The Spellbound Heart

Chapter 19

Harlou was being weird all day, he barely interacted with lily since she woke up and was being very cautious around her. We spent the morning after talking with her father and grandma and pa, Kayan even came over with Oliver to check in with her too and she seemed fine, she was a bit exhausted from the whole ordeal but for the most part she was happy. Elldrid didn't interact too much with everyone she seemed really drained but she just blamed it on the spell she did to help us bring lily back. After everyone left lily decided to take a nap which I was reluctant to let her do, but she assured me she was perfectly fine and even slept on the couch so I could easily keep an eye on her. "We need to talk now" Harlou said to me. I checked on lily again before walking into the kitchen. "What's up with you? You've been weird since she woke up" I said to him. I could feel that he was paranoid for some reason through our bond which was starting to annoy me a bit. "When we were in her subconscious looking for her, something felt off from the beginning, but I'd know that voice anywhere. I thought when he died as a mortal that was it but for some reason he's back" He stated. An uneasy feeling creeped up my arms and I felt fear from him again. "Who, what do you mean?" I asked. "The demon king, I don't know how but I think when the goddess created that seal, she locked his magic away when she changed him, I thought in the beginning she just made him mortal with me as his counterpart and just stripped him of his magic. But I knew that energy felt familiar when lily first broke the seal. Somehow, she released his magic and I think it brough him back. But that should be impossible" he said. I looked out into the living room at her sleeping peacefully unsure what to think. "But that's lily...Right?" I asked. "It smells like her, and she isn't acting different, but something doesn't feel right. For now, just keep an eye on her." He cautioned. which sounded ridiculous, I know my mate, I'd know if something was wrong. I thought to myself completely unsure. Taking a second to think about the whole thing it did seem a bit too easy that she just woke up. I decided to try and get some answers from Elldrid. Going upstairs to the spare bedroom I knocked on her door. "Elldrid, its shalom can I come in." I called out to her, but I got no response back just silence from the other side of the door. "Elldrid you awake?" I called out again. I wondered if maybe she left. I pushed the door open a little peaking inside when I noticed a foot sticking out on the floor on the other side of the bed. "Elldrid!" I yelled out rushing over to her. she was covered in sweat and mumbling incoherently. I picked her up putting her on the bed before calling to Abraham through the mind-link. I ran into the bathroom to get a cool washcloth before returning and wiping her face down Moments later Abraham rushed through the door with some water and tea Grandma left over for lily the other day. "Shalom" She whispered as she came to. "Elldrid? what happened?" I asked her, helping her lean up a bit to drink some water. "I guess that spell took more out of me than I planned...but it was the least I could do, I could never give her back the life she lost but I could do this." She said weakly. Her skin was deathly pale almost grey, and I found myself feeling bad for her. "Just make sure she keeps fighting" she said almost wheezing. She reached over to her bag pulling something from it before shoving it into my hand. I opened it and it was some sort of small pouch with herbs and crystals inside. "Make sure she wears it, it's for her own protection" She coughed giving me a half smile. I looked down at the pouch tying it closed again. Going to thank her I looked up and she was gone. A ghostly smile shown on her face, but she was dead. I didn't understand why, why she'd give her own life for lily, and she barely knew her. But i was more than grateful. Abraham turned to me laying a hand on my shoulder before gesturing me to go to lily. I didn't know how I'd tell lily Elldrid gave her life for hers, to save her. I went downstairs to wake Lily and tell her the news, but she wasn't on the couch. "Lily?" I called out to her wondering if maybe she woke up from my shouting and went looking for me. I couldn't sense her, but her scent was faint. I followed it down the hall to the basement door. It was slightly open, and I could see the light was on downstairs. I walked down calling out to her again, but she didn't respond. But her scent got stronger, so I followed it. When I got to the bottom, she was standing in the middle of the room looking at the wall. I walked over placing my hand on her shoulder when she nearly jumped out of her skin. "Shit! You scared me" she said startled. "What are you doing down here? I asked her worried. She looked at me seemingly studying my face. "I... I don't know I woke up to use the bathroom and then.... I don't remember" she said softly almost to the point I didn't hear her. "I told you something was off about her" Harlou said to me. I ran my hand down her arm to her hand gently squeezing it. She almost seemed like she wasn't here for a moment. And it had me scared Harlou's words playing back in my head. What if we brought something back with her. I tried not letting his paranoia get to me. She really did seem fine, I figured it was just from her being out for so long. But now I wasn't so sure.