CHAPTER 81 BARGAIN OF THE FOREST

Declan's POV Ted snarled and looked at me. It had become a creature of nightmare, its form shifting and wavering in the shadows. Fear threatened to consume me, but Claire's voice snapped me back to reality. "Get the wolfsbane!" she yelled, forcing me to take the pouch. Gritting my teeth against the throbbing pain in my shoulder, I took the pouch and put it into my pocket. The adrenaline in my system covered the agony for now, but I knew it wouldn't last. Claire was right. We needed to get the old herbalist woman and escape this madness. "Come on," I grunted, keeping my arm around Claire's shoulders. Her weight felt reassuring against mine, a grounding presence amidst the chaos. We stumbled towards the herbalist. As we got to hers, I almost screamed at the sight. Her face was so pale, she was all sweaty, and her breathing was shallow. "We need to get you help," I said, my voice rough. Claire knelt beside her, assessing the injuries with a practiced eye. "She's lost a lot of bl