"Star?" I mumbled, weakly.

My eyes felt heavy as I struggled to force them open. Where was I? I tried to stand, losing my balance and falling to the ground instantly. In confusion, I looked down to find my hands chained to one another. My ankles were also bound by chains. Cocking my head, I looked around to find nothing around me. I was in a small room, with no doors or windows. There was nothing around me but steel walls. I looked down to my hands in confusion. Why was I chained? Who put me here? I stared into the darkness, my sharpened vision of no help. There was no exit in sight. I tried to pull my hands apart but it was no use. I was too weak, weaker than I ever had been. Even when I was drugged up in bed, I hadn't felt this weak. All my energy was drained from my body and I had no magic left to channel. It was a hard enough battle trying to wake up. I collapsed on my back, laying my head back exhausted as I felt myself fading. My eyes shut, no longer able to stay open.

Zion POV

I tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. I looked around to find all the boys in my section fast asleep, snoring. I couldn't take it any longer. I had to see her.

I sat up, throwing on a pair of sweats and a jacket before darting out of the Wing. I narrowed my vision, pinpointing her location in the Infirmary before racing there as fast as I could. I burst through the doors to find a shooken nurse behind the desk, looking at me.

"You can't visit at this hour. Please return tomor-"

"I'm not going anywhere." I could hear her heartbeat quickening in fear and caught a whiff of her scent as I neared the table. Human. I cocked my eyes in interest causing her to gulp loudly in terror. I'd never encountered a human here before.

"I don't want any trouble. Just tell me what room I'm looking for. Saron Gerbin."

She looked around uneasily, not willing to break the rules.

"Have it your way," I said, snatching the list of patients from in front of her, scanning the page quickly and not finding Saron on the list. Scowling, I focused on my vision, but was unable to determine her exact room location.

"Look, I don't want to hurt you but I need to know where Saron is," I said calmly, smiling at her warmly to convince her.

"I don't know anyone by that name I promi-"

"I believe you," I said, nodding at her.

She let out a sigh of relief before I quickly jumped over the desk until I was directly before her.

"Tell me anything you know about a young girl with ginger hair that was brought here earlier today."

Her eyes dilated as she stared into my eyes blankly before responding.

"A man was carrying her. He was with the Headmaster. They were headed towards the Central room."

"Thank you. Forget this happened and go back to work," I stated, waiting for her eyes to dilate before disappearing off.

I followed the signs deeper and deeper into the hospital in search for the room until I finally found a door with a large frame and no number engraved on the door. Curious, I turned to knob to find it locked. Scowling, I looked around searching another door but this was the only one. Cursing, I awakened my wolf tapping into it's power to break off the door knob easily before throwing the door open.

A nurse swirled around to look at me, a syringe in hand prepared to inject Saron's outstretched hand.

"What are you doin-" She started to ask before I rushed forward, knocking the syringe out of her hand as I growled at her, my fangs still in sight. She bent over quickly, snatching it up before the purple liquid escaped.

She reached behind her for a large red button that was located on the side of the hospital bed before I grabbed her wrist.

"You don't want to do that," I warned.

"Who are you?" She demanded, her eyes turning a dark blue as she stared into my eyes in confusion. I shuddered as I felt her attempting to read my mind. She was a seer. I hardened the walls in my mind in attempt to keep her out, but she already had caught a glimpse.

She gasped as she visibly relaxed before nodding in understanding.

"Her mate."

I nodded before asking, "Who are you?"

"Jearsi."

"What were you going to inject her with?" I demanded.

"She's fading. She needs energy or we'll lose her. This is a Erasu, a potion meant to revive the dead. She's not dead but nothing else has worked and she's dying so I'm trying this."

"She's not dead?" I exclaimed, my eyes lighting up at her words.

"No, but I don't know how much longer she can last in there," she admitted before giving me a sad smile.

"Why won't she wake up?"

"She's lost in her own mind. I can't even see her myself. Something is blocking my vision. Feel this."

She grabbed my hand, placing it on Saron's arm, which was freezing cold to the touch causing me to shiver.

"That means she's still dying. Once her body becomes warm, it'll become impossible for her to return. She'll be lost in her mind forever."

"We have to save her. There has to be something we can do to get her out."

Shaking her head, she placed an arm on my hand before saying, "We have tried everything. It's up to her now."

Frowning, I stepped around her, drawing near to Saron. I stroked her cheek tenderly as I bent down, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. It broke my heart to see her lay there, eyes closed and lifeless. I tugged the blanket closer to her body as I noticed her hairs sticking up from the cold.

"She's not cold. The goosebumps are a good sign. That's her body trying to keep her alive."

I turned back to see her still standing there watching me, sadly.

"Can I try to enter her mind?" I asked, pleading her with my eyes. She nodded, grabbing my hand before placing her other on Saron's forehead.

