They Came In Hoodies

Chapter 33: Just As Terrible

Look out for the <>!

Grayson POV

As the night set in, Stella's condition worsened while Else never returned. Minutes turned into hours and slowly I realized Else wouldn't return until she was sure Stella was dead. She wasn't interested in saving her, she was just saving her face. She didn't want to see me suffer, so she left me to suffer alone as I held Stella's icy hand.

loathing for the Royal family and their rules brewed like good wine beneath my skin. They were not going to find a cure for the human for many reasons. Maybe it was hard, maybe it was too much work, and she was just a human, so why even try? Stella wasn't like any of us, she wasn't supposed to be in this world. But what they didn't understand was that she was my world. Stella was there for me even when no one else was. She was my friend and I couldn't let her die.

A soft groan came from Stella's lips, turning my attention back to her. She lay in the bed sleeping soundly as she had done for the past hour. Her complexion was clammy and pale and through her soft groans, I knew that not even sleep helped her escape the pain she felt as the poison spread through her body.

I thought about what my father said to me. I battled over those ideas for hours already. If I let him out, I would be a traitor, they would have my head for this. But I didn't see another way around it. Our time on waiting was over. I knew what I had to do next. I needed to take matters into my own hands.

I stood up from my chair, only to be stopped by a hand that grabbed mine. My attention turned to Stella's now completely black hand as she looked at me with worry. The poison had spread all the way down her arm and was spreading up to around her ear. I could only imagine it was spreading to her other shoulder now as well. The poison spread faster on her than it did on other magical beings. I could only guess she had only a few hours left, which only meant I needed to get my father's cure quickly.

"Gray?" Her voice sounded weak and powerless, but her eyes still had fire burning in them. She hadn't given up and I'm not sure if she ever would, even down to her last breaths.

"Yes?" I asked softly.

"Where are you going?"

"I just need to get something to drink. Do you want me to bring you anything?"

She shook her head lightly as she closed her eyes once again. "Don't be gone long," she mumbled as sleep pulled her under again.

"I'll be back as soon as I can." And with that, I left her alone in the bedroom, hoping to come back as quickly as I could. I had thought long enough about a plan and I didn't want to waste any more time when I knew Else would not help.

With sure steps, I ran down the stairs to get to the basement. I checked the time on my watch to see that the guards would switch soon, allowing me to sneak in. I grabbed another apple from the kitchen to trip the protection spell but frowned when I saw a guard in front of the door still.

He looked at me and frowned, as if expecting me to show up. "You aren't supposed to be here," the guard said to me as I tossed an apple in the air and caught it.

I swore under my breath as I realized they were on to me. My mind went to the thought that Else knew my father was the cure, and she was keeping me from him. Fear and anger filled me as I stared back at him. I thought breaking in would be easy, but this was looking more impossible by the moment. There was no way I could overpower him. He was a trained guard, and I was not experienced enough to pass him and make my way to the basement.

"Else wants you back in her room."

And just like that, I realized they weren't on to me. Else just knew all this time the cure was my father. She wanted me to stay away from him and she wanted Stella to die. With that information, I wouldn't be able to get past him peacefully. Desperation crashed into me, knowing I had to make him move.