Chapter 31: Chapter Thirty-one: Deceitful.
Damien’s heart stuttered. The light dimmed, revealing a face he knew too well. Elena. Her presence alone was impossible, yet there she was, real and solid right in front of him
"Elena?" His voice came out in a hoarse whisper, barely audible over the pounding of his heart.
She reached out to him caressing his cheek with her fingers. Her touch was warm, but it sent a shiver through him. This couldn’t be real. Elena had been gone for half a year now. How...
He reached out to touch her too, assuring himself that it was just an illusion like when he was under Morrigan’s spell. As his hand rested on her face, he froze.
This was flesh! His hand didn’t pass through her or anything! Could it really be...?
"Elena..." he muttered wide-eyed, unable to believe it "How...how are you—"
Elena’s stepped closer. "Damien," she whispered, her voice like a melody he’d forgotten. "It’s me."
He shook his head. Was this a vision? A trick? The bright light around them increased its intensity and suddenly, Elena’s body stiffened. Her eyes widened like saucers as fear flashed across her face. A force, invisible but powerful, yanked at her, pulling her backward. A shimmering portal opened behind her crackling with energy.
"No!" Damien shouted, lunging forward despite the pain surging through his body. His fingers shit out to grab hers, but she was slipping away and her form was quickly dissolving into the light of the portal. He stumble forward, forcing himself to go after her but his legs gave out, bringing him crashing to the ground as the portal snapped shut with a deafening crack.
"Elena!" His voice broke out raw and desperate. He pounded his fists against the stone not minding the fresh wounds that were tearing at his skin. The darkness closed in again, heavier this time, and his vision darkened with it. The last thing he felt was the ground beneath him before everything went black...
........
Damien woke up to a barrage of pain searing quickly through his body. He drew in a sharp breath and turned from his back to his side. The scent of herb incense filled the air, curling from a small brass pot burning in the corner of his chamber. His body ached painfully as he tried to sit up but he gritted his teeth, ignored the pain, and propped himself up on one elbow. His eyes darted around the room, searching for her.
He’d seen her. Her face, her touch...it had been so real. But was it a dream? A hallucination from the poison? Blood? He couldn’t shake the image of her standing right there in front of him, shining so brightly.
The door creaked open, pulling him from his thoughts. Morrigan stepped inside scanning him with the usual bored expression on her face. Beside her was Severin and he didn’t look too excited either.
Damien smirked at the two of them though it hurt to move even his face. "I never thought you were one to defy the king’s orders." he said with a light chuckle." You could get whipped too you know."
Severin rolled his eyes at his comment. "Shut up and breathe in the incense. It’s the only thing keeping you alive."
Morrigan crossed her arms, twitching her lips into a faint smile. "You’ve been out since yesterday, prince. Lucky for you, your darling brother here forced me to check up on you." She paused before continuing again. "Being a witch has its perks."
Damien’s eyes flicked to Severin who stood there mutely. His lips curved up lightly at him before diverting it.
His gaze flicked to the incense pot. The smoke was thick and he could feel its faint, soothing remedy calm his senses but it wasn’t enough. His throat burned with a deep, gnawing hunger clawing at his insides. He needed blood...fast
As if reading his mind, Severin tossed a small glass bottle at him. Damien caught it without even looking at him in the first place. His trembling fingers wrapped around the bottle and in one swift move, he broke the seal and tipped the contents into his mouth. The blood hit his tongue, and his eyes flickered, shifting from blood-red to brown. Instant relief flooded through him, but it was fleeting. He needed more. Much more.
Morrigan watched him closely. "You’re in bad shape, your highness. Whatever they did to you out there, it seemed to have worsen your condition."
Before he could respond, a sharp knock echoed through the room. A servant’s voice called from the other side of the door. "An order to Prince Damien from the king!"
Damien forced himself to his feet, ignoring the stab of pain in his battered back. He shuffled down the corridor shirtless until he reached the heavy oak door. A commissary stood there with a scroll in his hand. He dropped to his knees the moment he saw Damien, unrolling the scroll with trembling hands.
"By order of His Majesty," the man read, trying to stop his quivering voice. The prince looked so dreadful it was as if he just came out of hell. "...the royal physician is to examine His Royal Highness Prince Damien by tomorrow and deliver a final diagnosis on his illness."
The royal physician Xypherion, was no ordinary physician. He was an ancient vampire, older than the palace itself. Some said he had clairvoyant eyes that saw through flesh and bone to the truth beneath. If there was poison in Damien’s blood, Xypherion would find it. The commissary bowed and took his leave immediately after reading out the content of the scroll.
Severin and Morrigan appeared behind him with grim faces. They’d heard the announcement. Morrigan’s eyes narrowed and Severin rested his hand on the hilt of the banister.
