Chapter 27: A Desperate Prayer
---Katherine---
Indigo was frozen in place. Lucian and Jason looked at each other, agonized. A loud buzz filled my head, making everything swim. No. This was not happening. This was not real. But Aaron's pale face and Indigo's stunned expression and the crimson blood made it impossible to imagine it otherwise.
Aaron saved me. He took that stab so that I would be safe. Now he would pay with his life. No. No, no, no. He doesn't deserve this.
Rachel sat back, tears filling her eyes. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm sorry." Aaron looked at her and managed a weak smile. "It's okay. Don't feel bad." He looked at me and attempted to grin.
"Kath, don't look so glum."
"This is all my fault," I said. "All my fault."
"Kath…"
Before I knew what I was doing, I had placed my good hand on his wound. "Heal," I whispered, like a prayer. "Heal. Please."
No one stopped me. It was as if time had frozen. It was my last, desperate attempt to save Aaron, just as he had saved me. I knew that it wouldn't work. I didn't have healing magic like Rachel did. But this was my feeble attempt, my prayer to beg the heavens. I would do anything, if it meant I could save Aaron.
Ashley gasped. Indigo's eyes widened. "Katherine, what—what are you doing—"
"Huh?" I looked down at my hand and nearly had a heart attack. Wisps of blue light were swirling from my hand to Aaron's wound, circling and dancing. Magic. I watched, stunned.
"Healing magic," Rachel breathed. "Look, the wound is healing!" Sure enough, the blood was stopping and the wound was slowly closing. I didn't know I had healing magic in me.
But now was not the time to ponder the reasons. I have to save Aaron. Heal, I thought. I visualized the magic within me and willed it to travel to Aaron.
The magic pulsed stronger. The light intensified as more surged from my hand. I dared not move, fearing that one wrong move and it will be all gone. As everyone watched in amazement, the wisps swirled faster and faster, circling Aaron's entire upper body and targeting the gash.
Aaron's face didn't look so deathly pale anymore. The wound was half-way closed, but the healing began to slow. The light began to fade. I willed more to come. But instead of a surge of power, I felt a wave of fatigue. It was the same as when Ashley moved Lucian and Jason across the Great Hall. The magic was impressive, but it was draining me.
No. I can't stop. I have to save Aaron. That one thought kept me going. I summoned all the power I had from every dark corner inside of me and willed them to travel down my arm. My vision swam. Aaron's face blurred.
"It's draining her! Guys, it's going to kill her!" came a voice from far away. Rachel? What was it she was saying?
"Kath! Let go! He's okay now!" Many hands grabbed my wrist and tried to pry my hand away. The magic bound my hand to Aaron's ribs firmly. In my blurry sight, I saw that the magic was fading. More, I thought. All of it. Give them all to Aaron. As if obeying my last command, I felt a sudden surge of power travel through me. The blue light intensified, even more vivid than before.
"Kath, you have to let go!"
"Listen to us!"
"Katherine, please!"
I ignored all of the voices, instead concentrating on the magic pouring from my hand. The voices faded. Soon it was just the magic, Aaron, and me. I saw his face, filled with anguish. He wasn't pale anymore. "Katherine, I'm okay now, just let go," he begged.
I shook my head. "You're not," I managed to get out. "Not completely."
"I don't care; if you don't let go, the magic is going to kill you!" Aaron's brown eyes filled with fear and torment. He tried to pull my hand away.
"You saved my life. It's only fair that I save yours." I smiled weakly. "As long as you're okay." The magic wrapped around the two of us like a blue cocoon, separating us from the rest of the world. I sent one last pulse of magic through. As the magic exited, I felt a wave of extreme weakness. The pain in my broken ankle and arm flared up, magnified a thousandfold. I hurt all over, feeling like someone had ripped me apart and then put me through a grinder.
The magic suddenly convulsed and exploded, blasting us apart. As darkness took over, I saw myself falling through the air, blue sparks still trailing from my fingertips.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone