Chapter Twenty-Four - The Unknown Secret

Chapter Twenty-Four – The Unknown Secret

“Ow!” Saeron yelled through the pain as I put medicine on his wound. It took me awhile to bandage him up, blood was everywhere. But when I finished his bleeding had declined tremendously. I was both happy and relieved his wound wouldn't be fatal.
I couldn't say the same for Jurah, however. I knew his wound would be difficult to overcome. In fact, I think everyone knew what would happen to him in the end. The way everyone acted in his room that night showed a clear sign that Jurah might not be with us for much longer.
A small tear somehow managed to squeeze out.
“Dante, please don't cry.” Saeron comforted me when he saw the tear that hung on my cheek. “I'm sure everything will be alright.”
“No, Saeron.” I retorted slowly. “You know as well as I do.” I paused to hold back the tears that were forcing their way through. “Jurah's not going to be around for much longer.”
It was strange. Even though I had barely known Jurah and disliked him for the things he did to me while Saeron was gone, I still cared about him and my heart ached knowing that'd I'd lose someone I “loved” in a sense. It wasn't fair that now, when I was starting to get used to him, that he was going to lose his life.
The next morning I awoke wondering if Jurah was still alive. I was so afraid of the truth that I stayed in bed till that afternoon, only getting out when Saeron came for me.
“It's not good for you to stay in bed this long.” Saeron said when he found me still in my pajamas, staring out the window.
“I know, but I don't want to face reality today.” I said, more to myself then to Saeron. I could tell by the look on his face that he was confused by my response. “I'm afraid of what happened over the night. I don't want to wake up to find out someone I care about is gone. I just want things to be better.”
“Dante, if your talking about Jurah then he's fine.” Saeron told me bluntly.
“Are you sure?” I wanted to believe him, but a part of me didn't want to go through the day in denial.
“Yes. Would you like to see for yourself?” Saeron asked as he lead me to the door. I obviously didn't have a choice in the matter, so I followed him out the door and down the hall to Jurah's room.
When I opened the door my adrenaline immediately went up. I was both worried and anxious to see him. What if Saeron wasn't telling the truth? What if I found him dead? I swallowed hard and continued through the doorway, trying my hardest to ignore the feelings I felt at that time.
When I saw him it was almost like a dream. I wasn't sure if he was real or not. He turned his head and smiled warmly at me. That's when I noticed his face had become fairly pale and his gold eyes dulled. Even the form of his face seemed thinner and fragile. When I sat on his bed I was afraid to touch him for fear that he'd shatter under the weight of my finger tips.
“I'm glad you came to see me, Dante.” Jurah placed a cold hand on mine. I could feel it already, the warmed of life seeping ever so slowly from him. “I was thinking about you all night.”
“You were?” I asked, knowing that normally in that situation I would have scolded him for such thoughts. “That's sweet of you.”
“I was thinking about how happy I would have made you if I had won.” He said confidently with a grin. I smiled and looked into his dull eyes which had brightened sufficiently.
“I sure you would have.” I said as softly as I could so that it was loud enough for Jurah to hear, but soft enough that Saeron couldn't catch what I was saying.
“I hope he takes care of you while I'm gone.” My smiled was now gone. In fact, I had to look to look away when he said this because tears were starting to force their way out. “Dante, please look at me. I only have so long to look at your pretty face.”
That's when I lost control. I fell to his chest and the tears flowed mercilessly.
“I don't want you to die, Jurah!” I cried into his surprisingly warm chest. It was the only thing left of him that continued to stay warm.
“I know.” He pulled me closer, stroking my hair. “But its a necessary evil. It was bound to happen some time. I'm just glad I found someone I loved before I died.”
I held on tight to him. I didn't want to let go. I didn't want him to cease to exist from my life.
“I see now, after all you did, saving me and fighting for me, that you really did love me.” I told him softly, once again trying to hide the words from Saeron. “It's funny, but after all this, I realized now that I do love you.”
I looked up to find Jurah smiling with content. “I think I figured out what that Silvani was saying so many centuries ago. I thought that when she said our people would become apart of this world that we would become human once again, but I believe that our kind wont become human but instead will multiply greatly and live among the humans without worry. After all, you have fallen in love with nobility and none of us have stayed human. Even now I can still feel the weight of my tiger form pressing down on me.”
