The Guardian Demon [A Taron Egerton FanFiction]

18: A Short-Lived Bliss

[A/N] WARNING!!! Mentions of death.

It wasn't until the next evening that Mallory had found the strength to leave her bed. Heavily trotting out of her room, she wondered why was it so quiet around her until she reached the kitchen where she found the answer.

The smell of fresh-baked cookies filled her senses as she stepped into the brightly lit room where Maria was busy pulling a tray full of the small, golden pastries out of the oven, Taron was sitting at the far end of the kitchen island with his laptop in front of him, a pair of still-warm cookies in one hand and a steamy mug in the other.

"Mallory," the housemaid greeted, placing the tray down and hurrying toward the younger woman, "oh, sweetie, you're finally awake, I was starting to get worried," she added as she took her in a warm hug.

Returning the hug, Mallory eyed her bodyguard who looked back at her with an unexplainable gaze.

"I'm better now, Maria, thanks," Mallory softly said, holding the older woman at arms length, "if it wasn't for that damned headache," she whined, holding a hand to her forehead as Maria led her toward one of the stools that were situated around the island.

Mallory's head felt as if it was about to split open, the dull throbbing in her temples worsened with every move she made, her eyes were hazy and her ears were buzzing, that was in addition to the sickening feeling inside her, it was as if her stomach was cartwheeling down her body.

Maybe she shouldn't have left her bed, after all.

"Are you alright?" came the bland question from Taron as he munched on a cookie.

"Do I look like I'm alright?" Mallory sassed, looking absurdly at him.

At that, Taron lifted his eyes. She looked exhausted, her once gleaming eyes were gloomy and tired, her face was ashy and pale, she positively wasn't alright.

"No, you don't," he muttered, looking down at his laptop screen.

"Wow, such observation!" she lampooned, trying to push her stool closer to his.

Taron unthinkingly smirked, at least a part of the old Mallory was back.

"What are you looking at?" she asked, peering over his shoulder in an attempt to take a glimpse of what was displayed on the laptop's screen.

That's when Taron shut the laptop's lid down, giving her a stern sideways look.

"For real, though," Mallory pouted, "you're a sucker."

Taron found himself laughing, he was enjoying taunting her. Seeing her being her usual, shameless self was relieving for him, it made him feel like maybe, after all, things would go back to normal again, albeit slowly.

"Someone's in a good mood today," Maria spoke to nobody in particular, sending the bodyguard a look as she started lining some cookies in the tray, preparing them for baking.