I felt myself being whisked away into an empty space. I turned to find Jearsi beside me, looking blankly ahead.

"As you can see, there's nothing here. We can't find any trace of her."

I walked through, hearing nothing but our loud footsteps clanking behind us. I reached inside myself, tapping into my wolf as I changed. Once I was in my wolf form, I motioned to Jearsi, sinking to my knees as she climbed atop my back. I ran as fast as I could through the darkness, her holding tightly to my fur. There was nothing in sight as I raced through the blackness. After a couple minutes of running, I saw something in the distance. I howled, drawing attention to it as I ran towards it.

I stopped in front of it, sinking to my knees as Jearsi jumped off my back. It was a huge, steel box. I looked to Jearsi as she circled the box, confusion written all over her face.

"This wasn't here before," she admitted, confused.

I entreated my wolf to leave as I changed back into my human form quickly, standing up once the change was complete. I walked over, placing a hand on the strong structure. It was solid, almost impenetrable. As I knocked my fists against it, no sound was made.

"What is this?" I asked, turning to Jearsi for an answer.

She stepped towards it, closing her eyes as she pressed her palms against the steel. She narrowed her eyebrows as she focused, trying to see what it was. After a few minutes, she backed away giving up.

"I can't see anything. She must be inside."

I cocked my arm back, punching the steel foundation as hard as I could. My fist bounced right off without leaving a scratch.

"STOP!" Jearsi screeched, rushing over to stop me.

"We have to bring it down to wake her up."

"NO! If we bring it down, we might destroy her with it. It's best to leave it as it is. We don't know what the consequences are of destroying something inside of her mind."

I stepped back immediately at her words.

"We should go," she said, grabbing my hand.

I felt Jearsi drop my hand, opening my eyes to find myself back in the room.

"Thank you," I said, nodding at her.

"You need to leave before the Headmaster returns," she said sternly, motioning her head towards the door.

"I'm not leaving."

"You can't be here at this hour."

"The Headmaster will understand," I replied before heading over to a nearby seat and making myself comfortable.

Sighing, she walked towards Saron, quickly injecting her with the syringe before walking out.

I glanced over at Saron, walking over until I was beside her bed. I grabbed her ice cold hand with my left hand, covering it with my other. I could feel all the emotions inside of me that I fought so hard to keep down rushing up, threatening to surface. I couldn't imagine life without her. The life I had full of pain, regret, and anguish seemed so distant when I was with her. I forgot every worry and every care when I looked into her stunning, brown eyes. I felt the world fade away when she was in my arms.

"Saron, why do you have to be so stubborn?" I asked her, pushing a stray curl out of her face. I was foolish to think one little spell could keep her away from her father. She had spent her life alone and finally found him. Nothing I said was going to keep her from him. She was too clever for my liking. Regret filled me up as I entertained what ifs in my head.

"Zion," the Headmaster's voice rang out as she shot me a warm smile, not the least bit surprised to see me.

Jearsi followed her tail, avoiding my gaze. No doubt, she hadn't told the Headmaster about our little trip.

"Well?" she asked, turning to Jearsi for an update.

Clearing her throat, Jearsi explained, "She's alive but barely. She's trapped within her own mind. When we entered her mind, we found a boxed structure which might be where she is. I gave her a syringe of Erasu to give her more time."

Nodding, the Headmaster asked, "And you didn't try to Efresect?"

"Nobody has tried that in decades Headmaster," Jearsi replied, her face visibly whitening.

Narrowing my eyes, I asked, "Efresect?"

"It's an extreme measure to bring someone out of their own mind," the Headmaster replied vaguely. I opened my mouth to ask her to explain but she held up a hand to stop me.

"How much time does her body have?" she asked, turning to Jearsi.

"Five days."

"If her body starts to warm before she wakes, perform the Efresect."

"But Headmas-"

"I have spoken," she declared, glaring at Jearsi until she nodded in agreement.

"As for you, go get some sleep before class. Saron is fine for now."

Before I could respond, she waved her hands, causing the door to swing open as she walked quickly out. The door closed on itself behind her, leaving me and Jearsi alone in the room.

"You should go," Jearsi whispered, worry in her eyes.

"Not before you tell me about Efresect."

Walking over to the door, she peeked out of it before closing the door behind her and walking towards me.

"It's a dangerous spell that uses dark magic. It could kill not only the host but the user of the spell as well. With the spell, you can hop into anyone's mind and break any boundary to communicate with the person. An advanced witch is required to do the spell. In the wrong hands, it could be dangerous."

"NO! You're not doing any spell that could possibly kill Saron," I said, shaking my head furiously whilst clenching my fists.

"LOWER YOUR VOICE!" she whispered, looking back at the door.

"If her body becomes warm in five days, she'll be dead anyway. At least it'll give her a final chance to survive," she said bluntly, forcing a smile before walking over to the door and holding it open for me to leave.