When Shawn was younger he used to watch horror movies with his little sister because she loved them.
Elena noticed Shawn trembling.
She gave a small laugh.
"You can relax," she said softly. "The queen is merciful. Whether you're a mage who lost her powers or just a regular human, you still have a place here."
Shawn snapped out of it and shook his head.
'That queen isn't going to drain me dry, right?' he thought, doubt creeping in.
To be sure, he asked casually:
"Does the queen drink human blood?"
Elena nodded.
"Of course," she said naturally. "But she usually drinks animal blood."
Shawn didn't calm down.
'Usually,' he thought, fear returning. 'That means sometimes that damn bloodsucker does drink human blood.'
Shawn started thinking about how to leave this place and spread God's word somewhere else.
'I can't picture a blood-drinking vampire as the churchgoing type who shows up every Sunday,' he thought, frustration building.
But then Elena looked at him intently.
"What kind of magic do you specialize in?" she asked curiously.
Shawn thought.
'When I performed that miracle earlier, I moved from one place to another in seconds,' he recalled.
But explaining that would be complicated.
"I can heal people," Shawn said, deciding to keep it simple.
Elena stared at him in silence for several seconds.
"Are you a doctor?" she asked, frowning.
Shawn nodded.
Elena's expression grew more serious.
"Where did you learn medicine?" she asked, arms crossed.
Shawn thought.
'I can't say university—that would be a lie,' he realized.
"From a bo—"
ZAP!
His tongue suddenly burned.
He clapped a hand over his mouth, shocked.
'What was that?' he thought, pain fading.
He tried the lie again.
"From a bo—"
ZAP!
The pain came back, worse.
Shawn clenched his teeth, tears welling up.
Elena felt a pang of tenderness.
'Poor thing,' she thought, looking at him with pity. 'She bites her tongue every time she tries to speak.'
But she kept her serious gaze, waiting.
Shawn realized he couldn't lie.
'Damn it, probably a side effect of this body…' he thought, frustration surging.
He decided on an exaggerated truth.
"I'm just a mortal," Shawn said firmly. "But now I believe I can heal anyone thanks to the powers my father—God—granted me."
Elena froze.
Shawn was surprised too.
'Shit! I thought my tongue would stop me since it's not 100% true!' he thought, confused. 'Guess God likes being flattered!'
Elena was completely lost.
'What kind of torture did that monster put her through to make her believe she has healing powers from God?' she thought, a tear slipping down her cheek.
"Justice will be served for your case soon," Elena said firmly.
She placed a hand on Shawn's shoulder.
"Never tell anyone you're a doctor," she said seriously. "Doctors don't use magic to heal—they use herbs or potions. Magic doesn't heal people."
Shawn was baffled.
'Why is she looking at me with so much pity?' he thought, frustration rising.
"I can perform miracles," Shawn said, coughing.
Elena looked confused.
"What do you mean by that?" she asked, brow furrowed.
"I can do anything," Shawn said firmly.
That statement broke Elena completely—her expression shattered. Sheila's words reminded her painfully of her own little sister who had passed away.
Elena hugged Shawn tightly.
"Of course," she said softly, tears falling. "You can do anything you set your mind to."
Shawn froze, utterly confused.