chapter 27

William 

I knew Scarlett was exhausted and in pain. It was visible on her face. Her face was flushed and she looked unwell.

So when she closed her eyes I was concerned. I was going to ask her if she was fine but before I could see the frown on her forehead slowly relax and she stopped moving. She was asleep. 

Her head was tilting in the wrong position. So I slowly put her head down on the seat and her legs up, so that she lay straight on the seat. She was warm, most probably she had a fever. It seems I was right, she is still unwell. She was a deep sleeper, she didn't even move.

I leaned back on my own seat, I was exhausted too but nowhere near her. I knew the pain of losing a parent. My mother had died too, in an accident but losing both of your parents at the same time and then taken to an academy with strangers. I could only guess what she must be feeling. It takes time to overcome the grief and sometimes we never do. She acted so strong but to me, it was clear that it was all an act. I admired her strength. It's good that my aunt took her in, where else would she go. I know the school and the students would never be able to replace her family but it may provide some distraction.

If I had to take a guess she was coming to the boarding house to hone her skills and to find who murdered her parent's but I couldn't really blame her because I would have done the same if I were her. 

I looked at her again, She had beautiful blue eyes I realised seeing her eyes closed. She was beautiful but she looked traumatised right now. She had developed dark circles under her eyes and her eyes were wet from the silent crying. The frown had again come on her face and she looked restless like she was having a nightmare. Her jet black hair cascaded down her shoulders. 

I quickly tore my eyes from her and resumed looking back at the view outside. It was dark and we were almost going to reach the academy. 

When we reached the academy, Scarlett was still asleep.

"Should I wake her up?" I asked my aunt.

"No don't. She needs her rest. Can you carry her?" she asked. My aunt was very kind so, I had expected that response from her. She was my mother's sister. When my mother died, my aunt became the new headmistress. We both weren't close but she was a good person.

I looked at the sleeping form of the girl. She was slim. 

I nodded and picked her up in my arms in a bridal smile. It was odd picking up a girl this way. It felt intimate. I had never been very close to girls except for Isabelle, who didn't really count because she was one of my best friends. I am handsome, so even though many girls admired me I didn't admire any till now. 

"Should I take her to the guest room or the room she will be assigned?" I looked at my aunt.

"Take her to the guest room. She looks unwell," she said observing the girl in my arms.

"Yes, I think she has a fever," I told my aunt feeling the warmth radiating off Scarlett's skin.

"Send some healers to her room and see what they can do." 

"Ok, do you need any help with her registration? I can come back after I put her in the guest room." I asked my aunt. She was always busy with her work. She had a son to take care of too since my cousin has an odd kind of disease and is always ill. 

"No William. After helping her, go get some rest. You have classes tomorrow and you will have to get Scarlett accustomed to the school. It would be hard for her after what happened." 

Yes, it would be hard. Accommodating to the school itself is hard but after witnessing her parent's dead bodies. Well, I don't really know how she would do. 

I nodded and took Scarlett to the guest's room.

I laid her on the bed and called our school healers. 

"She is the new girl bought today right?", a healer girl asked. 

"Yes. She had fainted a few days back due to some shock and she was discharged from a mundane hospital today. I think she is unwell. I just want you to check up on her."

The girl nodded and checked Scarlett's temperature and other vitals.

After she was done she said "Nothing much is wrong with her physically. She has a fever due to exhaustion and shock. She needs to get proper rest. I will heal her fever with my abilities but as you know very well we can only heal physical things. The shock and exhaustion will take some time to fade. Tell her to not worry if she has headaches, she will just have to rest and to take it easy."

"OK, I will do that," I said. 

The girl healed her and went. 

I looked back at Scarlett. She was shivering a bit. I put a blanket on her. I checked my watch to see that it was already midnight, so I went to my own room leaving Scarlett alone in the guest room. 

I laid on my bed thinking how it would be like to have Scarlett's ability. Ability to make someone sleep is fine but the ability to sense death would be taxing. It's a useful ability but seeing death so many times would be so traumatising. 

With thoughts of her in my head, I drifted into a light sleep.