Raquel jumped to her feet, leaning quickly against the wall because there was no possible way she could last on those two feet without falling.
Was she being stubborn right now?
Anger raged inside of Kestra.
She had no time for this. In fact, she had no time for this unnecessary bargaining or any sort of bargaining right now.
If only the soul didn't have to laid down willing or with an exchange that importantly had consent to it, then she would have just taken it by now.
"Collin says we have to wait." She was panting, huffing. Her hands were shaky as she rested on the wall. "If we rush. We fall. It bad. Very." She had decided to speak little words that would convey what she had to say, to conserve her strength.
Lady Kestra frowned.
Was her brain now getting affected too?
Kestra remembered that there was once a time she used to be fond of her, a time when she had much enthusiam and she had at least an extent of life to her.
Kestra remembered that back then, positive Raquel had done everything she was done, just as she had been instructed without a single complait or resistence.
That was why she had kept around.
A lot of things had changed since then.
Now, positive Raquel was just empty and withering away like a flower suffering from major lack of nutrient, like a result of a defective spell.
"You are dying."
"Collin said I am getting better."
"Collin didn't tell you yet, I see." She took in a deep breath for emphasis, her own heart twisting in pain and worry for a completely different reason. "Raquel, you are dying. The only reason you are still alive is because the herbs are working but your body is in a state that soon even the herbs will not be able to help you again." She balled her fists against the sheets of the bed.
This place was suffocating and disgusting with a sickly smell.
If not for what she needed she wouldn't be here.
Being so close to the bed was starting to disgust her and she wanted to detach herself from the place as much as she could and as soon as possible.
"...and you will die."
Tears did not well up in her eyes like she had expected, although there was silence for longer than she had been comfortable with.
"What exactly in wrong with me?"
"Depression." Kestra shrugged.
That was half-truth, in fact, a major truth, if the contribution of the herbs was not put in consideration.
"You will not make it to the Red Moon, to see your daughter. I know you are waiting. Although, Collin is hoping that you will and he is keeping this a secret from you, thinking that will do your health some good. Positivity, he had said."
Her heart clenched and she felt her hand slip from the wall, then with a light thud, she slid to the floor, but the pain that seeped into her body due to the sudden contact against the ground, yet her body did not hurt as much as her heart.
The news of her certain death wasn't what was getting to her right now.
To be honest, she had suspected that she would soon die but she had hoped that she would survive long enough till the Red Moon, so to know that she might not make it to Red Moon to see her daughter as they had been promised, torn her to shreds.
Did that mean that till she would close her eyes in death, she would never be able to see her again, never be able to feel the softness of her wavy hair, nor the warmth of her thigh embrace.
The last time she heard her laugh would indeed be the last time.
Was that really it?
A grimace crossed Lady Kestra's face but she was too engrossed in her thoughts to notice that.
All that ran through her mind were memories of the time she and her daughter had spent together and how short they were.
No one could have known that time would come to such abrupt end.
It wasn't enough.
Nothing could ever be enough.
"It breaks my heart that I am the one to tell you this but I can't keep on looking at you and watch it happen even when I know I can do something to make your wish come true before then."
Raquel's dead eyes brightened with a little light.
"You can bring my daughter back?" She asked, her voice filled with hope.
"No. But I can let you see her."
"And she will be real?"
"Yes."
Why wasn't she agreeing already?
Her offer was already tempting enough!
So much time had already been wasted.
"What will you take in return from me?"
Kestra bit her lips.
She needed to tell the truth.
The trade must be a willing one. It could be twisted but when direct questions were asked like that, their answers must contain a good amount of truth.
"Your soul."
"I will live after this?"
"Do you really want to see your daughter before you die? You can never be too sure you know, tonight might be the only time you have. Right now might be the only time you have."
"Will this hurt Colin."
Kestra bit back a grimace.
Now she remembered one of the reasons she grew sick of them.
Their love.
It was annoying to see them love each other so much when she had no love for herself. When the person she loved turned a blind eye to her own feelings and took it to be something else.
Their unwavering love disgusted her.
The fact that one loved and got loved in return, their presence an evidence of it, made her infuriated.
Kestra nodded.
"No. He will be fine."
He was in fact not fine. She had ensured that he wouldn't be, not until she was done here. Colin was smarter and he would never agree to something like this.
He would talk sense into Raquel and she would refuse.
"Do whatever it must. Please let me see my daughter."
The answer she had really wanted to hear.
Finally.
It was time for an exvahege.
"Close your eyes." She took her hand in hers and Raquel obeyed without hesitation. " This will be as blissful, as possible."