Chapter 28 #2
"Not exactly." Balthazar exhales slowly, as if he hates every word he has to say. "Cold iron poisons fae magic, suppresses regeneration, and corrodes the organs little by little. If we don't remove every trace of it from within him, not only will his body be weakened, but Mark's essence will die."
A loud sob escapes my throat and I squeeze Mark's limp hand, cold as marble beneath my fingers.
"Then get it out of him!" Ted explodes, despair leaking into his voice.
Balthazar shakes his head.
"It's not that simple. At this point, the iron has spread everywhere.
.. bloodstream, heart, lungs. To remove it, a precise, surgical extraction spell would be necessary.
But I... I'm not strong enough. I don't have the detailed anatomical knowledge to visualise the removal.
Any mistake and the particles could tear him apart from the inside. "
Ted swears, burying his face in his hands, but not before I see the pain in his eyes.
Ethan, meanwhile, draws air into his mouth, controlling the tension evident in his shoulders as he finishes the last stitches on Mark's wounds. I know he's affected, but he stays focused, his hands precise at work.
"Please, Balthazar, help him." My voice is weak, I can barely breathe as I try to control my crying.
"If you can't do it... do you know someone who can?" Ethan asks.
Balthazar presses his thin lips together before nodding.
"I know a wizard surgeon. The only one I trust for this kind of procedure, but he lives in London." He exhales heavily. "The closest option is the elder witch in the western forest."
"Then let's go to her!" I exclaim, already moving.
But Ted grabs my shoulder.
"We can't just go like that." His voice is tense.
"She charges a lot," Ethan adds, his gaze sombre. "Everyone who goes to the old woman comes back with less than they went in with. And I'm not talking about money."
"And what do you want to do? Let him die?!"
"I didn't say that!" Ted growls, clenching his fists. "We just need to think about what we'll offer in exchange for his life!"
Balthazar nods.
"She only accepts extremely rare artefacts.
And those who have nothing of value... pay with what they hold most precious.
Supernatural essence. Limbs. Organs..." His eyes narrow before he adds, in a sombre tone.
"That's how she stays young and healthy, despite having lived for centuries.
She doesn't use glamour magic to hide her age, like other witches do. "
The tension between us grows thick and suffocating.
Then a sound breaks the silence.
A low, hoarse groan, laden with pain.
My heart skips a beat.
The muscles in Mark's neck contract abruptly, the tendons standing out under his skin, taut as strings about to snap. His body trembles slightly, almost imperceptibly at first, but then a violent spasm runs through his limbs, shaking him all over.
"We need to get him out of here!" I cry, desperate.
"I don't have much to offer, I'm just a human..." Ethan mutters, but his expression is fierce, determined. "I need my hands to work, but I can live without a leg..."
"No! You're not going to bargain with her, Ethan," Ted interrupts, his eyes quick and urgent, scanning each of us. "No one will leave there without limbs or organs. I can offer part of my essence, maybe combine it with something else, but we need a plan..."
I've already made my decision.
"The plan is simple. We go to the old woman. I don't have any artefacts, but I have something she'll want.
The three of them stare at me.
"You're a cat..." Ted seems to understand.
I smile bitterly.
"Exactly. I have a few lives left." I swallow hard. "But I won't last long, it has to be now, I only have about thirty minutes left..."
"Like this?" Ethan asks.
I grit my teeth, frustrated that we are wasting precious seconds on useless conversation. My condition is not the most urgent at the moment, but they need to know.
"I've been cursed to be trapped in my animal form. I have no control over my body. I'm managing to transform into a human for a few minutes, but my essence is already running out."
Balthazar gasps, looking at me curiously.
"Only the one who cast the curse can break it... or you yourself, if you discover the key to undoing it."
I store his words in a corner of my mind, but now is not the time to think about them. Mark's life is in our hands; he is the priority now.
"My curse can wait," I declare through gritted teeth. "Mark can't, every second counts."
"Ethan, help me carry him to the gate," Ted orders. "I asked an employee to bring my van while Zephyra transported us through the air. It should be here by now."
Without wasting any time, they begin to carry Mark. Ted holds his arms, and Ethan takes his legs.
With a burst of energy, I get up, remembering too late that my body is still exposed. I try to cover my nakedness with my arms; there's no time to fetch the dress I hid on the other side of the yard.
