Trifecta: Ice [Complete]

Ch 24: Self-Sacrifice

"Are you insane, Alexi?" my father asked. He seemed near the edge of his temper, yet again.

Doctor Alexi looked unconcerned with his reaction. "No. I believe it would perhaps be easier for Elise if she could be with her own pack while suffering in this state."

I considered that suggestion. Would it be easier?

My father seemed to cool down just a bit with her explanation.

"I'm not saying this to be crass, Nick, but Serge is relatively young. You'll likely die before he does, freeing your daughter that much sooner."

I could see that Moramay did not like Doctor Alexi's words any more than I did. I swallowed past the lump in my throat.

My father, however, nodded as if this was a reasonable consideration.

"How do you know that it would work?" I heard Serge ask flatly. I could not read his tone.

Doctor Alexi looked towards him. "I don't. That's why it would be nice if there was another thrall around to test my theories first."

Serge sounded a bit annoyed and the sound caused the curse to make me flinch. "Then you don't know what might happen."

"That's true. It might make her a thrall to Nick's pack instead or it might not work at all," she agreed.

"Or," Serge continued, "It might make her a thrall to both packs, which would be impossible to manage. Her suffering would double. Where would she go?"

He sounded angry and even though it was on my behalf I shook with the curse.

"Another possible outcome, obviously," Doctor Alexi agreed. "This is why I think you should make a thrall or two out of the enemy forces so that we can test my theories without harming Elise."

They began to argue about Doctor Alexi's suggestion all over again. I barely listened as my mind wound through the possibilities.

I definitely did not want to bear two thrall curses, if such a thing were even possible.

And I considered being a thrall to my father instead of Serge. I would be at home, with my family.

A family I could not bear to look at or speak to normally.

"N-no," I interrupted their discussion. "I-I don't w-want dad to b-bite me anyway. I w-want to stay as S-S..."

"You want to stay with Serge?" Karen asked, sounding slightly surprised.

I nodded. "As h-h-his thrall. Until i-it's gone."

My father looked confused and upset, his brow furrowed. I tried to explain, "I'd rather only see you occasionally than be near you, but never able to look at you or talk to you normally."

I looked as close to Serge as I could without the curse attacking me. I felt terribly guilty that I was arguing against a possible means of his escape from the situation.  "I-I'm s-sorry, but..."

"Don't be sorry. This is my responsibility," he explained in what was probably supposed to be a soothing voice.

And maybe it was, but the prickles continued over my skin with each word.

I looked at my father and I could see that he understood.

"I still could use another thrall. More data," Doctor Alexi said.

"Absolutely not," my father said in a tone that booked no disagreement. I was grateful that he was standing so resolute, because I did not want to see anyone else who did not deserve this under the power of the curse.