Chapter 2: The Aftermant

             My head on Liam’s chest I lay cradled with his arm around me, nearly asleep. His hand on his chest, fingers locked between mine, I watched as the darkness traveled from my skin to his. I found it hard to let myself rest when he hasn't in so long. His body never relaxes. A few times, he has started fall asleep and as he does the pain slowly travels back into my body. I try not to react. My movement wakes him and the cycle starts again.

I have rolled the word magic over and over and over again through my head. There is nothing else to explain what Liam was doing other than magic.

I decided to leave it alone for now and ask when I am better. I am physically too weak for much more than resting, but mentally I continue to ruminate on that evening. I needed to remember more but all my memory collected was full of gaps.

Alex walked in the room; a yellow legal pad in one hand, a cup of coffee clutched in the other. Whisps of brown curls frizzed out from his bun in all directions. He hadn’t taken it down in days. Dark circles underneath his eyes confirmed that Liam wasn’t the only one losing sleep.

"We figured it out."

Liam looked up, his icy blue eyes heavy with exhaustion, "Tell me."

"Here?" Alex questioned, "Are you sure?"

"I'm not leaving her."

"I'll be fine for a bit. You can go." I assured him.

"I'm not leaving." He repeated.

Alex sat the coffee on the dresser, clicked the side table lamp on, and took a seat on the edge of the bed. He scratched the side of his head unsure of how to start. He looked over the scribbles on the note pad and then began, "They did this to target you." He paused, "They know that you won't let her suffer. The longer you take the pain the worse it becomes."

"Who did this?" I asked, "How are they doing this?"

"Whatever she was cut with was- laced with – um, an herb." Alex continued not even acknowledging my questions.

"Why is she not healing?”

"She won't heal without a cure." Alex said quietly. "At least, that's what Ky and Emma found."

"What kind of cure?"

Alex looked at me than back at Liam. He hadn’t prepared for me to be present for this conversation. What was he hiding? Why was he choosing his words so carefully, “It’s made from,” He bit his lip and shrugged, “Something that you can only get from them. You could make your own if you could find the key." 

"No." Liam shook his head, "Tell them to check again. That can't be it. I don’t know where it is. That can’t be it."     

"They think you do."

"What do these people want from you? Why would they do this to me? I don't even know who they are. Why would they do this to you?" I looked up at Liam.

"Find another way to heal her." Liam ignored me.

"Le, the pain is just going to get worse for you the longer you do this."

"I don't care."

"It hasn't changed for her though. If you stop then she will only feel the pain level felt in the beginning. Not what you're feeling now."          

"Is that a fact?" Liam questioned.

"They're pretty sure." Alex nodded.

"Liam you can stop. It's okay." I tried to pull my hand from his.

"No." His eyes began to glaze over, "They did this to me and you will not suffer from it."

"They cut me. Not you." I protested, "I can handle the pain. I promise."          "They only hurt you because of me." He held my hand tighter, "Please," His voice shook, "Be still."

I looked at Alex, the light from the lamp cutting his angular face with a harsh shadow. "We will find a way to heal you." He stood and walked over next to Liam. He placed his hand on his shoulder. Liam relaxed a bit.

"I promise," Alex's voice had changed. He exhaled slowly then began again, "I promise we will make this end quickly."

"Thank you." Liam body jolted and remained tense. Alex began to walk towards the door stopping to turn off the lamp. He looked back at us; how pitiful we must have looked. A sweaty, bloody mess. He said something I couldn’t quite make out and then left the room.