The Arcane Rebellion- The Arcane Series #1

Chapter 31

Xavi

We placed Layla on the floor gently. I knew what was coming, but I had no time, or the right words, to warn Uriah and Amir.

I put a pillow under her head, taking her hand in mine. I knew the remedy started to work when she squeezed my hand tightly, so much that it felt like my bones were breaking. At first she twitched and the movement was so minimal that I barely noticed it, but then her back arched and she started panting in pain, her eyes tightly shut, but I knew she was awake.

"Amir, get- get a bowl or something.", I softly said, looking at Layla's pained expression. I didn't see his reaction but he left the room, going to get it. Layla squeezed my hand even tighter when another wave of pain hit her. She arched her back again, whimpering in pain and opening her eyes for a moment.

"Xavi, please, please make it stop, please.", she begged and oh, how I wished I could take away her pain and make it stop.

"I'm sorry.", I whispered, cupping her face. It felt warm to touch- another side effect of the remedy.

"Please, Xavi, ple-", she stopped speaking, a scream leaving her mouth. Her nose started bleeding. Amir opened the door of the common room, standing frozen in the doorway. Uriah got the bowl from his hands, horror taking over both their faces. He handed the bowl to me and I put it in front of Layla's face, turning her on her side.

She immediately threw up into the bowl, filling it with blood. "Is- is that supposed to happen?", Amir asked, still horrified.

I nodded. "The blood is supposed to go somewhere, isn't it?", I said. Layla whimpered as she spit out more blood, shaking violently and tightly holding onto my hand, her back arching in pain.

Every broken bone and damaged tissue was being reconnected and mended. The 'emergency remedy', as I often call it, is a magical potion, hence why it can work so quickly. It's very painful because of the mere way it works. I've seen it in action only twice before today and it's still as horrifying as it was the first two times.

Another painful scream left Layla's lips and her mouth started filling with blood so I quickly turned her on her side so she could spit the blood out into a bowl. She cried out in pain, tears streaming down her flushed face.

"Xavi, please.", she cried. "Make it stop. Make it stop!", she screamed. "Fucking kill me if you have to, just make it stop!", she shouted and my breathing hitched. I was frozen next to her. I didn't know what to do. "Make it fucking stop.", she cried, twitching again, screaming in another wave of pain. I looked up at Amir and Uriah- Amir was pale, breathing heavily, his expression one of pure horror, while tears started pooling in Uriah's eyes.

I felt tears pricking in my own eyes as I listened to another one of Layla's painful pleads. "Please, Xavi, please, please, please...", she begged and I had to look away for a brief moment so I could recollect myself. I took a deep breath and blinked away the tears, turning my gaze back to her. She cried out again, squeezing my hand. I could feel how much she was shaking. I was shaking too, just not for the same reasons.

Her breathing was labored, she was repeating her pleads like a chant as tears stained her flushed cheeks. Suddenly, the doors of the common room burst open, revealing Iry with a revolver in his hand.

"What is going on here? What's with the screaming, it's scaring away our customers?!", he asked, looking around the room, his eyes finally landing on Layla and I. He stood silent for a moment, stuttering and trying to find the right words. Amir and Uriah took his arms, leading him out of the room.

"If you tell anyone about this, I will personally cut out your tongue.", Amir threatened, his voice a hushed whisper, so silent that I barely heard it just before the doors closed. He and Uriah, like I, knew Layla wouldn't want anyone to know about this. She thinks she can't show pain in front of anyone, that it'll ruin everyone's image of her.