(Scars do not appear to be cause of death –shock ... - Bad Request

Chapter 84
Annah greeted me warmly at my return. She clutched me and pressed her
warm skin to mine, which had been blanketed with the cold of the Maze for
so long.
I really should've been more suspicious.
Crouched and bent over the floor of my apartments I clutched my chest,
gasping for breath. Letting out a deep, nauseous cough allowed a little bile
to spill past my lips. It was all I could do not to retch up my guts, then. Lucky
thing then that Annah stormed off instead of working me over further.
The agony was slow to ebb away.
"Awww, looks like someone missed you," Morte said, bobbing, "Really
though chief, you gave us all a real scare. We thought it was over."
"It was known to me that your destiny would not end there," Dak'kon
added. The relief in his voice was plain, "Yet it was through
Fall-From-Grace's conviction that we held together so well in your absence."
"He's right, chief. I tell ya we would've split up four ways if it wasn't for her."
"A consensus requires the agreement of all parties, Morte. Do not sell your
own contributions short," Grace said modestly.
I stood up. Dak'kon was kind enough to help hold me up as I made my way
around in a circle to work off the rest of the pain, "So how long was it?"
"A full tenday," Grace said, her voice soft, "All we had was time. Many hours
had been spent looking through the Guvner's records of those that had
escaped the Mazes. The tales were few. We even sought to hire those
purported to have gone on expeditions to save those that had been victim
to the Lady's wrath."
"Pikin' sods were lying through their teeth. Trust me, chief. When you've
slung around as many tall tales as I have you know who's planning to give
you the laugh and who isn't."
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