"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!" The blood began to pool as she fell to her knees beside Penny, "someone help! Please help!" She shrieked and clamped her hands together atop the wound.

"Oh my god," Quentin stood above them, eyes wide and looking like he might faint.

"Quentin, go get help! I'll stop the bleeding," he hesitated, unable to look away from Penny's bloodied form, "go, now!" Her screaming seemed to break his trance, and he took off, stumbling and screaming at the top of his lungs for help. Lilly turned back, her pale hands drenched in crimson, the blood flowed like a fountain. Penny's body writhed in the leaves that blanketed the ground, adding another shade of red to the vibrant fall colors. She glanced restlessly towards the tree line where Mike had disappeared, worried he might come back to finish them off. It wouldn't matter if Penny bled out. "Penny, Penny," his eyes took a moment to find her, unfocused, as if searching through a cloud of fog. "Listen to me, I'm gonna stop the bleeding, but I need you to relax. Stop moving, it's only making it worse. Focus on my voice, okay? Stay with me, focus on me, Pen."

He gave no sign of recognition, but his movements grew less erratic, and he managed to rest his head on the ground. Penny's breathing was getting shorter and harsher the longer he lay there. She had to act fast, or she'd lose him. He'd shoved her out of the way of Mike's attack, putting himself in danger instead of her. She refused to let him die saving her life.

She'd come across a spell a few weeks ago with Dani. A healing spell, an advanced healing spell. It was a big risk to perform a spell above her skill level, but she wasn't thinking of the risk, only the young man fading before her eyes. He was bleeding out too fast for Quentin to get help, and he would surely die without medical intervention. She shakily wiped the stray hairs from her eyes with the back of her hand, leaving a streak of blood behind. She prayed she could recall the words correctly because right now, she was the only thing standing between Penny and his demise.

"Shifa' hdha aljrh ywqf hdha al'alam. shifa' hdha aljrh ywqf hdha al'alam." Lilly's hands shook violently as she performed what she could only hope was the correct hand movements. Her breathing was shallow and sharp, but she wouldn't stop-- couldn't stop. Her hands worked diligently, forming complex patterns above the wound. Penny grunted, his back arching unnaturally off the ground, his body responding instinctually to the magic wrapping itself around the wound. Lilly struggled to continue the spell despite his movements.

"Hold on, just hold on, it's almost over, focus on my voice," her words were thick with tears of sheer terror and anxiety. They poured down her face, mixing with the pool of blood she now knelt in. She was unsure of whether the words were for his benefit or hers. Power washed over her in waves, only adding to her instability. She felt nauseous, the sheer power something she'd never experienced before in her time as a Magician. It was unbelievable. Despite the physical discomfort, something inside her wanted more-- more power. The spell was becoming increasingly arduous to perform, and she could feel the tendrils of magic slipping from her grasp. She tried frantically to rein it in, to focus it on Penny's wound, but she was losing her grip. It was beginning to overpower her.

The bleeding began to slow, but Penny's skin was ghostly pale. His eyes drooped in exhaustion, and she could tell he was trying desperately to keep his focus on her. There was still no sign of Quentin. She had to stop the bleeding completely, Penny couldn't afford to lose any more blood. The fear of what would happen if she let him die was worse than what would happen to her if she continued with the spell. Lilly muttered the incantation over and over again, not even faltering when the wave of fire-filled her veins, or when the dizziness became so overpowering that she couldn't make out her surroundings. It felt like a century had passed by the time she heard panicked voices coming towards them. Her body slumped across Penny's seconds before they reached her. It was only then that she allowed the darkness to swallow her whole.

➺➺➺➺

The pain was the first thing to register when Lilly finally came to. Her head felt as if someone was hitting it repeatedly with a jackhammer. Every muscle in her body ached as though each limb had been stretched past its limit. Afternoon sunlight filtered through the clear glass walls of the Brakebills infirmary. Most of the beds were empty, save for a few on the other end of the room. A small, blonde, healing student with a clipboard stood with her back to Lilly. She appeared to be cataloging a shelf of brightly colored potions.

"Excuse me?" Lilly croaked, her voice raw and hoarse. The effort to speak made the massive headache increase in force. The student jumped in surprise, turning to see who'd spoken.

"You're awake!" She scurried over to her bedside, "do you need anything? Water, painkillers, is it too bright in here for you? I can close the curtains if you--"

"I'm fine, some water might be nice though."

"Of course," she nodded, turning to pour a pitcher of water into a paper cup. "I'll go grab someone to fill you in on everything that happened. If you need anything, my name's Erin." It wasn't until Erin mentioned the events of last night that she even remembered how she'd gotten there.

"Wait!" She called, but Erin had already disappeared. The other patients gave her strange looks, but Lilly was too troubled to notice. Where was Penny? Did her spell work? Was he dead? He wasn't in any of the beds, and Erin hadn't mentioned him. Wouldn't she have said something if he was alive? She was beginning to feel like she might be sick. Lilly heard the hurried clicks of her heels before she saw her wild-eyed mentor. "Oh, my dear girl! Are you alright? He didn't get any of your blood, did he?"

