Can I Really Love A Shadow?

Chapter Twelve: Home Alone

A/N
I hope you guys love my OC, Lady Aelia, she is going to be Lucy's mentor when learning how to use her new powers to the fullest potential.  For those who read the manga leave me a comment on how you feel about the ending. Hope you enjoy, make sure to comment, vote, and share!

I shot straight up in the bed, covered in a heavy layer of sweat. My breaths were short and heavy. It felt like my lungs were going to explode. I looked around the room trying to get a sense of where I was at. I heaved a sigh of relief with knowing that I was back in Hargeon and no longer in the spirit world with Aelia. My body started to relax. I sank back down into the warmth of the bed and shut my eyes. After a few minutes my breathing went back to normal and became less strained.

"That sucked," I wheezed, still adjusting to being back in my body. After Aelia and I's talk, she used a spell to send me back from the spirit world into my body out in the real world. I rolled over in the bed and moaned. It felt like my soul was being shoved roughly into a very small chest. "Speaking of Aelia, I wonder if I have her key."

I clenched my hands together and felt the familiar molding of the bronze key resting in my hand. I smiled inwardly at her key. Even though I didn't learn a lot about her, she seemed to have some motherly influence over me. I would have laid in bed all day, but I really needed to be a productive person today and do some research with Crux. I threw the blankets off my body and then winced at the wave of pain that rushed over my body.  I observed my body and saw that I was wearing a black shirt and pink shorts I could see that my legs were wrapped with bandages, that were stained with blood from my wounds. I slowly shifted my body to still be sitting on the edge of the bed with my legs dangling of the side. I dropped Aelia's key off on the side table and carefully pushed myself off the bed.

I wobbled and nearly fell over by how weak my legs were but I caught myself with the table beside me. Once I regained my ability to stand, I started to take small steps over to the closet to inspect the rest of my body. I could tell just by how weakened my body was just by how heavy my breathing became as I made the usually short walk. I finally made it to the mirror after stumbling a few times, but I held onto the wall for support.

"Damn." I took a good look over my body. I had a bandage delicately wrapped around my hair. Small bandages were placed all over my pale face along with a small bruises. My arms mirrored my legs, with bandages running up and down the length of them. Even my hands and fingers were wrapped with the white bandages.

"That Declan dude really did a number on me." I reached down and took hold of the bottom of the shirt and pulled it up revealing my torso. My stomach was lined with bruises ranging from small, medium, and large along with cuts and bloody bandages. I used the tips of my fingers to brush up against my wounded body. I winced at the pain that came over me by the gentle touch. Aelia was right, I need to regain my health and strength.

I released the bottom of the shirt and let it fall back down to my waist. "I need to clean myself up first."

I opened the closet door and dug around for something comfortable to wear. I decided on my pink and white striped matching  pajamas and a pair of slippers in the shape of bunnies. I shuffled over to the bathroom and dropped my clean clothes on the counter and carefully removed my clothes and the bandages around my body. I turned on the hot water and stepped into the shower. I flinched as the hot water hit my wounds, but it soon became comfortable against my skin. I grabbed my soap and washed the dried blood off my body. That took me ten minutes because blood was everywhere. Then I used my shampoo to wash out the blood from my hair. When I felt truly clean I turned off the water and walked out. Using the towel, I patted myself off then  rewrapped my wounds with fresh bandages and gauze. Once I was done, I put my clothes on and slipped on my slippers. I then grabbed the brush and untangeld my matted hair. I decided I wanted to keep my hair down, and exited the bathroom feeling refreshed and clean.