Marked By Lies: A Reverse Harem Series (The Marked Series Book 1) by Paige Orr (the red fox clan TXT) 📗

time a faint glow comes from her palms, surrounding Melissa’s body, and Annika closes her eyes in concentration. With her eyes staying closed, she tilts her head towards Zaphyr, eyebrow furrowing.

“I can only keep her steady while we wait on Isabella turning up if she fucking turns up.”

We all wait, with the sound of the clock hanging on the wall seeming to make the minutes drag on longer. Already I can see a light sheen of sweat starting on Annika’s forehead from the strain of making sure that Melissa doesn’t get any worse. How did everything go so fucking wrong, so fucking quickly?

Only this morning did Melissa fully agree to help us with this, and now her very life hangs in the balance. This is why we should have never involved someone from outside our small group. How if she doesn’t make it, there’s no one else to blame apart from us.

Feeling guiltier than I have in years, and seeing just how much Annika is struggling, I slowly approach her and kneel beside her. I may not be able to do much to help, but as a Fae of the Spring Court and a Druid at that, I have an affinity for healing. Annika’s eyes snap open, staring me down with a stony expression.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, pretty boy.”

“Well, I'm a druid and I thought two sets of hands would be better than one. I can't heal her, but I can help you keep her stable and stop the poison spreading any further through her bloodstream.”

She looks at me warily, trying to figure out if I’m being serious before coming to a decision. With trepidation still on her face, she gives me a sharp nod and I call on my magic. Heat bursts from my core and I guide it up and through my arms, waiting for the telltale green glow to surround them. As soon as I have enough energy gathered, I aim it at Melissa’s chest, letting the warmth of my healing spread through her.

The combination of both of our healing seems to do the trick, as Melissa’s labored breathing slowly evens out. I don’t know how long both of us kneel there, putting everything we have into keeping Melissa alive, but it must be awhile as we are both startled when the doorbell rings. Annika’s magic cuts out as she rushes to her feet and heads for the door, causing me to push even more magic through myself to the woman lying in front of me. I hear her greeting Isabella, but I refuse to let myself become distracted right now.

I know that I’m using too much energy, but being Fae it will be easier to recuperate than the Witches would. I can feel that it’s putting more strain on me as the sounds around me become muffled, and I close my eyes, refusing to let the connection go until I know that the high priestess is ready to perform her ritual.

I get lost in my mind, slowly swaying with the sounds of the earth calling for me as I continue to push everything I have into healing Melissa. I don’t want to admit it to the others and worry them more than they already are, but with all the healing I’ve done through the years, this one is by far the hardest.

Not only am I using more of my energy than I have in a long time, but I’m also trying to keep an eye on her breathing and her heartbeat. Any other time this would be as easy as keeping a conversation with someone, but then I’ve never had to fight against poisoning this strong. My ears begin to buzz as the swaying grows more intense, and it’s not until I’m being pried away from Melissa that I realize how long I’ve been lost to the magic.

As everything slowly comes into sharper focus, I finally register the chanting coming from the sharply dressed woman crouched by Melissa. Finally, having the time to take in Isabella, I take in her sleek curly brown hair that’s wrapped elegantly at the back of her head with not a wisp out of place. Matched with the commanding pantsuit and her sharp features, she projects a not to be fucked with attitude.

I know that I’m only trying to distract myself from the ritual in front of me with my perusal of her, but I’d much rather that then watch the clock continue to tick as the very life I was keeping contained inside Melissa could be leaving her body. I exchange a look with Cail, Morpheus, and Zaphyr, and I find the same emotions in them that I feel myself. The hope that Melissa will pull through, and the fear that she won’t.

Unable to do anything to help make things go any easier, we settle in ready to wait however long the ritual will take. Even if the ritual works, it might not be enough. All we can do now is wait.

Chapter Fifteen

Melissa

I sneak through the back door, holding my shoes in my hands, trying not to make a single sound. I know by now that mum should be fast asleep, but that doesn't stop the spike of adrenaline at the thought of being caught. Tonight was my boyfriend Jaspers birthday, and somehow I’d managed to sneak out of the house earlier to go round to his to celebrate.

Mum had been very vocal about her dislike of Jasper. But I refuse to listen. She was always the same about the people that only I can see, even though none of them had ever done anything bad to me, so why should I listen to her now. I wouldn’t have even needed to sneak out if she would just listen to me sometimes.

Over the years she’s become more and more strict with me, telling