The urgency consumes us, dragging us along like a rushing river.
"Here, put this on." Balthazar approaches with a fluid movement, removing his black robe and holding it out to me.
His gaze is lowered, giving me privacy.
"Thank you." I accept the garment and cover myself hastily, tying the cord at the waist to keep the fabric closed in place.
I run to the gate and quickly type in the code.
As soon as it opens, I see the white van with the company logo.
The key is in the ignition. I open the back door and get in, helping Ted and Ethan settle Mark into the seat.
I gently place his head on my lap, feeling his hair stiff with blood and the coldness of his skin.
A wave of helplessness washes over me, but I still look at him as if my presence could make a difference, as if I could transfer some of my strength to him.
Ted hurries to the steering wheel, and the van's engine roars to life. Before I know it, we're all inside, racing through the night as if we're running against time — and, in fact, we are.
I pray to the stars as Ethan leans over, sitting in the seat across from mine, his gaze fixed on his friend as he listens to his heart.
Balthazar, in the passenger seat, keeps his eyes on the road, giving Ted quick directions to follow.
The witch is in another forest, and traffic causes us to lose ten minutes before we reach the road that leads to it.
Ted stops the car and gets out, opening my door to get Mark.
"It'll be quicker if I carry him myself. Ethan, stay here..."
"No," the man replies. "I may not be supernatural, but Mark is my family, I'm coming with you."
Ted sighs and just nods, taking Mark in his arms and following Balthazar, who is already entering the forest, leading the way to guide us.
The atmosphere seems different, denser as we approach the heart of the forest. The smell of wet earth mixes with the cold, but there is something else, an indescribable feeling that makes me feel as if the world is becoming heavier.
"It's getting stranger here," I say quietly, feeling the change around me. "The air... it's dense, as if something is compressing every breath."
"I feel it too," Ethan murmurs, and his posture stiffens.
The forest seems to swallow every step we take. The silence is oppressive, as if even the winds have been silenced. The animals, which would normally move among the trees, now seem absent, as if they know they shouldn't be there.
I take a deep breath, struggling not to succumb to the pressure of the transformation.
"I don't know how long I'll be able to maintain my human form." My voice is shaky, weak.
"We're almost there," Balthazar warns.
Ted looks at me, his eyes expressing something between concern and urgency.
"We need to move faster." Ted adjusts the still-unconscious Mark in his arms and quickens his pace, and I follow suit.
"Watch out for the traps. The clearing is ahead," the wizard warns, pointing ahead. "Anyone who falls into them and can't escape becomes a sacrifice for the old woman to do with as she pleases."
"Is there more of this shit?" Ted curses, and I shudder nervously.
"Yes, so I'll wait here. Good luck." Balthazar's voice sounds serious and distant, and I realise he has taken a few steps back.
"Ethan, stay with him," Ted asks, the urgency in his tone turning the sentence into almost a plea. "It's too dangerous for you."
"Bloody hell, Ted, I can't just stand by and do nothing."
"You've done enough, you took care of his wounds. Now leave it to us."
Ethan lets out a heavy sigh but nods, without further protest.
"If you need help, shout for me."
"We have to go, Ted," I warn, feeling the tension tighten my chest as we approach the cabin.
Ted slows down as the clearing opens up before us, sniffing the air. I look at the ground, using my feline vision, alert to signs of traps.
A wire, almost invisible, cuts across the ground.
"Stop! Don't move!" my voice comes out forcefully.
He freezes, and I point to the trap inches from Ted's feet.
"Shit..." he mutters. "Thanks."
He carefully steps over it, and then we continue on, dodging other traps we encounter along the way.
The cottage takes shape before us and my eyes widen.
I was expecting something decrepit, a terrifying construction, befitting the image of an old witch, but to my surprise, there is an elegant structure. It is made of wood, with a garden of lush flowers and herbs surrounding it, which almost seems to invite peace rather than fear.
A yellow light, flickering like candlelight, emanates from within, creeping through the windows. The smell of burning herbs begins to permeate the air, heavy and enigmatic, mixed with the smoke that drifts from the chimney.
I inhale the aroma, and an unexpected wave of relaxation washes over my body. A soft, involuntary smile forms on my lips.
But something is not right.