"This is bad," Morrigan started "If the physician examines you, he’ll know."
Damien’s jaw tightened and he leaned tiredly on the door. "Don’t you think I know that?." he asked, panting softly for air.
He turned to Morrigan with a pained expression. "You’re a witch aren’t you? Can you do something? Like possess him?
Morrigan frowned deeply at him as if he had just said the dumbest thing anyone could ever say "Xypherion is no fool, your highness. I can’t invade his body just like that. What if he counters my soul?."
Damien sighed tiredly. Why was everything so stressful?
"Cassian, that bastard..." Damien cursed under his breath before pausing. He turned his gaze to Severin who stood still at the bottom of the stairs.
"Speaking of which, how did Cassian know about my illness?"
Severin arches his head from where he stood. "How am I supposed to know?."
Damien’s brow furrowed slightly together. He was taken by surprise when Cassian had revealed it before the court. Even as he was being whipped, his mind still wondered how he had found out.
He turned to look at Morrigan with a suspicious look on his face. Morrigan met his gaze, immediately realizing what he meant.
"Me? Would I be helping you now if I exposed you?" she asked sarcastically.
"That depends on what you could gain." he fired back.
"Your highness!"
"Enough." Came Severin’s voice again.
He descended from the stairs and stood in front of Damien.
"Although it is a pressing matter but we can deal with that later. Right now, we have to find out how to make sure the physician doesn’t detect your illness."
"Well that’s almost impossible," Morrigan said.
Damien leaned his head back on the door as his thoughts drifted off to Elena. Where had she come from? Why did she come?He pushed the thought aside and focused on the present. There were more pressing matters at hand and be needed to deal with those first.
"I need more blood," he said exhaustedly.
"There is a way though..." Morrigan suddenly said after a while of silence. Everyone’s eyes turned to look at her. What are the odds?
........
Xypherion stood in the royal infirmary waiting for his patient to arrive. Royal physician or Physician Xy as he is informally called was draped in a long black robe.
He stood by the bed, waiting patiently for his arrival. Damien arrived soon and went up to the room to meet him. When he entered, he met the king seated by the window and the physician by the bed.
Xy’s pale, calm eyes studied Damien the minute he walked in. The sun was just starting to come out, giving the room a warm vibe although this clashed sharply with the cold demeanor of the people within.
"Prince Damien," he addressed him. "Please, sit."
Damien eased himself onto the table with grace. Every inch of his body ached, but he kept his expression neutral. He wouldn’t give himself away in front of the king.
The physician moved closer, brushing his long against Damien’s arm. "You’ve been unwell, your highness," he said in a quiet tone."I’m going to need you to take your shirt off."
Damien said nothing and started unbuttoning his shirt. When he was done, he tossed it aside on a chair and turned to face the elderly vampire.
Xy pressed a cold hand against Damien’s chest, feeling the patterns on it. The physician’s eyes narrowed as he traced his hand through them. The king on the other hand, sat calmly, quietly watching their interactions.
Morrigan’s spell had better work.
The examination dragged on. He drew a vial of Damien’s blood from the chest area and held it up to the light. The liquid was dark, almost black. It was too obvious.
The physician turned to look at him with a straight face.
"Interesting," the physician murmured. "Very interesting."
Damien’s jaw clenched at his words, maintaining his calm. "What’s that supposed to mean?"
The physician set the vial down and turned to his desk, scribbling something on a piece of parchment.
He then reached into his bag and took out a small wood. He dropped it into the vial with Damien’s blood and placed on the table. Everyone’s eyes was on the vial. Even the king
"Your majesty," he said with a low bow.
"What’s the diagnosis Xypherion?" the king asked impatiently.
"His Highness’ blood was corrupted." he paused. "...but most of it has already worn off now. The pattern on his chest is the effect of the poison staying too long in his body without treatment."
The king stood attentive at the physician’s words.
"Is that so? That means the poison is still in his body." he said calmly, shifting his gaze to Damien who sat quietly on the bed.
"Yes, your majesty. I’ll prescribe his majesty some decoctions that will cleanse his blood completely."
The king nodded at the physician and without another word, he stepped out of the room leaving Damien alone with him.
Now alone, the physician turned to face him squarely.
"Your blood has already been corrupted right from a young age your majesty. I’m sure you are already aware of this."
"Mm."
"You must do the needful your highness before it’s too late." Xypherion continued looking serious. "My decoction will only help fade the patterns on your chest lightly but it won’t heal your blood. Be warned."
Before Damien could reply, a young apprentice rushed in and carried the bag on the table. He took the old physician by the hand and led him out of the room.
Darkness clouded his thoughts as he watched the old man leave. His mind darted back to when his younger self had just gotten corrupted.
Anger boiled within him and his eyes blazed red again at the memory.