章 24: Chapter 24
Jasper put a stool near the bed for Doctor Goldberg. The doctor sat close to her after handing over a large, brown suitcase to him. Elvira didn't know what to say to that man. He looked neither friendly nor like someone she should fear. There was nothing readable in his expression.
"Thank you for coming here," Elvira said, only to check his response.
He adjusted his spectacles on his wrinkled face. "Who are you?" Elvira didn't know how to respond to that. Was he asking her name? Or did he sense something off about her?
"Her name is Elvira," Wivior answered for her. "We ran into her in a human town. She asked for our help as her health was deteriorating. The locals in her town suspected it to be the deed of the witches. So, I brought her here to get examined by you. We found her in a horrifying state, and the healing potion that you had given me wasn't able to cure her."
"What did you see?" Dr. Goldberg asked rather calmly.
"I saw her first," began Jasper, and all eyes turned towards him. "
I had never seen anyone in such a horrendous state. She was burning alive, yet there was no fire. Her bones were visible. And her skin had black and leathery burn marks." Elvira's eyes went round, listening to the description of her condition, where she almost died. "Her eyes were spine-chilling because they resembled a reptile..."
Reptile! Her thoughts went straight to the man she had met in the forest. Was he telling the truth? Had Agror cursed her to live a miserable life that would only end with a slow, painful death? He did help her out that day, but she did not see him again, and there was still no news about Everard. Was the man in the forest someone she could trust? Whatever the case was, he was the one who had taken her diamond.
"You're one tough woman to be still alive," the doctor praised her.
"Huh?" Elvira had stopped paying attention after Jasper had said reptile to describe her eyes.
She looked at the doctor, not knowing what to say. Witches were much stronger than humans.
"The medicine I gave you, my prince, was one of my most potent formulas. Are you sure that didn't work?" asked Doctor Goldberg.
"All the people I have used it on before vomited an ooze of some color. When I gave it to her, a black ooze filled her mouth, but before even a single drop spilled out, all of it went straight back in. Her body, fortunately, returned to normal, like nothing had happened in the first place."
The doctor knitted his brows. "That is not a good sign because black ooze represents the deadliest curses. I don't want to jump to conclusions fast, but if medicine doesn't work for her, then I am afraid we might have to go another route."
Elvira's curse was powerful because her witch body would have fought it if it weren't. What did he mean by another route?
"Of course, do what you think is right, Mr. Goldberg," said Cornelius before Wivior could speak. "We have faith in your knowledge and skill."
"The room seems a bit crowded for your practice, so Wivior and I shall take our leave from it. Jasper can stay here to assist you," he continued. Cornelius walked out of the room the moment he finished, whereas Wivior stayed there and stared at Elvira with a blank face.
He walked towards her. "Do you want me to stay here?"
Even though Elvira had an urge to say yes, she said no anyway. What could Wivior do by staying there? Hold her hand? He was nothing to her, and it was wrong to have such thoughts about him.
Wivior respected her choice and walked out of the room as well. After he had left, she turned her gaze toward the doctor, who was going through his bag. She couldn't believe her treatment was about to begin, and the doctor didn't even suspect a thing. Maybe she should have told them about her curse earlier.
What did the doctor use to cure his patients? Could Elvira ask him any questions about it?
The doctor pulled out two small glass bottles; one contained a clear, thick liquid, and the other had a brown hue. He placed both bottles on a small table.
"Can I ask you something?" Elvira asked the doctor. He didn't look at her and ordered Jasper to bring an empty glass and a spoon.
"Please do," answered Goldberg while still searching for something else in his bag.
"How do you make your healing potions?" Elvira dared to ask another one.
His eyes widened as if he wasn't expecting her to ask that.
"Mother nature is a provider itself. Rare herbs, crystals, and other elements hold immense power. Some elements are so rare and special that spirits guard them. Wizards hunt for such rare gems and turn them into healing potions using unique recipes passed on by our great forefathers. Great minds of our present world create some new ones, too," he said.
"So, you can cure any curse with a potion?" she asked.
Before he could answer, Jasper returned with an empty cup, as requested by the doctor. Goldberg took the cup and emptied all the contents of the two glass bottles into the cup.
"No," he spoke as he stirred the liquids with a spoon. "Potions can't cure all curses. A strong, stubborn one requires much more. It depends on the power of the spell and the strength of the witch who performed it. Sometimes, to remove such a curse, one needs to destroy the hex bag, and if even that doesn't work...."
"I am sorry to interrupt, Dr. Goldberg," Jasper interjected. "She is just a human woman in dire need of help. Please don't scare her. We shouldn't let her lose hope before you even begin her treatment."
The treatment of stubborn curses didn't scare her. No matter how dark or terrible it was, it could never come close to the things they did and used to perform witchcraft.
"Of course. Drink this potion, and don't worry about anything for now. May God help you and bring you back to health," said Goldberg.
The witches neither believed nor worshipped a merciful God. Her kind had put their faith in destructive and cruel deities of the underworld.
