"That's what I wanted to tell you." He leaned back on the sofa and crossed his legs. "Being Sedora's children, we always had this power in us but because we were never told about it, subconsciously it remained hidden. It never surfaced. I came to know about it when I wanted to save Dawn from all the torture Sedora had subjected to her in Ixoviya."

Caleb's interest was at its peak. He listened attentively to Daryn. It was only after an hour that Caleb caught his breath. He was shaken from the inside. His skin tingled and his heartbeat raced. In a disbelieving voice he said, "You mean to say that even I can do all that magic?"

​​

"Yes brother, you can. In fact I feel that we have a chance with Elize. If our magic can cure her, then why not take a chance?" he proposed.

Caleb was speechless. He stared at Daryn with deep emotions in his eyes. The hopes that had died down, now thrashed in his mind like waves that hit the shores. The mere thought of curing Elize was enthralling. When he found his voice, he said, "What do I have to do?"

"You have done a lot!" said Daryn and gulped down his wine. "First you have to tell her who you are. Second you have to come with me to visit the priest of Ixoviya who is waiting for us at Ensmoire. He has been helping me to hone my magic skills for a long time. And third… you have to come to Ixoviya with me because we have to crown you as the king of that place."

"What do you mean?" said Caleb. The last part stunned him absolutely. "Why would I become the king of Ixoviya? I thought you have already been crowned."

"No Caleb. You are Sedora and Gayle's eldest child, and so that makes you the heir of Ixoviya. Besides, don't even think that I will claim that title," said Daryn. He looked as if he had enough of that place.

Caleb was totally shocked. He didn't know what to say. He shook his head. "Daryn you do realize that Elize is hardly going to survive a month or two. Her brain tumor is growing and I can feel the pain she is going through. It is pure agony. How do you think that I will ascend to the throne only for a month? It would be ridiculous. You should be the king and not me. In fact I would like to spend whatever time I am left, with Elize."

"You have to take the chance Caleb!" Daryn coaxed him. "She is worth that shot!"

For a moment Caleb couldn't breathe. Here was a possibility that Elize could be saved, but— "What if the magic doesn't work? What if things go the wrong way?" He shuddered. "Whatever time I have with her is going to get cut short!"

Daryn licked his lips as his mouth went dry thinking of that scenario. He turned his gaze away from him. Anxiety surged through him at the wrong scenario and he got up to refill his glass. When he came back, he said, "How about we all go to Ixoviya and find out about it? I mean we must explore the options. I am sure that at least one sorcerer out there would come up with a solution. There is a lot of magic and these people knew spells inside out. Even I feel I can unravel any spell."

Caleb shook his head. He grasped his hair and then closed his eyes. The wine glass rested on the sofa near him. Confusion was at its epitome. "Elize would never agree to it. It took me so long to make her believe me to come to Bainsburgh. Can you imagine what she would do if I tell her about Ixoviya?"

Daryn didn't know what to say. So he remained quiet.

"Elize!" Suddenly a shriek tore the quietness of the house and the brothers realized that it came from Caleb's room. Chucking their drinks, they ran to his room and found Dawn standing on the side of her bed with her hands pressed to her mouth. Elize was looking pale and she was staring at the glass wall of the room towards the garden.

"What happened?" asked Caleb as he went to gather her in his arms. Seeing her stunned expressions, he pressed her to his chest and repeated, "Baby, talk to me." His heart sank when he found how shallow her breaths had become. He looked at Dawn and mouthed what happened. She shook her head mouthing I don't know. He caressed her hair gently until the girl looked up at his face with bewilderment. "Tell me you are fine darling," he said, feeling miserable. Perhaps he should take Daryn's offer. Seeing her like this killed a piece inside him.

"I s— saw a man t— turning into a w— wolf!" she said in a low voice as her lips trembled. "Have I started imagining things?" she asked, bringing a hand to his face.

Dawn, Daryn and Caleb, the three didn't have an answer to her question. Caleb opened his mouth and then closed it again as if like a fish. Dawn and Daryn gave him blank expressions. And Elize—her gaze darted from Caleb to Daryn to Dawn. The way they looked, she was sure that she was losing her mind. In a hoarse voice she added, "I think the symptoms are worsening."

Caleb pressed her head in his chest and cradled her. "No baby, they aren't," he assured her.

She thought that he was only giving her an assurance so that she didn't feel bad. She bit her lip.

Mentally, Daryn said, "Caleb this is the right time to reveal who you are. Think of what I told you in the study."

Caleb ignored his brother's request. Daryn and Dawn left the room saying that if he wants, they would be right there.

On their way out they met Cole who was standing with wide eyes and hands on his waist. "What the hell happened, man?"

"Nothing…" Daryn murmured.

Cole turned his attention to Dawn and said, "They have opened the bidding for Starfish Refineries. I saw an announcement on the government site."

"Oh!" Dawn said and she walked with Cole to his room. Daryn also followed them.

Inside Caleb's room, he cradled her and rocked her like a baby until she calmed down. Once he placed her gently back on the mattress and covered her with the blanket, he said, "Can you recount as to what you saw?"

She looked embarrassed. "Caleb I am sorry, but it was just my imagination." She took her forearm to her eyes to cover them.

He removed her forearm and asked very softly, "Tell me Elize, please."

She took a deep breath. "I was talking to Dawn. She was pouring me some coffee, which the servant had just brought. While sipping on it, I looked towards the garden and saw a gardener sheering those bushes out there." She pointed towards a small edge on the far end of the garden. "I was surprised that why was he doing that because the weather is such that it should start snowing any time." She paused to catch her breath. "But I realized that he was shaping the hedge in the form of a rabbit just like others he had done, and then suddenly he shifted into a wolf, jumped over the fence and ran towards the jungles!" Her eyes were wide as she spoke the last sentence.