Caspian inhaled deeply and glanced at his sister who looked pale and shocked with all the horrid and unexpected things that happened. He wanted to say something to comfort her, but he ran out of words. She caught his eyes and slowly stepped near to him. Her eyes searched in his eyes for answers of all her questions about this. But they were unreadable.

Her right hand slowly made its way to his left hand. The moment her hand touched his palm, they both pulled back. Cerlesta pulled back in shock of feeling a warm liquid, while Caspian pulled back softly wincing…in pain?

Cerlesta’s eyes grew wider as she looked down at her hand that had contact with Caspian’s. She gasped at the sight of blood in her finger tips.

“Caspian?” she called in disbelief. More like, ‘What on earth does this mean?’ tone.

“She wanted one drop of Adam’s blood and got me by my weak point.” Caspian answered guiltily in low voice, inhaling.

“Why? Why the blood?” she asked, carefully taking his wounded hand in hers and examining it. Her heart raced and eyes began to wet at seeing her beloved brother suffering.

“That’s how only she can be freed.” He said. His eyes found a tear rolling down her cheek.

“Hey, it’s fine.” He said softly in low voice and wiped away the tear with his right thumb.

“We need to fix it. –”

“I can help. My cordial can heal it.” Said Lucy from behind and walked over to them.

“Can you sit there? So I can easily do.” Lucy said motioning to the broken step of the stone table.

Caspian nodded and sat there. Lucy climbed to the step near him. Edmund came closer and stood with them. Cerlesta was holding his palm opened. She thought Lucy’s going to pour the cordial drop right on the injury until saw her lifting it to his mouth.

“Could that heal the injury?” asked Cerlesta.

“Good as new. Trust me; she gave this to me when I was stabbed by Jadis at the battle. I was completely healed.” Said Edmund.

“Oh yes, how did I forgot that?” she muttered, mentally scolding herself on her stupid question.

Caspian opened up his mouth and Lucy poured a drop of her cordial. He closed his eyes and swallowed the liquid. Cerlesta watched curiously with her eyes wide open, unflinching as she noticed his skin color turned normal from pale. She suddenly felt warmth in his hand she was holding. She looked down and gasped in amazed at the miraculous healing that were now happening before her eyes.

Caspian opened his eyes hearing his sister’s gasp. He was a bit late to look down at his hand. His injury disappeared. He wasn’t lucky to see it vanquishing as Cery, Ed and Lu saw it.

“Thank you Lucy.” He turned to Lucy and said, “I can feel complete refreshment.”

Cerlesta threw herself to his lap, hugging him and turned to Lucy, “Thank you very much.”

“My pleasure.” Said Lucy and stood near to her brother.

“So…What exactly…” Edmund began and then trailed off as his eyes caught something on the step where the ice wall stood some moments ago. It sent shiver down his spine and shuddered slightly.

“No way!” he said and walked to that thing.

“What no way?” Lucy asked and turned to her brother. Caspian and Cerlesta got up.

“Her staff. I-It’s her staff!” Edmund said, eyeing it carefully.

“Are you certain?” Lucy asked. Edmund turned to her,

“How can someone easily forget the staff which he broke and soon after was stabbed by?” he asked.

“B-But how? How did it get here? I thought it was…uh, never mind I’ve never thought about this thing. But it was meant to be…” Lucy trailed off searching for a suitable word to describe.

“It was the hag, who had it. I saw her taking it out from her cloak, muttering some kind of spell and hit it on the ground. That’s how the ice wall grew, from it.” Explained Caspian.

“So it still has magic in it?” asked Cerlesta.

“Yes.” He nodded.

“Cerlesta’s question has a point. It might have magic even now, so it’s dangerous to keep.” Said Edmund.

“Who’s going to keep it anyway?” asked Lucy.

“We need to find a way to destroy it.” Said Edmund.

Lucy glanced up to the great Lion’s carving on the wall for a moment, “Aslan. Only Aslan can do it.” She said.

Suddenly they heard footsteps behind. They all turned back together and saw Trumpkin leading Trufflehunter, Reepicheep, some Fauns and Dwarves. Trumpkin showed them the dead bodies of the Hag, the Werewolf and Nikabrik. As the others walked to take the Hag and Werewolf out, Trumpkin, Trufflehunter and Reepicheep walked to Nikabrik’s. The royals slowly joined them.

“I can’t believe he lost hope and became a traitor.” Said Trufflehunter in low voice. He was grieving.

“Neither can we? I think he had a connection with them. And he was waiting for a chance.” Said Edmund.

“And that chance was my weakness.” Caspian admitted guiltily.

Cerlesta frowned and looked up at him, “What really happened?” she asked.

Caspian took a deep breath, “He found me in the tunnel, looking at your drawings (here he turned to Ed and Lu). He asked me, ‘Are you so glad of that magic horn now? Your Kings and Queens have failed us. Your army is half dead. And those who that aren’t, will be soon enough.’ he sounded irritated. I asked him, ‘What do you want? Congratulations?’ because I was feeling like he was trying to add more fuel to the fire in me.”

