Good Little Dreamer

Part 5

"What do you need for the spell?"

"The blood of the fae for its healing properties, iron bark, a few other things I have in my cellar." Gretel peruses her notes. "I'll need your blood as well."

"Why?" Christopher frowns, crossing his arms as he stands beside your bed, letting you separate him from the witch. He's stayed away from you for a few days, given you time to think without his presence.

"The fae blood is ancient, but it's diluted with mortal. I'll need yours to help break the curse. Otherwise I have everything we need." Gretel runs her fingers through her hair. She's tired, she's been pouring over this spell for hours, wanting to leave no detail out. She's unsure if it will work or not, but with such strong ingredients... if it doesn't, nothing will.

"Christopher, you know this may not wake her. Whoever cursed her to sleep was very powerful to keep her trapped so long."

"They separated her from her shadow, it's the only reason she lost everything. She could be a powerful witch in her own right."

"Which makes me question why you want her awake. At least she is docile in this state. she can't harm you."

"It's unfair to her." He says simply; he doesn't want to be selfish this time, he wants you to have a taste of life even if he is not in it. You might be the one creature able of destroying him, but he supposes that's just the irony of the situation.

Fate is rather cruel.

He cares for you, you're his confidante and most treasured possession. He worries what will happen to you when you wake, whether you'll want him in your life or push him away. In the beginning he will have to care for you, you've been asleep a decade, the world is different. But after that...

"How long until it can be done?" He sounds resigned, his hazel eyes dark. He can see your shadow, lingering around the headboard of the bed, an ever present reminder of what you are. He hasn't spoken to you, he doesn't intend on entering your dream world again. He wants you awake.

"It's possible we can do it tonight," Gretel says cautiously, her brows creased. "Somewhere that's not here. Cerulli, this could be very dangerous. Combining your blood and the blood of an ancient fae line could cause it to hurt her --- or us for that matter if it explodes."

Gretel has had it happen a few times when the wrong ingredients are tossed in together, she even lost an apprentice that way; poor lass lost her head. She's never done a spell like this before, not with such a combination. It's the most powerful waking spell she's come across; she's not really that surprised that David knew of it, the demon has been around since the dawn of time after all.

Yet still...

It's such a risk.

"I am aware of the risks," Christopher responds, his fingers trailing absently to yours. They brush against your palm. "Whatever it takes to get this done."

"Even your life?" Gretel gazes at him, her voice serious. She's lived a long time, did her fair share of wrongs, but she has nothing on the demon before her. She's not sure if there is an afterlife for demons, where their souls go, but she's sure it isn't a pleasant place. Why rush to something so possibly dreadful?

She knows the Bowie family is a large one always involved in some catastrophe or another. Christopher is the one always cleaning up the mess through money or fear, hiding his brothers mistakes and sometimes his father's. Not once has the father ever lifted a noticeable finger for his sons, he doesn't even seem to care about the ones who've died.

Still, Gretel figures if Christopher dies, his father would definitely notice, even if he favors his third son the most. Christopher does too much for all of them.