Hunter Academy 2: In The Dark

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

“What are you doing?” Max asked. He had taken his head out of his hands at the sound of Erik’s breathing becoming normal, strong and regular. He stood up and touched the ring then hissed as his fingers came into contact with it. “That ring doesn’t look like anything I’ve ever seen before. How do you know it will help Erik?”

“I don’t,” I admitted. “I just got a feeling.” As the words were spoken I realized how stupid they sounded. What if it didn’t help at all and only worsened the situation Erik was in?”

“What?” he demanded, his eyes narrowed. “You put that ring on my son without knowing what it could do to him? You could have just endangered my son on a whim.”

“His condition doesn’t look worse, if anything its better,” I pointed out. “It’s not like we had any other viable options to save him. I thought it was worth it to take a leap of faith in my whim, as you called it, then just sit here and watch him deteriorate.”

Max was infuriated that I brought up his son dying, but I felt I had to justify what I had done to him. He could hate me but at least I would have done all I possibly could.

“I would rather you didn’t gamble with his life, there are still things we can do to save his life,” Max argued. He sounded sure of himself but I had seen how desolate he had been moments ago. There was nothing else we could have done. The ring was a risk, I understood, but I felt it had a chance even if it hadn’t done anything.”

“You’re just saying that,” I replied. “You and I both know we exhausted all other ways of saving Erik. I think your displacing your anger about all this onto me.”

Max glared at me and opened his mouth to speak once more when Erik shifted and we turned our heads to see Erik staring at us with heavy lidded eyes. He tiredly tired to sit up but failed and let his head fall back onto the pillow.

“I have a headache; I’d rather not have to hear you guys arguing about me,” he joked but the humor was forced. “How long was I out for?” he asked slowly. It was as if he was afraid to know the answer but pursed it regardless.

“A while,” I answered when his father didn’t seem to be able to answer. He looked choked up. He must have really felt that Erik wouldn’t get better to react like this when Erik woke up. “We didn’t think there was much chance of you waking up. We tried all sorts of things, nothing worked.”

“So what saved me?” Erik inquired.

“A ring Damien had,” his father uttered before moving forward and gripping Erik’s hand to assure himself that his son was really conscious and talking to us.

I felt uncomfortable, like I was intruding on something private. “I’ll leave you two alone for a bit. Liz doesn’t know you’re awake yet,” I announced.

“Wait,” Erik began, “I need to tell you what happened, it’s important.”

That caught my attention. “It can wait. I'll give you guys some time to talk and then bring Liz so that you can tell us all whatever information you have.” Erik didn’t seem convinced but nodded and I left the room, shutting the door behind me.

I walked downstairs and grabbed a water bottle from the fridge for Erik, figuring that he might be thirsty. I got out my phone and texted Liz. She probably wasn’t back from her night out and I didn’t know whether or not she would pick up if I called. I knew she would eventually see the text.

I told her that Erik was awake and that he had something to tell us, presumably about what he found out when the spell went wrong. I didn’t give her much more information than that. She could find that out when she got here.