Chapter 84

Upon hearing Diona's loud scream, Alexander and Heather rushed to her room, but they found it vacant. In the hopes of locating her, they ran downstairs, but she was nowhere to be seen. When they finally venture outside the home, they find her lying there, trembling terribly.
"Diona!” Heather exclaimed in worry and sprinted in her direction.
Juan supported her from behind, embracing the top half of her body. With one arm wrapped around her abdomen and the other resting on her face, he attempted to stop her from shaking.
“Heather, what is happening to her?” Juan asked in a panic.
He had never witnessed something like this in his entire life. Diona's present state was making him overly concerned. She had been shaking violently, her whole body drenched in sweat. He could feel the moisture against his flesh.
Heather touched her face anxiously, then recoiled in agony.
"She's on fire. Her entire body is ablaze."
Juan, however, had a different thing to say about the temperature of Diona's body, “Heather, she is completely cold. I can feel her body temperature dropping. How in the world can she be suffering from fever when I can feel her skin?”
Besides Alexander and Heather were Mabel and Arkin as well, equally perplexed by the disparity of words.
“It can either be hot or cold. How is it that both of you can feel entirely different things?" Alexander voiced out his words aloud.
“I am wondering the same. We ought to assist her inside first," said Arkin. He was also concerned about Diona's current state.
Juan nodded and tried to pick her up, but it was impossible. “I am unable to pick her up. Her weight has suddenly increased."
"Juan. Could you please elaborate on what transpired?" Heather asked. Her voice was full of apprehension.
"I am not certain. We decided to take a stroll. Then, one moment, we were having a conversation, and the next moment, she was lying on the floor, shaking reverently. I do not know what happened to her suddenly.”
“It is a dark spell. We cannot do anything but wait for her to settle on her own.” Mabel spoke. Years of expertise convinced her that Diona had been unwell to her surroundings due to a powerful spell cast on her.
Juan was, however, appalled at the thought of doing nothing. “No. We cannot sit idle and let her body take control. Look at her, Mabel. Diona is suffering. We ought to do something.” Juan then turned to Heather for support. "Heather, do something. Help her, please."
Feeling helpless, Heather was still in a trance due to Diona's situation. She was aware that Juan was not wrong, and they could not let her be. "I will try."
She took a deep breath and touched Diona's forehead. The burn was too much for her to bear, but she tried to keep herself still. But after a few seconds, she snatched her hand back reflectively, perspiring profusely, unable to hold it any longer than she already had. Her hand shook and was layered with redness.
Alexander was right next to her, holding Heather's hand. He attempted to touch it, but Heather pulled her hand back once more since his contact hurt her burned region.
Juan said, "Heather, your hand," with concern.
“Mother is right. It is a dark spell. Unlike I have ever seen before.”
Feeling helpless like the rest of the family, Juan embraced Diona, trying to stop her shaking with his physic. However, there was no improvement. He had tears in his eyes at Diona's pain.
No one knew how long they stayed down there. Diona steadily settled into his arms with every minute that went by, but Heather's skin did not heal as quickly as it should have.
Juan scooped her up after noticing that she was precisely her weight. Alexander and other Gonzale family members also stood up with him. But then Heather felt lightheaded.
Alexander exclaimed, "Heather," and grabbed her for support. “Are you alright?”
Just as she was about to speak, a familiar voice spoke from behind, “What do the two of you think you are doing?”
Alexander and Juan were surprised to see their folks walking towards them angrily when they turned around. They did not expect them to find them soon. They were currently in Boonsdock, and with the reputation this realm had, they did not imagine their folks stepping into this place. But here they were with a furious expression on their faces.
“Not now, mother. We need to help Diona to bed. I do not have time for your petty issues.” Juan spoke.
They were all taken aback by his tone. Especially Alexander, who has never once seen his brother treat anyone—let alone their parents—with an air of power. He has to admit that he likes it and is proud of his younger brother.
“Juan, dare you talk back to me?" Contessa glared at his son. “And put Alexander’s bride down. It is an offence to your brother.”
“Diona is my bride and not his, mother. Alexander has his bride right in his arms. Now, I request that you not make a scene here and compel me to do the unthinkable. As you can see, Diona is not faring well, and I do not have time to cope with the two of you."
“What happened to her?” It was Malka who spoke. They did not realize her presence with their parents when they saw them.
Juan and Alexander looked at each other in silent agreement about not disclosing anything. It might be cruel of them to assume the possibility of their family members being involved in hurting the Gonzales family, and rightly so after how they have treated Heather. It was unfortunate that, at present, they were unable to trust Malka as well. She was their little sister, but she was also powerful, and if power is misused, it is an inevitable birth of disaster.
They gave each other a subtle nod and turned to look at Malka.
It was Alexander, who decided to speak, “As Juan already mentioned, Diona is not faring well, so he is taking her to bed.”
“Oh my!” Malka exclaimed with a small, concerned frown on her face. Juan felt Diona quiver a little in his arms as she approached him. In contrast, Heather began to experience a searing sensation in her palms next to him, causing her to cry out in agony, which Alexander heard and saw.
In a split second, Malka was standing in front of Juan, beyond the comprehension of everyone present.
"She does not look good.” She said this as she placed her hand on Diona's cheeks.