Sitting up rather startled, Neo realised he was in a cold sweat, panicking as he looked around. He had almost crashed right into Daileth flying above him, who had been fluttering there in a matching frantic terror. Neo panted as he glanced around, shivering lightly. Quilliene was gone from his bed, and he was alone in the room with Daileth.
ㅤㅤ"Neo!" Daileth said. "My gods! Are you okay?!" He zipped up to him, biting his lip. "You were out cold and sweating so aggressively!"
ㅤㅤ"I..." Neo began, swallowing. "I..."
ㅤㅤA nauseous feeling began to slowly creep in. Covering his mouth, he stood and and shot into the bathroom, struggling to fumble the toilet lid up before throwing up a stream of black liquid that felt like burning blood. He felt something wet on his eye afterwards, touching the tear streak to find it leaking the same substance - again. He sighed heavily, then collapsed to sit leaned up against the wall next to the toilet.
ㅤㅤ"Fuck." He muttered.
ㅤㅤDaileth fluttered into the room, glancing back out. "You're getting worse. Please, you should relax, and-"
ㅤㅤ"I'm fine," Neo snapped. He didn't mean to sound so harsh, but the pixie had flinched.
ㅤㅤThen a second voice joined the fray. "It's alright, Daileth - you tried your best."
ㅤㅤChristopher soon appeared at the doorway, his hands stuffed into his pockets as he leaned his shoulder against the frame. His white dreadlocks were tied back into the loose bundles of a high bun, and although rare, he seemed to be adorning a change of more simple clothes. A long sleeved cotton blue shirt, and a pair of darker jeans.
ㅤㅤ"The grumpy cat is awake, it seems." He mused. "And by the looks of it..." He stopped, examining Neo top to bottom. "You look terrible." His tone had become much softer. "You need a doctor."
ㅤㅤNeo knew he was right, but he scoffed anyway. "And what will they do? Slap a linen bandage on me? Or maybe give me a time frame? Congratulations, we can't touch you, you're dying, and you have three weeks to live!" He didn't look at Christopher as he said the last part, running his fingers through his hair. "Yeah, how helpful."
ㅤㅤNeo saw Christopher's brow furrow out of the corner of his eye. "Our doctors and nurses, all demons, can treat almost any ailment known to man."
ㅤㅤ"This isn't an ailment that mankind usually has." Neo grumbled, closing his eyes.
ㅤㅤThe prince huffed. "Given how much of London views the practices of the divine, we have the luxury of even the most ancient magick rituals and ointments at our disposal," He continued. "But that all depends on how known your ailment is. Yes, you have something I haven't ever seen before, so I need to know more. Do you know what is happening to you?"
ㅤㅤ"Why would I know?!" Neo threw an arm up in exasperation, glaring at Christopher as he sat cross legged now. "Voices in my head, weird ladies in my dreams, and terrifying new powers. Not to mention I'm throwing up black blood! Does any of that
sound-?!"
ㅤㅤNeo stopped, noticing Daileth looking between them and biting his lip. He was zipping back and forth nervously, chewing on his tiny nails and mumbling to himself incoherently. Obviously, and Christopher seemed to notice too, he knew something. However, before either the bodyguard or the prince could ask about it, he whined in defeat.
ㅤㅤ"I can't take it anymore! I'm sorry, your majesty!" He spoke to the ceiling, as if to the gods, before zipping up in front of the bodyguard. "Neo! Friend, buddy, pal, we know what's wrong with you. We just... didn't say anything, because we knew it would bother you."
ㅤㅤHe didn't breathe throughout his whole explanation. "There's a devil, her name is Xylless, and she latched onto your soul when you came back to life! Her majesty knows the cure, but, but, but-" Daileth began to chew on his shirt collar frantically, a complete nervous wreck.
ㅤㅤ"Daileth," Christopher called to him, and the pixie whirled around. "Take a deep breath. Start from the beginning."