“I'm glad I was able to finally love you and break the curse.” I said with a smile.
After we were done speaking Saeron went to Jurah to say a few words. I listened in intently.
“I'm sorry about what I did to you.” Saeron sounded concerned. “If I'd of known how much this would have upset her or that it come to this I would have never gone so far.”
“It's alright. I pushed you to far. I'm willing to accept the consequences for what I made happen.”
“It still wasn't right of me. It's just, I love Dante so much. I'd do anything for her, and I'd hate to ever lose her to anyone.” Saeron's voice was barely audible.
“I know. But it's all for the best.”
“What do you mean?” Saeron sounded confused.
“What I mean to say is, you truly are royalty. You deserved to win the crown. And she really does love you. You deserved to win her.” Jurah was smiling. Did he actually believe the words that were coming out of his mouth? I had never heard him talk like that before. “It is, after all, the key to undoing this curse placed on us a millennium ago. In a sense at least.”
“What do you mean in a sense?”
“If you can't tell, the tiger form we hide is still bearing down on us. We may not be totally out of the woods yet, but I think this “curse” has it's advantages. In my opinion were another breed of human. Were the elite, the ones who will dominate this world. I know that seems like a vast sense of thinking, but if my thoughts are correct our kind will multiply immensely and will be all but the extinct species. Our kind will come into the world and if you don't mind me saying I think there might be something bigger going on here.”
“Go on.”
“I think the Silvani created our kind not only to punish us, but in hopes that we we'll accomplish some task. Something that she knew would be threatening our world.”
“What gave you that idea?”
“When you and Dante hid in the forest and we were fighting off the Temple Keeper's Silvani he said something that made us think back on our curse and realize there may be more to it that meets the eyes.”
“What exactly did he tell you?” Saeron was getting anxious.
“He offered us freedom from our curse if and when we were done helping him. He then went on to tell us that Silvani had the power to turn creatures into another form for their own purposes and that the reason we were cursed was not only for the purpose of punishment, but to protect something.”
“Protect what?”
“He never told us. And something else that makes me wonder too is why he didn't go out a make his own creations to help him. I think we might have been created with more power than we think and that Silvani knew it. I think his power was greatly surpassed by the Silvani's who cursed us. That's the only thing I can figure if he wanted us that bad. I want to know what made us so powerful though. Shame, I'll never live long enough to figure it out.” Jurah finished with a horrible cough. The sound of it even made me hurt.
“I'll figure it out. If I'm to be king the least I can do is find out something that will benefit our people.” Saeron promised. “Your kingdom's in good hands.”
“I'm sure of it.” Jurah said with a weak smile as Saeron turned to leave. “Oh, Saeron. Could you tell Dante that she didn't have to love me to lift the curse. It was you she had to love all along, not me. Your the true nobility and she loved you first. Not to mention she loves you more that anything or anyone. Your a lucky guy.”
“Thanks. I'll be sure to tell her that.” Saeron said before he headed towards me.
I went to Jurah one last time before we left the room. I wasn't sure how long he had left to live so I felt like a proper good bye was needed.
“I'll miss you.” I said, hugging him softly as not to hurt him. “And I'll never forget you. I promise.”
“Thank you, Dante. I want you to know, that as long as you live my spirit will be watching over you.” Jurah said as he touched his hand to mine. “Take care, Dante. Be happy and healthy. Live a long life and continue our kind with Saeron.”
“I will. Good bye, Jurah.” I said sadly. Tears were starting to roll down my eyes again.
“Don't be too sad, Dante. We'll see each other in the next life.” Jurah reminded me. I tried to smile as best I could. It was a wonder he could smile at a time like this. Maybe it was because he wanted to see me happy before he died. I looked into his eyes and smiled warmly. He gave me a grin and a chuckle which surprisingly made me laugh too. It was sad that he'd be gone, but there was no use in wasting my time with him being sad. I wanted my last moments with him to be especially pleasant so that he died knowing he could make me happy.