"Is Penny--"

"He's alive," Eliza paused, obviously withholding information. "He's still in the ICU. The knife that he was stabbed with seems to have been cursed. If it weren't for you though, he'd already be dead. Your spell saved his life."

"Can you help him?" Lilly was beyond relieved that he was still alive, but if they couldn't stop this curse, then all her efforts would be in vain.

"We're trying, but without the knife, we can't do much." The elder Magician sat down at the edge of her bed, looking at her student affectionately, "you're very lucky, you know. That was a third-year spell you performed. If you were completely human, you would've Niffined out on us. Now, how are you feeling?" The fact that she could've become a Niffin wasn't much of a surprise. She'd felt it during that spell. The magic had started to slip from her grasp and turn on her. The Shifter part of her must've been more resilient than she thought.

"I'm fine, Eliza, just exhausted," Lilly answered. "How long have I been out? What happened to Mike?"

"About..." Eliza glanced at her watch, "eighteen hours and Mr. McCormick has been apprehended, no need to worry," Lilly's eyes went wide. She'd been asleep all that time? Where were the rest of her friends? Were they worried? She wondered how Eliot was holding up. His boyfriend just tried to murder two of his best friends... and Penny.

"What did you mean, 'did he get my blood'?" Lilly questioned, returning to the first question. She'd been too concerned about Penny to pay it any mind.

"Blood is a powerful weapon, dear, and yours is more valuable than any other. Many would kill for a chance to get their hands on you."

"Do you think it was The Beast?"

"It's a possibility, but we have yet to determine Mr. McCormick's motives. I don't want you jumping to any conclusions before we know for sure," Eliza rested a hand on Lilly's with a reassuring squeeze, her other reached up to brush Lilly's hair back in a motherly gesture. "I can't tell you how glad I am that you're alright," Lilly smiled in return, leaning into the comforting touch.

"Eliza?" Lilly watched the woman gingerly, trying to gauge if it was a good idea to ask her the following question, "how do you know so much about The Beast?" Eliza sighed deeply, a haunted look in her eyes.

"I was wondering when you were going to ask me that."

"Please? I need answers."

"I suppose you'll find out someday," she smiled sorrowfully, "The Beast wasn't always a beast. He was once a man, a man I spent a great deal of time with in my life."

"You knew him?" Lilly's shock was clear as day.

"Yes, very well. He was not the monster he is today. I tried to stop him from going down the path he did, but in the end, that just made him go further away from me."

"Who is he? Eliza, you have to tell us what you know," Lilly pleaded, sitting up further in excitement.

"That's all I wish to say on the matter," her tone was decidedly final, "you're going to need a few days of bed rest before returning to classes. You drained your energy almost entirely, so no spell casting for at least a week," Eliza deflected, assuming an heir of almost parental authority. It didn't seem like too much to ask, but the number of violent attacks that she'd been through since starting school at Brakebills, made her question her safety without magic.

"Can I see him? Penny, I mean," Her mentor stopped to think for a moment.

"You need to rest, but I suppose a quick visit would be alright. Though I must warn you, dear, it's not looking very good." Lilly wasted no time in swinging her legs over the side of the bed and standing up. She was quickly taken over by an intense dizzy spell, forcing her to sit back down. "Maybe in a couple of hours," Lilly didn't argue with her, instead she climbed back into bed and rested her head back onto the pillows. "I must speak with Dean Fogg. Get some rest, I'll be back to check on you later," Eliza planted a tender kiss on Lilly's forehead before she left.

About an hour later, Lilly felt like she could stand without her legs turning to jelly. She refused Erin's help in getting to Penny's room. Instead, she took the directions and gradually found her way to the west wing of the Brakebills infirmary that housed their tiny ICU. The walls and doors were all glass, but she still felt the need to knock when she saw him.

"Hey," she spoke softly, but he looked up immediately. Her eyes were drawn to his stomach, where what seemed to be vines had ripped through his skin before burrowing back inside. She'd luckily been warned of the situation before visiting, otherwise, she might've recoiled, "how're you feeling?"

"Like I just got stabbed and vines are growing out of my stomach," Lilly padded across the tile floor, self consciously pulling at the end of her cotton hospital gown.

"Fair enough," she gestured to the side of his bed, "do you mind?"

"Sit where you want, Barbie, I don't care," he groaned, gripping the bed sheets as a grouping of the vines shifted, burrowing deeper into his skin. It took a concentrated effort for Lilly to restrain her gag reflex. She tried to keep her eyes off his stomach as she sat beside him.

"Good, cause standing is against doctor's orders right now," there was a pregnant pause where they simply observed each other. Lilly played with the edge of her gown, thinking of something to break the silence between them. A few Healing students and doctors rushed around them, performing tests and checking numbers to figure out what exactly this curse was.

"I'm sorry," she blurted, Penny's forehead creased in confusion. "I mean, Mike, he -- he was coming at me with that knife before you got in the way, and I just- if I weren't with you, you wouldn't be dying right now."

