One of the Last | Book 3 | ✔

38. | Witch-hazel

Voices. I can hear voices.

"The toxin in her blood is dangerous for her. Whatever was injected into her bloodstream is some sort of weakness." A female explains.

"Like vervain? And wolfsbane?" A male.

"But this one's new. I-I've never seen it before." I hear papers turn.

"What is it?"

"I searched online and the only thing that kept popping up was...witch-hazel. But I've never heard of this kind of plant before. Especially not one a heretic is weakened by." I assume she's a doctor.

"I don't think this has anything to do with her being a heretic." I assume the man is Killian.

There are footsteps, then panting. "You guys need to get out of here."

"Why?" Killian asks.

"Blood Witches are weakened with witch-hazel. It can cause them to go into manic episodes. They vary, depending on how they feel inside."

"What does that even mean?"

"If she's feeling murderous, she's going to want to kill. If she's feeling sad, she's going to want to cry. If she's feeling angry, she's going to want to let it out."

My head turns back and forth, my eyes moving back and forth even though my eyes are closed. Something is bubbling inside me. My body feels like it's boiling, yet I'm freezing at the same time. My limbs throb and I feel pain. Pain all over. Pain in all of my limbs, every part of my bones.

"If she feels like screaming—" I lunge forward, a deafening, ear-splitting scream shattering everything glass within yards. "—she's going to scream." Lilly finishes her sentence.

I notice the darkness of the room and I'm backing up into a corner. I slide down, hands over my ears.

I can hear him. I can hear his taunts, his horrible, despicable words. I can feel his hands. Feel him on me. Thousands of invisible hands, and not even just Jeremy's. His, too.

I flinch at each touch, tiny yelps and squeals slipping past my lips.

"Lights! Turn on the lights!" Someone yells.

"No, no, don't touch me." I mutter. "Don't touch me. Don't touch me." I chant under my breath.

I feel hands cup my face, tilting it up. "Grace. Grace, look at me." I try to focus on him, but I can't. Each time he tries to let go of my face, it drops and he holds it up again. "You're okay. There's no one here but me, and you, and Lilly, okay? Just us."

"Go. Find an antidote." Another voice demands. Then Lilly is beside Killian.

I sit up a little straighter, pressing a hand to her cheek. "My sweet daughter." A smile falls on my lips, my eyes hooded.

She glances at Killian. "Go with it." He whispers.

She looks back at me. "Hi, Mom."

My smile widens, my hand falling. "It's been so long, since I've heard those words." My visage becomes blurry with tears.

"You need to rest. Close your eyes, and sleep." She speaks softly. I nod my head, leaning my head against the wall. I do as she says and close my eyes, a sudden tiredness overcoming me.

Then I fall asleep.

***

Waking up, I hear an incessant beeping noise. I attempt to open my eyes, but I'm instantly blinded. I let out a low moan at the brightness.

When my eyes finally adjust, I look around. Killian and I are the only ones in the room. He seems to notice me waking up as he sits up straighter.

I sigh, closing my eyes. "Did they find an antidote?" My voice comes out breathless, quiet.

I open my eyes as he shakes his head. "No, but they're working on it."

I close my eyes again, barely able to keep them open. I feel so weak. A puff of air leaves my lips in a pathetic attempt of a laugh. "It's been so long...since I've been sick." I open my eyes to look at his expression, only to close my eyes again.

"You, uhm, started calling Lilly your daughter." He speaks softly.

I exhale through my nose, pressing my eyes shut. "With a state like mine, and a girl who reminds me of my daughter, it was bound to happen." I open my eyes again.

"Why were you at my warehouse?" He suddenly asks.

"I went to see my friend, then I went to find you." I explain.

"When did you show up?"

"Ten, ten-thirty." I answer. He narrows his eyes at me. "If you don't believe me, check my heart rate." I watch him glance at the beeping machine. "I went to the warehouse around ten, ten-thirty, to find you." He exhales when he sees the steady pace of the heart monitor.

I close my eyes again, ready to fall back asleep. Does witch-hazel always induce sleepiness?

I feel myself fade, but I hear yells coming from the hallway. "Let me see her! I need to see her!" A guy shouts. He yells the same thing over and over again, demanding the same thing.

I hear bodies thud, distinct footsteps echoing in my ears as I stare at the door that's wide open. A figure walks inside. It's a male.

Was that guy here for me?

I stare, confused, and he walks toward me. Slowly. His footsteps echo in my head. Then he steps into the light. And panic flares up inside me.

He grins as I try to back away from him, but I can't do much in my hospital bed. He gets closer and closer, with each step he takes.

I panic, and the only thing I can do is scream.

Third Person

Doctors and nurses rushed into Evelyn's room as she flailed and screamed, trying to brawl with an invisible force. Killian attempted to pin her arms, but she made it difficult.

The doctors tried to still her, calm her. She began yelling, "No! No! Let go! He's here! He's coming! He's here!" Tears flowed down her cheeks, her fear immense. "He's coming! He's coming for me! Let me go! He's here!" She chanted.

"Grace, Grace! Who?" Killian asked. "Who's coming?"

"He's here! He's here! He's coming for me! He's here! He's here!" She only continued to chant. It was the only thing she could say.

Isobel and Elena ran into the room, Isobel holding a syringe in hand. "Here! Give her this!" A nurse took it with no further instructions and she pulled off the cover of the needle.

"He's here! He's coming! He's here!" The nurse grabbed her arm and poked the needle into the vein where her upper arm and forearm meet.

"Who's here? Who's coming for you, Grace?" Killian repeated his question, rephrasing it.

Her body slowly relaxed, along with her grip on his arm. He leaned down as she whispered a name. "Wyatt."