Jagged Embrace

Chapter 52 - Ander

The worst part about being trapped in a medical office was the lack of things to do. Mason told him she would obtain new cell phones for both him and Will, but for the moment, he had none. He was not allowed to sit up yet, forced to lie and stare at the ceiling. Ander wanted to relax and allow his thoughts to wander, but in his present state, he was not confident he would be lucid if someone entered the room. Only time and his thoughts remained. Ander enjoyed pondering things, but after several hours, he was revisiting the same topics again in an effort not to slip.

Dark, shadowed movements in the corner caught his attention. His eyes flicked to the image of the creature, its sharp teeth dripped with maroon blood as it drug its claws against the wall, chipping away the drywall. He blinked several times. It stepped closer to him, its thunderous steps reverberated in the small room. Ander's hand shook so badly he almost could not grab his knife that was still attached to his pants. As soon as his hand gripped the handle, the creature vanished.

With heavy, painful breaths, he acknowledged things that were real. The pain from drawing breath with his injured lung - very real. The knife Will forged for him - his material link for him so he would never be lost again. Maeve, the longing for her presence, which pained him more than any physical or spiritual injury. Although it had only been forty-two hours since he gazed at her, every hour he was coherent was difficult because he did not know when he would see her again. It was only a matter of time before Will burst into the room. Ander assumed Mason had forbid him to come to the hospital, otherwise Will would not have left his side.

Ander was thankful he recalled the spell that allowed him to place additional protection on his body before the werewolf attacked him. He had hesitated because of Will. However, from appearances, it might be the reason he still lived. Either that, or the healing incantation when he woke in the swamp water to stop the internal bleeding. As upset as Mason and Will most likely were, if it had not been for spellcasting, he would be dead. Perhaps both of them.

The sounds of Will destroying those werewolves echoed in his mind. The blurred images of the three wolves remained fixed in his memory. Ander was unsure why the wolves had glowed. It meant some type of magic had been cast on them and the only reason he perceived it was due to his own spellcasting. Technically, he had not detected it on the physical plane. What he viewed was the magic that was attached to them on another plane, perhaps the spiritual plane.

He shifted and felt a sharp pain in his shoulder. Mason had done well, especially considering her lack of knowledge about anatomy. However, he was certain it was not one hundred percent correct. His eyes moved down to his glowing tattoos. She was not pleased to see that. Of course, since his tattoos already glowed, it would not be noticed if he simply enhanced her healing. The exhaustion of casting so many consecutive incantations drained him, but after he weighed the benefits versus drawbacks from casting to accelerate his healing, it made sense to spellcast.

Ander was careful with the first spell and kept it very focused only on the worst injuries, so he could identify what had been done and what needed to be done. Panting from the effort after, he almost relented.

No, it was necessary. Will could not be alone. He needed him. Ander braced himself for the agony and cleared his mind. Once focused, he began the spellwork. After, covered in sweat and trembling from the strain of using his soul energy, Ander gritted his teeth. Even in his discomfort, the exhilaration washed over him and begged him to continue. He ignored it and closed his eyes. Maeve's lovely features and scent filled his mind before he passed out.