“Then came the tempting part. He said, ‘You want your uncle’s blood, so do we. You want his throne, we can get it for you.’. With that, he walked to here and I followed. Then he told me that, I tried one ancient power but it failed. And there’s another one greater still that kept even Aslan at bay for nearly hundred years. Soon after he spoke, through the pin-drop silence, I heard a low growl nothing like I’ve heard before. Then from nowhere out of the dark came two small figures from each side passing the stone table.”

“The one from the left was the werewolf. When I asked, ‘who’s there?’, he began saying something like a cold rhyme; it was, ‘I am hunger, I am thirst. I can fast a hundred years and not die. (Ed snorted slightly) I can lie a hundred nights on the ice and not freeze. I can drink a river of blood and not burst. (Cery &Lu made a disgusted face) Show me your enemies.’ Then the hag began, ‘What you hate, so will we. No one hates better than us.’ Their words were enough for me, I wanted my throne back and make Miraz pay for his crimes and that was their offer so I gladly agreed. (Here he turned to his sister)They said they can guarantee Miraz’s death and even more. But I never thought they would summon the white witch.”

“Seeing me agreed, the hag traced her long nail on the ground walking around me muttering a spell; she was drawing a circle and…it was enchanted. After finishing the circle, she took out the staff somewhere inside from her cloak and hit it on the ground, finishing the spell. Then the staff began to glow as the ice wall began to grow from it. A faded figure of a lady in gown came to sight, walking towards the edge. Slowly her feature were able to be seen. Then it clicked my mind and I shuddered at the sudden realization that came to my head and I stepped back, regretting my agreement. But it was very late, as I stepped back, the werewolf got me.”

“She then spoke, good enough to tempt anyone, ‘One drop of Adam’s blood and you’ll free me. Then I am yours my King.’ (Ed let out snort again, earning a glare from his sister) As soon as she spoke those words, the hag brought a knife to my left palm and drove it enough deep to let the blood out. (Cery swallowed hardly) The witch let out her living hand out through the ice wall towards me, that’s when the spell worked on me and moved my hand towards hers. I don’t exactly remember what happened next; I stood there slowly reaching to her for some time and someone pushed me down to the floor. The first one I saw was Cerlesta beside, as I opened my eyes.” Caspian explained.

“So the spell left you as soon as you were out of the circle. Then it affected on Peter, making him to do the same thing. We must destroy that staff soon.” Said Edmund.

“But Ed, we can’t. Only Aslan can to do it.” Said Lucy.

“Then…maybe we can keep it somewhere secured until he comes?” asked Caspian.

“That’s a great idea, I’ll get it.” Said Edmund and walked to the staff. “In the name of Aslan.” He whispered and took it.

Nothing happened.

He looked at the staff and glanced up at Aslan’s carving. He turned back, “Peter might know where to secure.” He said and walked towards the stairs to the tunnel.

“Are you coming?” Lucy asked Cerlesta.

“Are you coming?” Cerlesta asked Caspian.

“No sweetheart, you may –”

“I’ll come afterwards.” Cerlesta said to Lucy.

Lucy smiled nodding and followed her brother. Two Fauns came to take out Nikabrik’s body away.

“Your highness,” Trufflehunter called Caspian from behind as the fauns left. Caspian turned to him,

“Yes?”

“I know you feel very guilty over what happed. But it’s over and it’s, none of them was your fault. You purposely did nothing, so you are still favoured by Aslan.” He said.

“Thank you, Badger.” Was the only thing Caspian could say, though more grateful towards him more than a simple ‘thank you’.

“Yes your highness, Aslan will be pleased with you.” Said Reepicheep. And turned to leave with the others.

Caspian just nodded. Both brother and sister watched them leave. No one was left there other than them. Caspian took a deep breath and turned to his sister, to know does she has anything to say.

“It wasn’t your fault at all. I knew it deep inside, even before you explained just before.” She said, smiling softly.

Caspian smiled, “I’ve missed you, your beautiful smile, your priceless company, your warming presence, your lovely talk, your sweet voice, your smoothing words, your melodic laugh, your adorable glare, your defeated growl –” his words were cut off by his sister who was chuckling at his words and groaned at the last one.

“Woah-woah, you’re going too far with that.” She teased, trying all her best to lighten up the mood.

“Nay, not as far as the eastern end of the world.” He said.

She giggled and hugged him, “I’ve missed you too, every bit of you. Hey, what made you say about you old ‘eastern end of the world’ now?” she asked.

“Come with me, let’s get some fresh air.” He said.

Sorry for the half a month of cliffhanger, guys. I was super busy with EVERYTHING. Plus it was my 16th birthday last Wednesday 😊
I hope you guys understand ❤

And, this will be the last chapter for now, until I update the next one. I'm not sure will I do that, so I can't even promise that there will be a new update. But I'll try.

I told you that I'm now working on my other Narnia story. It's a Mystery-Thriller Fantasy-Fiction Story. Please give it a try, it's better than my this book. Find that out in my profile.

Thanks for all your support you gave me through these times, it means a lot to me. I wouldn't have been interested to write and update if it wasn't for your reads and votes. I hope you'll also help me with my other book, A Great Destiny.

Love you all!!

— A True Narnian —