A/N: this is the completely unedited version, so don't be surprised if you see some mistakes. Anyways, if you enjoy, or even if you don't, feel free to comment and vote—I love reading comments(:

Remi felt like she'd been to hell and back a dozen times. When she'd tried to sit up before, she'd ripped open scabs and doctors had rushed in to deal with it.

Doctors. Relying on strangers to help her with injuries that may never go back to what they once were was terrifying. Remi was used to Goldridge science, not going about thing the way regular people did. So much waiting was involved with this process, and it made Remi restless.

The Goldridges were always able to survive without the need for doctors, because they could do everything much faster, with uncanny perfection.

But then again, not a single Goldridge in all of their family history, to Remi's knowledge, had ever willingly ran into a burning building. None had allowed themselves to get burned.

It wasn't near as bad as it could have been. She only had minor third and second degree burns along the outsides of her arms and some parts of her legs. A few inches of her precious hair had been singed off, but Bliss had come in while Remi was still unconscious to make it even and pretty. Remi grimaced at the thought. She'd definitely be growing it out again—it'd nearly been at the top of her butt, and now it barely reached her mid-back area.

And yet, Remi's hair wasn't the first thought that came to mind when she first woke up yesterday. Nor was it how badly she was burnt.

And regrettably, it wasn't even about the well-being of the people she'd pulled from the burning building. She felt bad about that.

Instead, the very first thought that entered her mind was if Killure was alive and safe.

She'd taken a big chance.

When she'd fried the connection between herself and Killure, she was fully expecting to die in that fire, and thought that taking the risk of killing him was better than subjecting him to an inevitable death when the flames consumed her.

But Remi survived, which meant that Killure would have as well if she hadn't interfered with the bonding. It also meant that she might have possibly, accidentally fried his brain for nothing.

But Bliss had only given Remi a sad shake of her head and handed her a slip of paper. Remi had gently propped herself up using all the pillows at the head of her hospital bed, and unfolded the note.

His handwriting was messy, but most slaves couldn't read or write.

Her heart flip flopped as she read what he'd scrawled on the thin piece of paper. I'm leaving. Don't come searching for me.

Simple, short, but no less sharp than a dagger.

She'd felt both relief and sadness at the same time. Relief that he was alive and she hadn't killed him, but sad that he clearly wanted nothing to do with her. She'd expected that, of course—he was forced into being her slave. But she hadn't expected the empty pit that currently resided in her stomach now that Killure wasn't around.

"Did you hear what I just said?" Blue's voice interrupted her chaotic thoughts.

Remi blinked a few times, then shook her head. "Sorry, what was that?"

Blue sent her a dark glare from the hard, uncomfortable-looking chair he was sitting on. "Are you going to eat that?"

A half hour ago, the hospital staff had brought Remi some concoction of full colours that was supposed to be food, but it hadn't smelled overly appetizing, and she didn't really have an appetite right now in the first place.

"Go for it," Remi shrugged, inwardly wincing as her cousin began shoving the food in his mouth.

It was disgusting. Remi couldn't even really say he was eating the food, because eating involved chewing and swallowing. No, Blue was inhaling the so-called food.

Bliss sighed happily as she tied the end of the inverted braid she'd done on Remi's head, admiring her handiwork.

Remi went to lift an arm to feel the uniqueness of the inverted braid, but searing pain immediately overwhelmed her senses in a heavy wave. Her world spun and everything felt dizzy for a few moments, and it took a while longer for the white walls and equipment of the room to come into focus once again. Remi gritted her teeth in pain and groaned in annoyance.

While Bliss lightly patted Remi's back, Blue didn't offer any sympathy. "Don't try to move next time, stupid," he says blandly.

Remi heard a swishing noise to her left, and turned to see a lady in white help lead out a patient with a limp, while a second lady cleaned the now-empty hospital bed and replaced the used sheets with fresh, clean ones.

The air thickened around her, and all of a sudden Remi felt a lot of tension in the air. Slowly, she craned her neck to see Blue and Bliss both staring at the other hospital bed with hungry, lust-filled eyes.

As soon as the lady in white walked away, the twins darted from where they'd been sitting and lunged ferociously towards the bed. Bliss got there first, but Blue pushed her off. He laid on his stomach with his arms outstretched and got comfy, only to have his arm pulled painfully around his back.

Blue let out an aggravated grunt, and wriggled to get out of her hold.

Though she was mute, the gleam in Bliss's eyes showed her intentions clear as day. If you don't give me this bed right now, I'll twist your arm even further until you're forced to give it up. Or something to that effect.

Remi's gaze traveled to a man in white clothes walking by with a paper and clipboard in hand.

"They're called nurses," Safire chirped helpfully. She'd been allowed a day off from her kitchen work to visit Remi in the hospital, for which Remi was glad. She'd definitely missed the little ray of sunshine that was Safire.

"Nurses?" Remi echoed curiously.

"Yep!" the blonde confirmed cheerily. "Basically, they help the doctors out. Sometimes they clean things, and other times they assist with the actual operations. They're actually pretty important."

"Are they slaves?" Remi questioned in confusion. Every single lady in white—nurse—that she'd seen so far walked around with a bright smile on their face and their bodies looked clear, healthy, and lacked bruises.

"Nope. Each one works for the owner of the hospital, but they aren't owned. They're actually paid."

That was surprising. The vast majority of people were slaves, and those who weren't always had slaves to do their bidding and never really had to work, with a few business owners as the exceptions. You were either born a slave, or born into the elite nobility with no obligation to do anything useful with your life, other than keeping your affairs under control.

And yet, there were so many free people in this building.

"How hasn't someone snatched them up as slaves yet?" It's not like Remi was in support of the slave trade, but she was curious as to how these people dressed in their white uniforms and wearing bright, focused smiles had completely defied the societal norm.

"They're protected by Lord Sookie."

Remi furrowed her brow. Why would the calculated, two-faced Lord Sookie protect a bunch of non-slaves and actually have them paid for their work? It didn't seem like him at all.

"Speaking of Lord Sookie, word is that he just woke up. Almost died of smoke inhalation!" Safire said, her expression still merry. "Glad he didn't."

Remi didn't know if she agreed. Very little of what she'd heard of Lord Sookie was good, and every encounter she'd had with him was strained and tiring.

He was far too good at seeing through lies and analyzing that which was truly going on in a person's mind. He may act like a child—or a monkey, depending who you ask—but there was nothing child-like or simple about his mind.

A loud, hollow bang startled Remi from her thoughts. She glanced over to see that one of her fighting cousins had knocked over a vase. A small puddle of water surrounded the vase, accompanied by a peach-coloured rose laying discarded in the puddle's midst.

"Should we do something about them?" Safire asked nervously. "They're going to tear this place down."

"Give it two minutes," Remi smirked confidently. "They'll both be asleep by then, I'm sure."

She began to slowly sit up all the way, bringing her legs down to dangle over the side of the bed.

Safire went to protest, but Remi cut her off. "I'm about to go see Lord Sookie for myself. Don't try to stop me, I've been cooped up in here for far too long. Keep an eye on my cousins."

Safire didn't looked too pleased, but did as she was asked none-the-less. "At least take this." She handed her master a wooden cane to help her walk.

Normally Remi would have protested, but walking with a cane would be less embarrassing than collapsing from the pain in front of a prominent lord. She took the cane from Safire and headed out.

Anything to keep her mind off Killure's sudden absence.