The Hidden World of Nitea [2 | The Other Realms Series]

Chapter Twenty-Five

Michelle turned in her bed, facing away from the mirror. She shivered. It had been more than a week and the curse had eaten up most of her—the only flesh and bone left in her were in her left leg and above her neck. Nights only grew colder as she solidified. Michelle pulled the blanket over her head, curled into a ball, and closed her eyes. Though hope remained in her heart, her mind had been telling her that she might have to accept a dreaded fate.

Flash. She removed the blanket. The first thing she saw was a dark figure towering over her.

Without a second thought, she screamed and threw a pillow at it.

"Aïe!"

That voice. "Eddie?"

"Ouais, c'est moi," he said, annoyed. He waved his arm and switched on a lamp. "Did you have to throw a pillow at me?"

"You could've texted me before you popped into my room."

"Oh, right. Sorry. I was too excited." The corners of his lips quirked upward. "I got good news."

Good news. Was it what she had been hoping for? "Did you get it?"

He held up a vial and flashed a smile.

She sprang from her bed and reached for it. He handed it to her. She unscrewed the cap. She asked, "Do I drink this or what?"

"I think you drink it," he said. His eyes gleamed with eagerness. "Come on, what are you waiting for?"

She held the vial to her lips and drank the liquid in one gulp. Cool sensations rippled through her body as a bright, white light consumed her from the inside. The sound of cracking and shattering filled her ears. Alarm bells rang in her head. Am I dying? A strong force burst from within her. She felt her body breaking, and then forming, and then softening.

The light faded. She glanced down at her arms. They were covered in skin. She kicked off her blanket. Her legs were normal as well. She gasped in disbelief.

"I-I'm normal again," she breathed. She lifted her gaze to meet her lover's. "I'm normal again!"

She leaped off her bed and wrapped her arms around him, nuzzling his neck. Grateful teardrops trickled from her eyes and formed a wet patch on his shirt. They stood there for a moment, still and silent, as they hugged.

"Thank you."

"No, you don't have to thank me," he said, "it's my duty anyway."

They broke their embrace. Michelle turned her head to the side. Her eyes widened upon catching sight of two other people inside the room with them.

"Oh those are my teammates," Eddie told her. He gestured to them. "Jon and Stella. You've bumped into them in Place Dauphine, remember?"

"Oh, right," she said. She waved awkwardly. "Hi."

"Hi," Stella said, waving.

"Hello," Jon smiled.

"Anyway," Eddie said, "your parents and brother are here, right?"

"Yeah, they're asleep now, I think."

"Great! Euh, you can change first. We have to go somewhere after this."

"To where?"

"To Nitea to erase your memories, remember?"

Realization hit her like a freight train. "Oh, right."

"Just change into a shirt and pants. Don't wear a dress or skirt; we'll be flying on the way there." He then turned to Jon and Stella. "We'll teleport to their rooms. Jon, as soon as you see them, use your hydrokinesis to feed them the sleeping serum. Stella, you'll help him in carrying them on force fields. I'll paralyze them just in case they wake up."