Hellbound Heart



Gav's gaze remained fixed on Elle, his expression seemingly detached despite her plea. It appeared as though he might reject her request. Doubt crept into Elle's mind, but she refused to let it deter her.

"I can help with that. But..." Gav's voice trailed off as he tilted his head, scrutinizing Elle's physical form. "I don't think you're strong enough to handle it. You might end up getting hurt."

Elle's lips pressed tightly together, her determination unyielding. "I still want to try," she insisted firmly. "It's unfair for you to judge me solely based on one glance."

A smirk tugged at the corner of Gav's lips, his response teasingly cryptic. "You think I'm merely judging you for your physique, little fae?"

Elle's bit the inside of her lip but then lifted her chin, refusing to back down. "Teach me how to do it, and we will see," she asserted. "I can't dismiss the possibility of doing it without even giving it a try."

Gav looked resigned, recognizing Elle's stubbornness. "You're quite the stubborn one," he commented. "But before I teach you, you need to convince that man of yours," he said, referring to Seb. "I don't want to waste my time teaching you only to have him come at me for risking your safety."

Elle's eyes lit up with relief. "That won't be a problem!" she exclaimed confidently. "Don't worry about Seb. He will definitely let me do it."

Gav raised an eyebrow skeptically. "I'm not entirely convinced about that, given the temperament he's shown me so far," he replied. "And even if you're right..." He paused, his gaze shifting towards Alicia's window. "I don't think Zeke will stall. His woman is in real danger, and time is of the essence."

Everyone's eyes widened, and the atmosphere suddenly grew heavy. Until Elle spoke again. "Can't you at least temporarily heal her?" she asked Gav. "You healed my wounds with your magic. That only means that... you have healing powers. I believe you can do something to give Alicia some strength for a while."

A hushed silence filled the room as Elle's question hung in the air, gripping the hearts of those present. The weight of the situation settled upon their shoulders, leaving them yearning for a glimmer of hope.

After pausing for a moment, Gav's piercing gaze shifted between Elle and Alicia's window. The look in his eyes betrayed a complex mixture of emotions, difficult to decipher.

Elle couldn't quite explain why, but she just knew that there was something more to Gav than met the eye. When he had healed her, she had felt a surge of power emanating from him, a presence that held an unmistakable touch of magic and healing. With his extraordinary abilities, she couldn't shake the strong belief that he held the key to helping Alicia.

"You're right," Gav finally admitted, his voice carrying a hint of resignation. "I did heal your wounds with my magic. But Zeke's woman's situation is far from simple. My healing powers are limited, as I am a dark fae. Light faes, on the other hand, possess the ability to heal more effectively."

The group's hope began to wane, their expectations dampened by Gav's explanation. But his gaze fixed on Elle, his eyes searching her face intently. "However," he continued, his tone shifting, "I believe there might be something you can do for her. It's the light fae blood within you that holds potential."

Elle stood there, wide-eyed and speechless, as the weight of Gav's words settled upon her. The disbelief in her voice was palpable as she slowly pointed at herself. "Me...? I can... I can do that?" she stammered, her voice tinged with astonishment.

Gav responded in his usual flat tone, his expression unreadable. "Why so surprised? You do know you have fae blood in you, don't you?" His words held a hint of impatience, as if he expected her to be aware of her own heritage.

"I…" Elle was at a loss for words. Before she could gather her thoughts, Alex interjected, providing some context to the situation.

"She barely had any idea because even we recently discovered her true nature," Alex explained. "She grew up believing she was nothing more than human. And, as I mentioned earlier, in this world, superhumans or magical beings are considered nothing more than myths."

Abi chimed in, adding her own perspective. "Elle only discovered her magical abilities recently as well. For a long time, we wondered what she truly was."

Gav's interest seemed piqued by Abi's words. "Are you saying that even you couldn't discern her true nature?" he asked Alex, eyes a little narrowed.

"Faes no longer exist in this world," Alex replied, causing Gav's eyes to widen subtly. "They are believed to be the first race to have gone extinct. As far as we know, Elle is the only one known to carry their blood."

Gav fell quiet for a while before leaning his head back and staring up at the sky. "This world of yours truly is a strange place. To think that the supposedly most powerful race is the first to be erased from existence," he mused. He smirked, but there was something mysterious in that smile.

His gaze then shifted back to Elle, his scrutiny intensifying. "I must admit, I'm impressed to learn that you are not even a halfling but rather possess only a part of fae within you," he commented.

With a decisive motion, Gav pushed himself off the pillar and stood upright. "Well, I'll go inform Zeke about this discovery, while you go to your man and explain what you're about to do," he declared, his actions swift and resolute.

Before Elle could respond, Gav leaped towards the window. Turning her gaze towards Abi and Alex, Elle locked eyes with them, a silent exchange conveying their shared understanding before exchanging nods with them.

With a determined stride, Elle set her sights on the task that lay before her. She retraced her steps, making her way back into the house she had left a while ago.