Gabriella’s POV
The next morning, I woke up to find my daughter sleeping beside me, her body burning with an intensity that alarmed me. Panic surged through me as I realized something was terribly wrong. She was shivering uncontrollably. “Estella,” I called her name urgently. She responded weakly, her voice barely audible, “Mom, I am so tired.”
“Estella, you’re going to be fine, I promise. Just stay with me,” I reassured her, desperately trying various spells to alleviate her condition. But nothing seemed to work. The helplessness I felt was overwhelming. Why couldn’t I ease my own daughter’s suffering?
Nicklaus entered the room holding breakfast, but my distress was evident. I implored him, tears streaming down my face, “She is running a high temperature, something is happening to her. Please, do something.” He placed the breakfast down abruptly and rushed to the bed, his concern matching mine. Observing Estella’s condition, he calmly instructed, “Go to Margaret now. I’ll take care of her.”
I was torn. Leaving my daughter in this state was terrifying, but I trusted Nick to watch over her. “Are you sure? I’m so scared to leave her alone like this,” I confessed, my voice trembling.
“Nothing will happen to our daughter. Go to Margaret; she must know something that can help. I’ll do everything I can to calm her down,” he reassured me, his tenderness providing a semblance of comfort. I kissed him, seeking strength in his presence, before heading off to find Margaret.
I was directed to a dimly lit room where I found Margaret surrounded by illuminated symbols. She was deeply engrossed in her work. “Good morning,” I greeted her, but she responded with hand signs, indicating that she was focused and didn’t want to be disturbed. I waited patiently, watching her perform rituals and incantations that were unfamiliar to me. In the process, I managed to observe and memorize some of the spells, although I had no idea of their true meanings.
As her concentration shifted, her eyes returned to normal, and she looked fatigued. “Margaret, are you alright?” I asked with concern.
“Yes, I’m fine. I detected a malevolent star with a dark aura last night, which is causing concern among our clan,” she explained.
My worries were tied to what happened last night the appearance of the dark entity possessing my daughter. “Is that why you’re here, seeking a solution?” I inquired.
“No, I came to verify the presence of the malevolent star with the dark aura. It appears my suspicions were correct. There’s a looming problem, but we mustn’t dwell on that for now. You look troubled. What happened? You’re here earlier than usual,” she noted, noticing my distress.
Her mention of the malevolent star and its connection to last night heightened my apprehension. “What does this malevolent star with a dark aura signify?” I asked anxiously.
“It signifies that Dedusa has returned.”
Dread settled heavily in my chest. Dedusa, the name Margaret mentioned, evoked memories of her past explanations. I hoped against hope that my daughter wasn’t the host chosen by Dedusa.
“What will you do?” I inquired further.
“I’m uncertain, but let’s set aside concerns about Dedusa for now. We witches will work to address it. Tell me, why are you here?” she queried.
“My daughter is experiencing something strange. None of my spells were effective. She was even stronger than before, causing me to bleed and hurting Nick,” I confided, hoping Margaret could offer insight.
“You should have told me about this earlier, considering how important it is. Let’s get going,” Margaret urged, and we walked together to Estella’s room. I sensed the shared concern in both Nicklaus’s and my expressions. Before Margaret began her work, Nicklaus spoke with a warning tone, “Do everything possible to save my daughter, and I just hope none of your witches has a hand in this, this time.”
“Gabby, tell him to wait outside,” Margaret instructed me, knowing his apprehension towards their kind due to past events. He issued another warning before reluctantly leaving the room, “I will let blood flow in your home if anything should happen to my daughter.” I reassured him with a touch on his shoulder, then he exited, visibly anxious.
“Tell me, what is happening to my daughter? Will she be alright?” I implored Margaret as she settled close to Estella. She placed Estella on her own body, then began an intricate series of gestures, pointing fingers to her own head and then to Estella, all while chanting enchantments. I watched, perplexed by the unfamiliar ritual.
Estella began to sweat profusely as Margaret continued her spellwork. Concerned, I asked, “Are you okay, Mom?” She abruptly stopped her actions and stood up, expressing shock and regret. “No way, this can’t be. How did I end up being so careless to let this happen? I failed in my duty to protect your daughter,” she lamented, her regret evident.
“I don’t understand. Can you explain more clearly? What’s happening to my child? Can you fix it? Don’t just give me that look-talk to me, Margaret,” I demanded, my emotions flaring as fear gripped me. The situation was becoming increasingly dire, and I needed answers to understand what was afflicting my daughter.
“It’s Dedusa,” Margaret finally uttered, revealing the dreadful truth. The name I had come to dread now held significance in my daughter’s predicament. The realization hit me like a physical blow-Dedusa, the sinister witch, was now possessing my daughter. My heart sank, and I was left speechless. The room seemed to grow still, heavy with the weight of the revelation.
Margaret left abruptly, promising, “I will think of a way to solve this, I promise. I won’t let Dedusa have her way.” Her exit left an atmosphere of uncertainty hanging in the air. As Nicklaus entered the room, I was already in tears, consumed by thoughts of the dire situation. Would I lose my precious daughter? Could I bear losing the one person who had given me hope, who didn’t care about my status as an omega? Did this mean I had failed?