Chapter 41. Losing

**41. Losing**
***Rafael's POV:***
I found myself at a loss. Desperation gripped me as I called her name and shook her, but there was no response. Panicking, I yelled over the mind link, "Bryan, get the fucking doctor!"
Soon I heard a knock on the door, which I quickly opened. "Please come inside." He was human, so I welcomed him.
He dashed over to Astrid, who was sleeping on the bed. He maintained a hand near her nose and checked her pulses.
"Mr. Delmar, I'm not sure how to explain it, but she appears to be still alive, even if we can't detect any breathing, and her pulse is still functioning, albeit faintly. We're not sure how much time we have with her." The doctor and his comments were as sharp as a sword.
"What the hell are you saying she can't leave me? Not after we've come this far; you're lying. Bring her back, or I'm going to kill you," I said.
He gave me a scared look. "Please try to understand, Mr. Delmar; I am simply telling what I understand."
I closed my eyes and attempted to regain control of my senses. I tried to channel all of my energies, and, with great difficulty, I looked him in the eyes and compelled him.
"Tell me what's wrong with her and how I can get her back," I asked.
He initially repeated the previous phrases, but something caught my attention. "This is something beyond my comprehension, not just for me, but for any finest professional out there; we haven't seen anything like that in our lives," he admitted.
"Get out!" I cried at him, and he took off running.
"What happened to Astrid, Rafael?" Eva dashed in and went straight to Astrid.
"Are you okay, Astrid? Why is she sleeping, bro? Rafael, tell me she is OK." She was desperate.
"I..." My voice cracked, and I burst into tears.
The last time I died was when my mother died. Like her, Astrid is also not responding to me. What if she leaves me too?
"I don't know Eva. Please tell me she'll be okay. I can't leave without her," I wailed. "Please bring her back," I begged, falling to my knees. When it comes to my Astrid, my mate, no matter how strong I am, I can't go without her. I am sure of it.
"Rafael, please calm down; I can't see you in this condition." I know seeing me breaks her strength as well, but this time I don't have the strength to hold her. I've always been her strength, but now my mate is my sole reason for existence, and the thought of her drifting away from me and our mate link fraying is beyond my grasp.
"I don't know how, but I have to get her back," I said as I wiped away my tears and rose up.
I'm not sure who I should go to; I don't know of any powerful witches, and their powers are total waste
The witches of my mother's day were the ones who genuinely possessed strengths, while these witches of today do have powers, but they are restricted and of little use.
Vincent is the most powerful of them all. I clenched my teeth, knowing that no matter what happenes I couldn't trust Vincent. I can't trust him; what if he does something wrong and takes my Astrid away from me?
I can put my ego aside and ask Vincent for help to get Astrid back. I can break any rules for her, but I can't trust him, especially when he was the one who took my mother away from me. Which brings me to the second choice, the oracle of "Legends Coven."
An oracle is similar to a king or queen of a witch's coven, and the second most powerful coven is "Legends."
"What are you going to do, Rafael?" Eva asked.
"Eva, please stay with Astrid and try to lower her body temperature; if she opens her eyes, please mindlink me." I ordered her.
"Do you want me to follow you, sir?" I didn't realize Bryan was waiting near the entrance; I knew he came with the doctor, but I was too preoccupied with my thoughts to notice him. His eyes were swollen as well.
"Bryan." I sniffed and wiped my face again.
"Please, sir, I want to come along," he begged.
"Okay, take my hand; we're about to teleport; don't be surprised," I said. I took his hand in mine and teleported us into the woods near the coven.
When the guards noticed us outside, they removed the veil and welcomed us inside.
"I want to meet Alice; tell her there's something urgent," I said, and he led us to Alice.
I simply described my situation to her.
"My king, let us not waste any more time." She bent her head. "I will do everything in my power to save your mate." She respected me a lot because of the one time I saved her when she was a kid, where I saved her and her brother before my father, who was about to kill them, and she always told me that she would repay me someday in life.
I teleported her into my room, where I saw Astrid laying lifeless on the bed, and Eva was diligently trying to check her pulses and regulate her body temperature with a damp cloth. Another doctor had already attended to her, attaching IVs to her skin.
Alice hurriedly approached Astrid, placed her palm on her forehead, and began reciting spells.
"Mom." When I heard Astrid's voice, I was surprised.  I started to think that she was returning because of the spells Alice was casting on her. But I knew she was murmuring those incomprehensible sentences because she was ill.