Still, Elvira drank the potion, hoping whatever he said would come true. It had a strong taste with some bitterness. However, it wasn't anything unbearable. It was better than the ones she had received from Daxaos, which tasted like hell at first.
"As a human, you would fall unconscious or probably in a deep sleep and won't wake up for six to twenty-four hours. I have used it on a few humans before, so I know how it might work for you," said the doctor.
Great! Elvira would have to pretend to be asleep for that long if it didn't work the same way on her witch body. At least he told her about it, or else he would have been shocked at how well her weak human body adjusted to the drug.
After gulping down the potion, Elvira didn't feel any different, so she closed her eyes.
"Come, John," she heard Goldberg. "Let's go outside while she rests."
"It's Jasper, sir," Jasper corrected him. "And yes, let's go outside. I'll treat you to a drink of your choice."
"Let's talk outside. A drink won't suffice. I think I'll have a turkey, cake, and even tea."
She heard them leave the room and only opened her eyes when their footsteps were no longer audible.
What was she supposed to do now? Pretend to be unconscious for at least six hours. Maybe she could try falling asleep. She shut her eyes again and imagined the feeling of being curse-free. The unbearable pain would be gone, and there would be no need to impress underworld deities by taking dangerous jobs.
Suddenly, the door creaked open. Elvira couldn't open her eyes and see who it was, so she stiffened her body and remained still. The footfalls suggested the presence of more than one person in that room.
"Okay, so how do you check if someone is unconscious yet?" she heard Wivior say.
"She appears to be. You can talk to her when she gets up," said the other person, Cornelius.
"Of course. I just wanted to know how Elvira is doing, but you are right. She seems unconscious, and I can talk to her later."
Elvira was amazed that they both thought her to be unconscious. Nervously, her heart thumped, and she worried her body might visibly tremble.
"Can you come outside and talk to me now?" asked Cornelius.
"We can talk here. She is unconscious," came Wivior's response.
"I don't know what you have become, Wivior." Cornelius sounded frustrated. "I can barely recognize you anymore. Since I stepped into this castle, I did not see you do or care about anything else other than this human woman."
"What do you want me to do, brother?" Wivior said sarcastically.
Cornelius emphasized, "I want you to care about your family and the kingdom. You never bothered to ask about home. I came here to convince you to talk to your grandfather and finally return to your place. You're not meant to be here among these people. You are a prince."
"Then why was I even sent here in the first place?" There was pain and struggle in Wivior's voice.
"You know very well. You are our father's firstborn. After he died, Grandfather had no choice but to train you to ascend the throne after him. He wouldn't have banished you if you and your friends weren't proven guilty of the death of a few humans." Elvira almost opened her eyes upon discovering that he was a murderer.
"You know it was an accident. My only sin was to be friends with a jerk like Queen Imari's grandson. If he hadn't been so stupid and proud that day, those people would have never died. She took him back to their castle. Yet I have spent over a century trying to repent for an accident I was barely a part of. Grandfather wanted me to come here and repent for my sins so badly. And now that I finally enjoy doing so. Finally, when I am a changed person, you want me back in the royal family where I am not even sure I belong anymore!" Wivior cried.
Elvira knew he wasn't a killer, and even though he wouldn't believe her, neither was she.
"You had such a drive to set things right. Returning to your family was your plan. Since when do you not want anything to do with the royal family or the throne?" Emotions rose in Cornelius' voice.
"I don't know, Cornelius. A hundred years is a long time. You were barely a teenager when I was banished. You don't know how I have struggled to fit in here, and now I finally enjoy it," Wivior expressed.
"You've become the person he desired, but sadly, you've neglected your destiny and responsibility. Grandfather's health is deteriorating. And after he passes away, if you refuse to take the throne, you know who he would give it to, and it's not me," stated Cornelius.
Listening to a heated personal conversation was awkward, but Elvira was glad to learn the truth. It was unbelievable that he didn't desire the throne and preferred to aid the people instead. Why would anyone want that?
"Then I guess you should either make yourself worthy of the throne or perhaps let grandfather have his way," said Wivior.
An intense burning sensation arose in Elvira's stomach. She instantly got up and began gasping for air.
"What happened?" Wivior held her by her arms. "Cornelius, go get the doctor now."
The burning pain in her body changed to the feeling of being constantly stabbed. It was so bad that she couldn't even get a single word out of her mouth. She pressed her hands against her stomach, and the next thing she knew, her body was trembling badly. She didn't realize how bad it was until she felt Wivior's body pressed against hers to hold her down. Her senses were getting dull, and her vision was hazy.
Either Elvira's stomach was about to explode, or she was going to die. Holding onto him tightly, she begged him to save her in her mind. Her pain dulled a bit in the next few moments. A warm liquid came up her throat, and she vomited.
Once Elvira stopped vomiting, her senses returned to normal, and she noticed she was sitting on Wivior's lap, her fingers pressing into his back. He looked shocked and a bit disgusted. A nasty mud color of vomit covered his clothes. Oh no, she had vomited on a wizard prince!
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