Near success syndrome

Annabelle opened the gate which she had left unlocked and hurried into the house, panting and limping.

“What's wrong?” One of the guards asked with a frown, but she quickly waved them away, stumbling to the doorstep.

The door opened and she fell in, staggering inside while Aria shut the door behind her helping her to the room where Anthony's body was lying peacefully on the bed, like one sleeping.

Mo Lan was walking around the bed while muttering some words with the big book in his hands.

There were mysterious flames burning around the bed in different colors, and some other items were neatly arranged on the floor beside the bed. There was also a little glass cup holding a milky liquid inside it, and a little kidney dish having some pills of different colors, along with a golden paste, smeared over the other half of the kidney dish.

“Are you alright?” Aria whispered, watching her as she sat on the bed beside Anthony.

“Yes, I am. I just got panicky at the thought of being caught b