Only one person could provide me with the answers, and she was too busy chanting spells to take a breath.
"R-Raf-Rafa-el," Astrid called my name, and I moved to grasp her hand, but Alice stopped me with a hand signal. I allowed her to continue her task.
After what seemed like an eternity, Alice opened her eyes. Her pupils were dilated, and she was panting.
"I can't find her," Alice stated when she felt a little better.
"Huh? What do you mean?" I asked.
"She is somewhere lost. All I see is blackness, but I sensed a bigger power drawing her closer and closer to it, but I couldn't find her." She elaborated.
"A-Alice, what do you mean you can't find her?" I asked, concerned.
"I don't know; it looks like she's lost somewhere that neither I nor anybody else can reach, but when she mumbled those names, I could sense her responding and searching for help."
"How can a person be lost, and we have no idea where she is?" I exclaimed in frustration.
"Please do not beg before me; if it had been possible, I would have brought her back, but it appears that she cannot find her way back and that something is holding her hostage. All I can say is that someone from there needs to set her free."
"Alice, how can a person walk out into the world and we never know where she is?" I yanked at my hair, frustrated.
"I understand your highness, and that is the problem; we don't know how to get her back; all we can do is wait till she reacts and gives us a clue as to where she is. Maybe you can try talking to her and inspiring her; I'm not sure whether she can listen to us, but if she can, maybe I can get her back. "Alice elaborated.
We agreed that I would endeavor to get Astrid back, and she would notify me of anything she could point to.
The next three days were spent in futile attempts to bring Astrid back, but we had no answer other than her repeating my name just once. I was terrified to death. The pain in her voice when she called my name revealed how much pain my little dove is in.
Alice was also doing her best to track Astrid by gathering additional witches from her coven and harnessing their energy as well.
Every day, I would wake up with a new hope of seeing her again, but as the day passed, that hope faded.
Today was the fifth night, and nothing had happened. "Alice, you may take a break; if I see anything weird, I will inform you." Normally, she would have sent another witch to replace her, but I want to be alone with her right now.
She nodded and then left us alone.
"Astrid." I couldn't stop crying. One part of me isn't ready to accept that we're about to lose my mate, and the other part of me is sending me negative vibes. "We were more than fine just a few days ago; everything was turning out to be great; that day was beautiful; then why did you have to leave me, my little dove?" I would say the same lines every day, expecting she would hear and reply.
"Please come back, my little dove; I need you. You are all I have, and life without you means nothing to me. You are all I have, and life without you means nothing to me. I have survived this long only in the hope of finding you one day, but now I don't know what to do."
I had decided that if God forbid something happens to her, I will open the secret that can cause me death. I will give them the only dagger that could kill me, and I will give mate blood. I will also spill out the instructions that could kill me to someone who will be glad to take my life, and not to mention, there are many of them who will be happy to do so.
I was still sitting next to her, thinking about all of this, when I heard a loud beeping sound from the monitor. I became concerned when I noticed the lines on them shifting.
I called the doctor and Alice right away. "Please don't leave me, Little Dove." She was gasping for air, and I was tempted to cut off her oxygen flow, but it would only make her condition worse.
The physicians arrived and began their job, while Alice began chanting her charms.
"We're losing her," the doctors said quietly.
They tried a few things, but nothing worked. After approximately a half-hour of fretting, the straight lines appeared on the display.
"We're sorry, Mr. Delmar," the doctors said, shaking their heads.
Alice opened her eyes and gave me a sad look. "I'm sorry, your highness; I could see she tried to flee, but something got in the way and she couldn't. All I can say is that someone was performing magic on her, confining her, and causing this situation," Alice elaborated.
"You're all lying; she can't leave me; Astrid would never leave me." None of them can convince me that my Astrid is no more.
Eva wiped her tears and said "Rafael."
"No, Eva, they're lying; my Astrid won't leave me."
"Brother, she's gone; you have to let her go." Eva pulled me back.
"No! You're all lying about her." I dashed towards Astrid, shaking violently. "You can't leave me, Little Dove; they're all lying. Please open your eyes and show them that you are alright."
"Rafael, leave her; she's gone." Eva tried to pull me away from her, but I wouldn't allow her.
I embraced Astrid's lifeless body. "Astrid, please speak to me," but I know I won't hear back.
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