Chapter XVI, Reading 12

"Flindra. Please wake up. Please Flindra. Don't die on me," Leitho was pleading in a whisper as he tried to get any response from her.
Flindra snapped back to reality. The agony her body was experiencing acted as a point of reference.
"Come on, Flindra. Pull out of it. Please," the sergeant continued.
"I'm all right," Flindra answered in a voice that sounded funny, even to her. Her tongue and throat were swollen from the poison.
"I thought you were dead when they brought you back. What happened?" Leitho asked with tremendous concern coloring his tone.
"Drugged." Flindra swallowed - trying to get moisture to her parched throat. "How's the head? I was worried."
"I took a good blow. Without my helmet, I'd be dead. I'll be all right in a few days. My head's still swimming with pain right now." Leitho closed his eyes and forced the pain back. "What were they doing to you?"
"Trying to see how much we know...Waste of time...Couldn't get me to talk."
"What next?"
"Try again in the morning...Then kill us."
"I'm sorry Flindra."
"For what?"
"I was supposed to protect you. Remember?"
"You tried, so forget it."
"Are you in pain?"
"Some. I'm so tired, just so tired." Flindra fell asleep even as she was answering her sergeant's questions.