Consciousness dawned slowly and clumsily for Askatla, the gentle fragrance of rose and elderflower helping lift the mental fog that lingered as she opened her eyes to take in the hospital room. The meticulously blended Gothic-revival architecture and state of the art medical equipment in her surroundings informed her that this was the recovery room where she had awakened in the wake of the last incident to end with Oeuf carrying her prone form away from danger. Sitting up in the wide bed, she moved to clear the loose hairs from her face but was struck with a bout of…