Three days later, Daciana staggered into the cell, her face pallid and smeared with ash. With a startled gasp, I rushed to support her.
Before I could ask her anything, her body went limp in my arms. I crouched down, supporting her head against my chest.
“Ana! What happened to you?” I called out to her, patting her face gently. She didn’t respond.
“Take her pulse.” Hera instructed, drawing as close to the border of the magical barrier as possible. “Check her body for potential signs of poisoning or injuries.”
“Her pulse is very feeble,” I rasped as I assessed her body with panicked movements. My teeth dug into my lower lip. “
There are no visible signs of injuries, but her dress looks burned in the side.”
“Lift her dress and check.”
I gripped the edge of her dress but then faltered, “How can I do that? She is a girl and that too a princess…” I stuttered, looking around restlessly.
“This is no time to think about morality, Justin! Think that she is your sister and just focus on saving her life!”
I laid her on the floor and lifted her dress to find a large blister running all along her waist. “F***!” My gaze drifted to Hera with restless anxiety. “This burn looks very severe.” I turned her so that I could inspect the wound properly.
The blister was unlike anything I had seen. Pressing the region around the wound, I muttered, “Why has her skin turned blue?” A deep shadow of worry creased my forehead. “Is this just my imagination or the blue region is increasing?”
Turning to Hera, I asked in a panicked voice, “I don’t even understand the cause of the wound. What am I supposed to do?”
Hera drew in a deep breath and pressed her palm against the magical barrier; wincing as the flow of energy hit her. She closed her eyes and her lips quivered in a chant. The surrounding orb faded until it turned black. She staggered as the veil of light dissipated completely.
“Hera!” I shouted, making a move towards her, but she held up her hand. Licking her dry lips, she let out a sigh, “I am fine.”
She scrambled towards us with hurried movements. Her expression turned paler as she inspected her wound. “There is no time to take her to the palace. I have to heal her using magic.”
She pressed her palms against Ana’s abdomen and started chanting a spell. A purple glow formed at her fingertips, but then she swooned. Her chest heaved and a streak of blood flowed down her nose.
A gasp left my trembling lips. “Hera!” I supported her with my free arm. Her body went limp, and she leaned against me.
Taking a few deep breaths, she managed to stutter, “I used up most of my energy in undoing that barrier. I don’t have strength left to heal her….” Her eyes flitted from Daciana to me restlessly. “It will take at least an hour for me to recover and heal her. I am afraid….”
Her voice trailed, and she closed her eyes; her expression one of utter helplessness.
“Is there any way I can help?”
Her eyes snapped open and her lips parted as if she was about to say something. Then she closed her lips and looked away.
“Please tell me if there is anything I can do, Hera.” My voice got choked with emotions. “If something happens to her, I won’t be able to forgive myself.”
She let out a sigh of resignation and her shoulders drooped. “You are a werewolf. So, you have a bit of magic in you. I can siphon that and channel it towards Daciana, but….”
“But, what?”
“If things go wrong and I end up using too much of power, it can affect the connection you have to your wolf.”
Her words hit me like a rock. My lips pressed together and my gaze shifted to Daciana. I was not related to Daciana yet she was always present when I needed help. Now that it was my turn, how could I hesitate?
Drawing in a deep breath, I spoke in a resolute voice, “I am willing to take the risk, Hera.” Looking into her eyes, I urged, “Even if you have to suck every ounce of energy from my body, you have to save Ana.”
She pursed her lips and gave a reluctant nod. She held my hand with her left hand and placed her right hand on Daciana’s abdomen. Closing her eyes, she chanting some spell in an ancient language.
I watched in wonder as the wound on Daciana’s abdomen started closing steadily. Halfway through, a strange weakness overcame me, draining me bit by bit. My vision started becoming bleary and it became difficult to breathe.
“Are you okay, Justin?” Hera’s concerned voice sounded as her grip on my hand increased. “If you are feeling unwell, I can stop now.”
This forced me to open my eyes wide. I looked at the wound on Daciana’s abdomen. It was half healed, but Daciana hadn’t regained consciousness.
I looked at Hera and forced myself to smile. “I am fine, Hera. Please continue.”
“You look very pale, Justin. I think I should stop now. I have almost healed her wound. She can hang in there for an hour now.”
I shook my head vehemently. “We can’t take chances, Hera. You can’t stop until she is fully healed.”
“Fine, but you have to tell me if anything is wrong, okay?”
I nodded and gave her an encouraging smile.
With a frustrated scowl, she continued to chant the spell. I could feel the bond between me and my wolf weakening. My strength started waning and, at some point, I just passed out.