BiteBound *completed*

Chapter 41

At the next nightfall, Anne had switched places with Arthur; the last person I wanted to be around. I while I thought he would be the only one in the room for the night, it wasn't until moments later another voice entered the room.

It was recognizable, but it wasn't my nurse I was assigned to.

"Alina." Arthur greets.

"I knew I shouldn't have left her do it alone." She sounded angry. "I thought you were going to watch her."

"If you knew she was going to mess up, then why would you give her the knowledge to perform a dangerous ritual?"

"Don't you dare turn this on me boy! You were the one who was also confident she could do it. In fact, you were the one who pushed her into doing it!"

"I did no such thing!" He snaps. "Did I light the candles or draw the sigil?!'"

"No, of course not you incompetent leech. But you influenced her to it. You don't think I saw her unwillingness to do it when you both showed up at my store? You saw it too Arthur, don't even try to deny it."

"I was trying to do the best for her!"

"But you never even asked her did you?!"

He doesn't say anything after that, only sighing in the shame.

"How long has she been asleep?" Alina asks.

"She isn't." He says. "I've been pretending to be in and out of consciousness since yesterday. At least, that's what Anne said."

The monitor picked up slightly, calling me out on my false state of rest.

Shit.

"No use in hidin' now Cher." She nudges my foot. "I just need answers. I'm not here to interrogate you."

What's there to know? I fucked up and now I'm stuck like this. Just leave.

"Rosalie, she has come a long way to see you." Arthur sounded annoyed. "Quit being a Brat and open your eyes."

"I think you should be the last person talkin' right now." Alina scolded. "As much as I don't want to agree wit' him, he is right Cher. I'm not goin' anywhere until you answer my questions so I can help you. Mortal medicine cannot fix this. Do you not want to be able to feel again?"

"...no."

I slowly open my eyes to now a dim room, turning my body ever so carefully to avoid the sharp pain on my foot. I met both of their eyes. Alina's glowing with concern while Arthur's was full of pain. As if he had anything to feel pain towards...

"Hello Cher." Alina greets, approaching me with the comforting smell of Egyptian musk. "I... can only assume the ritual did its job?"

"...I don't know." I said. "Ask him."

Alina shifts her eyes towards him, he nods in response.

"You should've never started the ritual during a fight." She starts again in a gentle tone. "That kind of energy is chaotic to control. You needed to do it with a clear mind, with the intention of that is what you wanted. By choice, not from anger. Did you perform a cleansing bath on yourself?"

"No."

"Did you wear white?"

"No."

"Did you smoke cleanse yourself and the room where you performed the ritual?"

"No."

Alina sighs, holding back that anger I could slightly hear in her voice.

"Did you draw the sigil correctly?"