Give it time

Enrique began to feed Ellie, and she eagerly accepted the food without complaint, chewing and swallowing like that would be the last meal she would have on earth.

The door opened again and Mary returned with a glass of water and a large empty basin. She knelt beside Enrique, dropping the items she brought with her on the floor, and collected the antidote from him.

Emptying the contents of the small bottle into the glass of water, she sent a glance at the devil who put the girl in that situation.

He stood with his back against the wall, watching with an irritated expression what they were doing.

The fury in his eyes was directed toward Ellie, making Mary wonder what the girl did to get on his nerves.

Life and slight relief finally returned to Ellie's body as she ate. She recognized Mary, but the person feeding her, she didn't recognize. She couldn't see Asaph as Enrique's body blocked him from her view.

When the food finished, she panicked and set her eyes on the empty plate as if staring hard at it would automatically make food appear inside.

The slight relief she felt just now was fast fading because her body was demanding more food.

"Here. Drink this." Mary offered the glass of water, the content of which had changed from the natural, colorless liquid, to a lime green color.

Ellie accepted the drink, gulping it down until she emptied the glass. She returned the glass to Mary and went back to staring at the empty plate.

After a while, she shifted her gaze to Enrique, giving him a pleading look.

"Can I get more food, please?"

"You will in a minute." He responded simply, his eyes fixed on her face.

Ellie nodded, trying to keep her restlessness and stomach trouble in check until the food arrives.

But a minute later, instead of getting an extra meal, Ellie's system turned upside down. Her face contorted as the entire content of her stomach rushed toward her mouth.

"Do it here." Mary brought the empty bowl closer, just in time, because the very next second, Ellie threw up everything she just ingested.

When she was done, she struggled to keep her eyes open, but in the end, she gave in to the peaceful darkness that was pulling her in with so much force.

"Any spare room in the servant's quarters?" Enrique queried, and Mary shook her head.

"None, except the second store. But there is an extra bed in my room. She can stay there for now."

"Alright. Let's go."

Mary grabbed the glass and the basin, and headed out of the cell, while Enrique picked Ellie up from the ground, carrying her, princess style.

He paused to give Asaph a disgusted look before heading out with Ellie in his arms.

As soon as they left, Asaph hit the back of his head against the metal wall with so much force, the sound was heard outside.

"I told you, didn't I?" A voice echoed in the room, and he turned to his side to find Elfin standing there. He stood so relaxed and was surveying his black, elongated nails as if he just applied a new and extremely exciting polish to them.

"Yes, you did and I'm so mad. What has come over him?" Asaph pushed his body away from the wall, turning to face Elfin.

"He isn't over her yet. She brought back memories and she will cause many more havoc if nothing is done. Everything we've ever worked for, everything we've achieved will be brought to waste if she isn't eliminated." Elfin fired Asaph up and the latter felt his world crumbling already. He could see it happening just as Elfin was describing.

Last night, after the lab incident, Elfin appeared to him and demanded to know the outcome of the experiment.

He narrated everything that happened to him, and that was when Elfin told him not to waste any time in eradicating the girl because she had used a powerful spell on Storm, which was why he was dancing to her tunes.

He almost didn't want to believe it, but now, he had no doubt Elfin was right.

"Your master will soon become unrecognizable, and he would begin to do things you never expect. You've seen with your very own eyes how she's getting a different treatment already for no reason at all. Imagine all your hard work from day one going to waste. Such a rare scientist like you should be recognized and given a top rank at the helm of affairs of this city and beyond." Elfin stopped admiring his nails and dropped his hand, crossing the two hands behind his back.

"But how can that be if you have no work to show? How can that be if one little girl is allowed to destroy everything we've worked hard for? Tell me, Asaph, how can that be if your master loses sight of what's important? Of his goals? Of our collective goal?" Elfin continued to fire the guy up, enjoying the sight of his growing rage.

"No. I can't let that happen." Asaph spoke out with his nose flaring in anger as he began to pace about the cell.

A satisfied smirk curled on Elfin's lips as he watched the heightening desperation evident in Asaph's action.

"I can't let it happen, but what can I do? He has already taken her from me." Asaph paused, then turned to face Elfin. "What should I do?"

"Asaph, you are a renowned scientist. One of a kind. I believe the solution will come to you. Just give it time. However, I must warn you to be careful. If your master finds out, you won't live to get your due glory."

"That's true. I must think and act fast."

"That's right. Go now. Go put that smart head of yours to use."

Asaph walked out of the cell without a second hesitation, his mind already working to find a solution to his present problem.

As soon as he left, a full-blown grin appeared on Elfin's face, which quickly switched into an evil chuckle.