Rhazii's concern did not end but he did not say anything more. He watched as Meesei and Sabine quietly went on their way.

When Sabine returned to her quarters, she was not long out of bed. She asked Meesei to be on her way once it was clear that she was not getting any closer to serenity over her traumas.

Sleeping was only a secondary activity over that night for Sabine. She spent most of the time staring awake at the walls or the ceiling, unable to get comfortable. She was scratching and picking at her palms so much that her left hand had a red mark in the skin.

Unfortunately, just as Sabine's fatigue overtook her subconscious fear, she woke up with a shriek in the early hours of the morning. Some of the pack ran in to find her drenched in sweat and crying once more. Meesei managed to calm her down, even as she pleaded to have the staff so she could just sleep in peace for a while. Her request was refused and they sat together for as long as Sabine needed to lay her head down again.
[hr]

The next morning, Sabine rose late from her bed looking like one of Ahnasha's fresher thralls for what the sleep deprivation had done to her. She shuffled more than walked, nodded off wherever she sat still, and had a constant, blank frown on her baggy-eyed face.

There was no more time for recovery before the clan leadership had to be informed of Sabine's activities.

Sabine did not think she could prepare herself any better if she had an entire week's worth of peaceful and consistent sleeps. She approached the meeting room with Meesei in front of her and idly picked at her palm. Her exhaustion allowed at least one emotion to come through to her face; misery. Misery from the dread of reliving what she had been through.

"Meesei?" Sabine asked ahead. "You are going to show the staff to the council, are you not?" Her tired voice lowered out of nervousness, even if Sabine's intent was sincere. "May I...just hold it while I recount what happened? I know I am going to...It will not be uninterrupted." A lump grew in Sabine's throat. "I want to tell it without needing to walk out every few minutes."