Chapter 434 - Can The Moon Disappear?
Music Recommendation: Leaks and Lawsuits by Tim Wyn
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The entire time Madeline looked after Beth, but instead of her condition getting better, it only got worse. At first, it was only Beth's right leg that had turned to look like a werewolf's leg, but after a while both her legs had turned like the feet of the werewolf's leaving her sister's body from above her thighs to be human.
Beth had stopped speaking as she was in shock.
"Beth?" Madeline called her sister and Beth shifted her eyes from the walls to look at her, "Do you want to leave this place?" she offered, and even Raphael who was in the room looked startled at this suggestion.
Beth shook her head, "It won't stop my body from changing into a beast. I will be like those animals who kill the villagers in the woods. I had never expected or imagined for something like this to happen...to turn to a hideous creature." Her eyes moved to look at her legs that were not covered with the blanket anymore.
Lucy took her relative out of the room while ensuring he would not utter a word to anybody on what was happening to Elizabeth. Beth's room was away from the rest of the guest rooms which made it easier to keep the guests away from walking in the corridor where Beth's room was located. Even if one word went out of the castle and fell into the wrong ears, not only Beth would fall into trouble, but also Calhoun.
When Helena had inquired about Beth's health, during the time when the ambush had taken place in the village of Cossington, Calhoun had told her that it was a mere scratch and nothing more than that. Because giving more details would only have Beth being put in the local cage before she would be shot, when the High House would find out that Beth was turning to a werewolf.
Madeline, who sat next to Beth, squeezed her hand. "We are waiting for Calhoun's aunt's men to come back with the antidote. The message was sent yesterday, and we should get the answer soon."
"What about mama and papa? Don't tell them anything," pleaded Beth. It was currently only a few people who knew about her condition, but the truth couldn't be hidden for long.
Madeline nodded her head, "I received a letter from them saying they reached the place."
Madeline didn't want her parents to be caught in the possible crossfire, by inviting them back to the castle. Situation in the castle was already turning tense, and no one knew what this day or night that was approaching was going to bring them. She then moved closer to Beth's furry legs and placed her hand on it.
"Can you try changing back, Beth?" questioned Madeline. It wasn't unheard of people returning to their human self after turning to werewolves. She had seen James turn back. Beth should be able to do it too, thought Madeline to herself.
"I don't know how to do it," replied Beth. It wasn't that she hadn't tried by praying for her legs to return to normal, but she couldn't do it.
"Miladies," came Raphael's voice who was in the same room as them, "If you allow me, I would like to help." Beth, who had been avoiding the man all this time in the castle now looked at him, desperate for help. It didn't matter to Beth how he looked and what he wore.
"Do you know how to turn a werewolf's body to a human again, Mr. Sparrow?" asked Madeline.
Raphael who was standing near the wall started to walk towards the bed. "I have met a handful of werewolves in the past, milady. I have seen them transform back and forth, and have heard how it is done." He then looked at Beth, bowing his head, "Let me see if I can help you."
Beth stared at the man before giving him a nod, "Okay."
Raphael nodded his head, and then he turned to Madeline, "Milady, I might need some time alone with Lady Elizabaeth. Please," he persuaded, and Madeline couldn't help but wonder what he was going to do.
"I will be right outside," Madeline assured Beth, and she stepped out of the room.
Several minutes passed by, and Madeline paced back and forth in the corridor when she heard a loud growl coming from the room. Her eyes widened, and she quickly reached for the door, stepping inside to see Beth didn't look like herself anymore.
"What did you do?!" questioned Madeline on seeing Beth, who now stood on the bed with her werewolf feet and her face that had morphed similar to how James' face was.
"I think right now she's too emotional," shouted Raphael who was on the other side of the room.
Beth had transformed into a werewolf, but her body had not turned big like the other werewolves as her body was still changing. Her hands were still human-like. She growled at them, snarling in anger, and it was strange to see a werewolf wearing a dress.
"You were supposed to bring her feet back to normal," said Madeline worried, and something she told upset Beth as her sister turned to look at her before jumping down on the ground from the bed. To Madeline, this was indeed a nightmare. Since Beth was her sister, Calhoun had not locked Beth in the dungeon, but Madeline wasn't sure if it was safe anymore to keep her sister in here. Because if Beth was going to turn to a werewolf with no return, it was only wise to lock her up to avoid any deaths.
Raphael, who had raised both his hands earlier trying to calm the werewolf down, now dropped his hands. "It is how it works. She needs to transform into the beast so that she can return. I don't think anything I am telling right now is reaching her."
Madeline didn't know if instead of helping her sister things had turned worse. More growls erupted from Beth's throat and the fear of what was happening finally dawned on her.
"Beth, can you hear me?" Madeline spoke only to receive a snarl, and the werewolf opened its mouth to show its large teeth.
"What did you speak to her about?!" she questioned Raphael. There must have been some conversation that triggered Beth to turn to a werewolf. It was not even ten minutes since she had left both of them alone in the room.
"I was speaking to her about some of the things she committed in the past. I thought confrontation would be a good way to start with, but before I could pull out everything, she had already started to transform," answered Raphael. "Lady Elizabeth?" he called her, but Beth seemed to have her eyes on Madeline. Her feet made a loud thumping sound on the ground, cornering Madeline.
"What did you say?" asked Madeline, her eyebrows knitting together in worry. She wanted to calm Beth down before anyone would come to notice what she had turned to. When her eyes shifted to look at Raphael who stood behind, the demon held a reluctant look on his face. "Please."