ㅤㅤThe little fae proceeded to do just that. He took a deep breath, and turning to Neo, he started a better explanation. "When me and her majesty went to see the Nameless a while ago, she asked about you. They said what me and Raemith told you - that a devil had placed its mark on you when you were born, and it was going to be hard to remove her. However, it wasn't... impossible."
ㅤㅤNeo's eyes lit up, finally understanding. "Well, that's great. What is it?"
ㅤㅤHe almost got too excited. His heart fluttered with hope. What would happen if he got rid of this curse for good? Would he be able to touch anything, without fear of destroying it? Would killing people with only a graze of his skin be an impossible task? Just thinking about it made him almost smile, but then he saw the expression on Daileth's face. He didn't look as pleased as Neo was.
ㅤㅤ"The cure..." Daileth murmured, then cleared his throat to speak louder with a confident yet fearful expression. "The cure is a very powerful spell. It's... It's a spell that requires a sacrifice."
ㅤㅤNeo's mouth hung open. "What?" He asked, then quickly went on. "I- No. No, I'm not going to kill someone to make sure I can live, why-"
ㅤㅤ"Well, it's possible." Christopher hummed. "A person already sentenced to death in prison. Could give them a sedative, then a peaceful way out of this realm. Their soul would go to the heavens, as all sacrifices do."
ㅤㅤDaileth swallowed hard, looking like he had a frog in his mouth. "It wouldn't just be anyone." He said softly, and the two looked at him again. He wiped his brow nervously. "When Quilliene's new mentor, Circe, came to the castle... she revealed something."
ㅤㅤThe pixie took a deep breath. "This is happening because Quilliene brought you back to life. You had a brush with death, with the hells, and were almost brought down. The bond is stronger now with Xylless, and... the only sacrifice that would be accepted... would be the one casting the spell."
ㅤㅤAs Daileth danced around saying her name, Christopher's eyes widened. "No." He said firmly. "No, definitely not. I will not let anyone hurt my sister ever again!"
ㅤㅤAs Christopher's voice grew into a shout, Neo shot to his feet. "You think I would accept that in the first place?!" He snapped, glaring at him. "Like I ever could! I would feel guilty for the rest of my life-"
ㅤㅤ"Oh, is that all you care about?" The prince growled, turning and stalking out of the bathroom.
ㅤㅤThe bodyguard opened his mouth to answer, only to flush the toilet and rush out after him. "No, that is not all I care about! Why do you think I would be so heartless?!"
ㅤㅤ"Because you are!" Christopher whirled around to face him at the door. "You care for no one but yourself, just as you have since I first met you!"
ㅤㅤ"How could you think that?" Neo hissed lowly, before raising his voice. "I've done so much for her! I've pulled her from a magickally induced coma, I guarded her every move, I saved her with my dying breath! What more do you want from me?"
ㅤㅤ"You would only do any of that for your own gain." The prince seethed. "You only thought of yourself for all of that! I don't believe you actually care."
ㅤㅤ"Of course I care!" He countered. "I've always cared! You think I don't care about her?"
ㅤㅤChristopher scowled. "Actions speak louder than words, Nathan - and I dare you to prove me wrong." Neo's mouth hung open for a moment, before the prince scoffed. "I thought so. She deserves someone better."
ㅤㅤ"Better?" Neo muttered.
ㅤㅤ"Oh, like I don't know!" He jeered. "Like I don't know the way you look at her, the way you smile at her, the way you talk to her! You think it's hard to notice, but we all know!"
ㅤㅤThe bodyguard stood silent for a moment before setting his jaw. "Then my actions are speaking louder than my words, it seems."
ㅤㅤChristophers eyes widened at the comeback, only to flare with anger once more. He groaned under his breath, turning and strutting purposefully out of the room - like he was busy and had something better to do than argue with him. As he exited into the hall, he slammed the door shut behind him, leaving Neo standing there before he fell back onto his bed with a huff.
ㅤㅤSo it wasn't as much of a secret as he thought.