𖧷𖧷 𝕎ℍ𝔼ℕ 𝔻𝔼𝕊𝕋𝕀ℕ𝕀𝔼𝕊 ℂ𝕆𝕃𝕃𝕀𝔻𝔼 (𝔸 ℕ𝔸ℝℕ𝕀𝔸/𝕄𝔼ℝ𝕃𝕀ℕ ℂℝ𝕆𝕊𝕊𝕆𝕍𝔼ℝ) 𖧷𖧷

Chapter 23: Of Magic and Death

I wasn't prepared for the action that followed my spell. Ana started seizing and I jumped from the stool, knocking it over. Never had anyone reacted to a spell in such a way. Then again, no one had ever had magic like her either. It was that thought that had me panicking and nearly rushing from the room to get Amari.

However, just as quickly as the seizing started, it ended. I paused midstep towards the door and looked over my shoulder. She was still, but her chest was rising and falling. Sighing in relief at that, I approached to check her pulse and her fever. Her pulse was fast and erratic—which could've been that way before the spell. Or it could've been a result of it—and her fever didn't appeared to have changed. No change was better than heading in the wrong direction.

When footsteps sounded in the hall, my eyes immediately fell upon a servant carrying blankets. They must've been fetching supplies. "Hey," I stated as she approached the doorway. "Please inform Amari that one of her patients was seizing but that they've stopped for now. She'll know which one if you tell her Merlin sent you."

The servant girl nodded and continued on her path. I checked over the other patients, just to be sure, before heading back to Ana's side. I righted the stool and examined her once again. She was too still for comfort, face contorted in pain, but she was still breathing. It appeared to be the same unsteady pattern as before, but she was breathing nonetheless. I had to assume my magic did nothing, but I still couldn't figure out what had happened. There was a chance it would make her worse and I would forever regret my decision.

Amari entered a few moments later. I didn't even have to turn around to know it was her. No one else besides Amari would have a reason for such hurried steps in the hall. Besides, the first words off her lips before I had a chance to turn around were "What happened?"
"I'm not really sure," I answered honestly—as I had no idea what happened. "I was watching her and then she suddenly started seizing. But just as I was leaving to get you, it stopped just as suddenly. It couldn't have lasted for more than a few seconds. I checked her pulse afterwards and it both fast and erratic. Nothing else seemed to have changed."
"Very strange..." Amari said quietly as she checked over her patient. "I wonder what could have caused it."

I bit my lip, afraid to admit my slip up. Amari would've known if magic would help her or not. She would've informed King Caspian of it immediately. If Amari knew about her abilities it would make perfect sense for her to know how best to treat Ana. It felt like a really bad decision on my part. I could've at least asked Amari about healing spells, though it might've made her suspicious, at least Ana wouldn't have started seizing.

"Her fever hasn't grown," Amari suddenly spoke, pulling me out of my thoughts.
"That's good," I said hesitantly because her voice implied there was more.
"However the seizing has hurt her breathing. It's slowly getting worse."
"So... that means that although her fever hasn't risen, Ana is still dying?"
"Exactly... I must speak with King Caspian..." she replied and started to go.
"Wait! What about magic?"
"Magic?"
"Yeah..." I had to be careful to avoid suspicion. "In a place like this surely someone knows a spell that could help her. Gaius told me that sometimes only magic can save a person's life."
"He is both correct and wrong. Magic can save a life, but at the cost of someone else's. A healing spell would speed up the healing process but if a person's injuries leave them too far gone, it will do no good. His Majesty will not save Ana's life at the cost of someone else."
"So that's it? She's just going to die?"
"There is still a chance for her. But I must speak with the King. Keep her head still if she seizes again and don't let her roll off the cot," Amari instructed as she practically dashed out the door.

I sighed and glanced at Ana once more. What had I done? Amari said a healing spell would do no good if they were past the healing stage. But in Ana's case, with her abilities, it might actually accelerate her death. The seizure had to have been a result of my spell. As a result, it was slowly making her breathing worse. She would basically choke to death. At least with fever she would basically go in her sleep; this was much worse and it was all my fault.