"You know, Barbie, usually I would jump at any opportunity to make you feel like shit, but this wasn't your fault. That asshole was coming at you with a knife, and it would've happened whether I was there or not. At least this way we're both alive," Lilly looked down, she could've mentioned that he had a curse that was very likely to still kill him, but she bit her tongue.

"I know we don't always get along, and I'm probably the last person you want around you, but I'm here," Lilly reached out, gently resting her hand in his. He didn't pull away at the contact as she'd expected, instead, he closed his eyes briefly, pressing his head back into the pillows with a wince.

"Believe it or not, you aren't the last person... thank you," it was shocking to hear those words come out of his mouth. "You risked your life for mine when you did that spell, again. I'd be dead without you."

"Yeah, you would," Lilly joked with a light chuckle.

"I owe you."

"No, you don't, it's just what friends do," his eyebrows raised slightly at her choice of words.

"Friends?"

"Yeah, that's what we are, right? Friends?" Penny hesitated at this, debating his next words.

"Yeah, Lilly, we're friends," a triumphant smile graced her lips, "but if you tell anyone we held hands, I'll kill you myself."

"I would expect nothing less," She smiled genuinely, "you know, I think that's the first time you called me by my actual name."

"Don't get used to it," a few minutes later, Quentin and Alice barged through the doors, a strange doll in Quentin's hand. The moment he saw her, Quentin engulfed her in a hug.

"Thank god, you're alright. Dani, Alex, and Thomas will be so relieved," he told her, "They're in the waiting room, Dani almost murdered Professor Lipson when she told them to let you rest."

"That sounds about right. What's with the doll?"

"Oh!" Quentin exclaimed, having forgotten about the makeshift voodoo doll in his hand. "You remember in Fillory book four when Jane was attacked by the Lorian assassin?" Lilly nodded, "and the Lorian stabbed Jane with the Virgo Blade?"

"You think this is the same curse?" Lilly made the connection almost instantaneously, knowing the books like the back of her hand. Quentin nodded and Alice rushed around to collect the tools they'd need to perform the spell. "You're going to burn the doll-like Honeyclaw did?" Quentin nodded once again, presenting the doll to Alice, who was ready to perform the spell.

"Is that a turban?" Penny blurted indignantly, Quentin looked between Penny and his not-so look-alike doll.

"No, it's your hair," everyone looked at the twisted piece of fabric that Quentin used for his hair. Lilly did see the resemblance to a turban, "sewing isn't really my thing."

"How is a voodoo doll supposed to help me?"

"Uh, so, in the books, Jane carried this doll with her everywhere she goes and it looks just like her," Quentin explained to him and the healers gathered around them.

"And so they realize that the curse of the Virgo Blade would accept the doll as a substitute," Lilly completed and Penny looked at them both like they were insane.

"So, we burn a doll?" Alice performed the spell expertly, as she did with everything. They watched as it was engulfed in flames. Everyone waited expectantly for something to happen- nothing did, "okay, what else does your dumb book say?" Quentin left soon after to uncover another solution, leaving Lilly and Alice with Penny. One of the Healing students thankfully brought in a comfortable chair for Lilly to curl up in. They waited in silence, trying to stay out of the way of the healers when they needed to perform a test. Penny groaned whenever the vines would grow, clenching his teeth. Lilly talked shortly with Alex, Thomas, and Dani, just long enough to show them she was alright and see that they'd truly fixed their friendship. But she had the feeling she was needed in the room with Penny.

"How are you doing over there?" She asked, glancing over to his stiffened form on the cot. Alice looked up from the book she was reading to see his response, "still alive?" It took a moment to realize that he wasn't going to respond. Lilly stood, alarmed, from her chair to check on him, and Alice followed suit.

"Penny? Penny!" An ice-cold wave of horror washed over her as she saw his wide open and staring eyes, "help! We need help!" Professor Lipson rushed over along with a few of her students to answer her call. Lilly never had the bad habit of biting her nails, but this was a special circumstance as she sat beside an immobilized Penny. She couldn't seem to tear her eyes from his frozen, unseeing ones. Alice sat across from her with a matching anxious expression. Lilly only managed to look away at the arrival of Quentin, out of breath and holding a few crumpled papers in his hand.

"I found a way to break the curse! I just need- Penny? Penny! Hey, asshole, I need to know your most precious possession!"

"He's been out of it for like, twenty minutes," Alice explained.

"Then it's too late," it was another half hour of nail-biting before Quentin and Alice returned from their desperate search of Penny's room with only a chocolate wrapper to show for it, but this wasn't just any chocolate wrapper. This was the chocolate bar that Lilly had seen Kady give Penny at Brakebills South. A spark of hope ignited in her chest as she watched Alice light the paper on fire. Lilly sent silent prayers, waiting in anticipation for something, anything, to happen. To the relief of the entire room, the vines gradually began to disintegrate, and his wounds heal themselves. They let out a collective sigh of relief. They'd survived yet another brush with death, and it most likely wouldn't be their last.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Don't forget to vote and comment to let me know what you think! How do you guys feel about Penny admitting that he's friends with Lilly? They're making progress people! Love you all!

- Vi