approve of Max giving them a new title. She actually did. And she thought it was a clever way to give them back some of their power, as well as satisfying the wider community. Still, Dawn couldn’t change her other feelings either. She explained as much to Knox, only realising she had been lecturing him on her personal doctrine for a solid twenty minutes.
“I’m sorry,” she chuckled uneasily. “I’m sure I’ve bored you half to death by now.”
Knox was looking at her with shining eyes and a small smile. He shook his head, “Not at all. In fact, I could listen to you all day.”
“You like politics?” she questioned, unsure why her Order shook their heads at her and groaned as if they were in pain.
Knox looked at them and grinned, before turning back to Dawn. “Celeste was right. No. Idea,” he said slowly and succinctly.
“You’ve been talking to Celeste? And what do you mean?” Dawn asked, hoping beyond hope her best friend hadn’t said anything to humiliate her.
“When I said I could listen to you all day, it was because I love the sound of your voice. And I heartily approve of what you were saying. You are very intelligent and very eloquent,” Knox informed her.
Dawn felt her pulse accelerate, loving what Knox was saying but not sure whether to believe him or not. She was also not sure how to respond. So she simply said, “Uh, thanks?” before moving on to a new subject. “I am shifting a large amount of things from the infirmary here to the new clinic at HQ. Mainly the computers, as well as all the paper records. Most of the equipment is staying because we are getting all new equipment there. Jasminka is still making her lists of things she says we will need.”
Dawn had become good friends with the human doctor shortly after she arrived. Jasminka shared a lot of the same traits as Dawn herself did, and they had simply clicked. Jazz had made it her life’s work to help and heal people, offer them support and counselling, as well as hope. In essence, that is what Dawn’s purpose was as well. She had been so excited to learn all about human healing methods from Jasminka, having been barred from such knowledge before. She was responsible for a human domain – a bodily domain – and yet, they were not taught how the body worked. Dawn thought it was absolutely ridiculous and had been pushing for a basic health care system for years. Now that she was on the IDC, she was able to ensure such things happened. And the new clinic at Eden was an exciting start.
“Heavy lifting then?” Knox smiled happily. “You’ve come to the right place.”
“Because you are very strong and muscular?” Dawn asked, before she could stop herself. Knox was wearing a simple t-shirt and well-worn jeans. Both were rather tight, accentuating his leanly muscled frame.
“I was thinking more in terms of my element,” Knox corrected her, a blast of warm wind rushing past her face. “But, hey, I like your version better.”
Knox’s bright grey and yellow aura shined around him like a halo, Dawn’s special sight catching her by surprise. She had not intended to peek. But Knox was so happy and relaxed, that his aura was simply sparkling. It was lovely, full of warmth and humour, love and respect, as well as telling her Knox was a born leader. She knew nothing about him as a warden before, and nothing about his previous Order, but she could see the great well of power he carried so effortlessly. The man before her was whole and unbroken. “She really did do a wonderful job,” Dawn murmured.
Knox tilted his head to one side, giving Dawn his full attention once more. “Who?”
“Max. There is no taint within you at all. I wonder if this is how your aura looked before …” she trailed off, catching herself before she touched him with her hands. She also abruptly realised what she had been saying. Dawn felt herself flush. “And I’m being rude. I apologise.”
“No,” Knox was quick to say. “It’s totally fine.”
“I’m just so curious,” Dawn tried to explain. “As a life warden, I find it hard to believe I was ignorant of the infection all this time. How could I have missed the signs? Surely their auras should have warned me.”
“You can see my aura right now?” Knox asked. “What’s it like?”
“Shiny,” Dawn promptly replied. “Happy. Healthy.”
Knox wiped his brow