Help! He's Dying

Indrik's Pov

In between using my medicine, eating breakfast, taking a walk out to the garden and making small talk with Luna, night arrived sooner than I expected. Through all these, I noticed that something was bothering Luna. She would suddenly stop and stare at empty air till I called her attention or stop mid-speech and frown, her brows furrowing on deep thought. Despite myself, I couldn't help worrying about her but my attempts to make her tell me what was wrong with her all ended up falling through.

With night descending and her helping me to my room, I found that she was starting to shed her worried skin which for whatever reason made me feel a little relieved.

"I will go get your food now." She informed once I was in my room and left before I could protest. Usually, I was supposed to eat with the rest in the palace dinning hall but due to the state of my health, I was excused till I got better.

While she was away, I thought about what we had discussed earlier.

"If you managed to unlock your wolf, what is the first thing you would do?" She had asked out of the blue while she was sewing a tear in my robe.

I had been focused on two birds that were performing a kind of serenade when I had heard her question. I had paused and stared at her, wondering where the question was coming from. She had met my gaze without flinching, bidding me to answer her question. Looking away, I had wondered about what she might be hitting at. Hadn't she said she wasn't going to train me? Could it be that she had changed her mind? Was this a test of sorts? If so, what was the right answer? So many questions had popped up in my mind that I temporarily forgot she had asked a question until she cleared her throat.

"I asked a question, master." She reminded softly.

I had inhaled deeply before making an attempt. "Honestly, I haven't really given it much thought. All my life, I have known everyone to have a wolf except me so, it always seemed natural for me to want to unlock my wolf. I know he is down here somewhere, nudging me to free him, guiding everything I do, including finding you." I paused but she merely nodded, urging me to continue, "to answer your question. The first thing I would do is to celebrate becoming a full wolf." I smiled, the thought making me fuzzy as I reached for a flower patch beside me and plucked a bud which I started to unfurl. "The next thing I would do would be to train and become strong enough to stand up for the weak, the same way my friends have been standing up for me all my life. After that, I don't know what else. I guess I would just have to let it play out.

I had stared at her trying to figure out if I had passed the test or not. I got no positive or negative feedback as she returned to her work.

The door opened, snapping me out of my thoughts. Luckily, the rule from the doctor that I not eat anything apart from fruits had long since expired because I could not imagine not having a taste of the sweet smelling food that Luna brought in. My tummy rumbled making me stare at it in surprise because it had not given me any indication of it being empty, till now that is. "Traitor!" I groaned.

No sooner had Luna set up the food than I started to dig into it. I had been going at it for a while before remembering that I wasn't the only one in here.

"You haven't eaten, have you? Come join me." I offered but she shook her head.

"You should eat. You are going to need every bit of it."

I frowned, wondering what she was talking about. She had been speaking in puzzles all day which was really starting to get to me. "What do you mean?"

"Just eat!" She snapped, backing away from me. "I will be back."

She didn't need to say that because my belly would not allow me do otherwise. I dipped in the plate for another scoop of the pottage when I came up empty. I was surprised to find that I had finished eating so quickly.

Luna came in soon after, bearing my medicine. She picked out a bottle which I didn't recognize and stretched it forward. I reached out to collect it but she didn't let go. "Do you trust me?" She asked, her eyes glowing in the light of the torch.

Her questions were starting to bother me but I replied nonetheless, "sure! I wouldn't keep you around if I didn't."

She scoffed. "Funny, considering that you don't know me that well."

I shrugged, "I know that you are my master."

She scoffed again but released the bottle nonetheless. "Drink it then. Every single drop."

I opened the vial and the smell almost made me throw up.

"Go on!"

I shut my eyes as I downed it in one gulp. I grunted in pain as the liquid seemed to burn my throat.

"What would you be willing to sacrifice to unlock your wolf?" Her voice seemed to be coming from somewhere above me and not before me.

I blinked, the world seeming to be spinning before me. "Anything!" I muttered, my head swaying.

"Including your life?"

"Including my life." My voice sounded faint and weak.

"Good! Because I just played a game with your life. I hope you survive because it would really suck to not see you fulfill your promises. Till we meet again, go to sleep." She pushed me slightly and I crumbled to the bed, my body feeling like it was being squeezed by a thousand huge hands. As I drifted out of consciousness, I could hear my master screaming.

"Help! He is dying! Help!!!"

Then, all went black.