Silence

Chapter 8

Adalina slowly opened her eyes. She looked around her and recalled she had passed out onto the floor in front of the fireplace in the parlor. She had blankets wrapped around her, and while she was still rather chilled, she was certainly more comfortable than she had been previously.

Her eyebrows creased together as she looked behind her. Hadn't Sebastian been there before? Perhaps she had just dreamed that. After all, she had been quite out of it at the time.

But if it really was a dream, why was she able to remember the feeling of his arms around her as she continued to shiver from being drenched in frigid water? Why could she remember that he made her feel warmer than she expected to feel? Why could she remember his gentle voice telling her to rest? Why did it make her nervous to think that it was possible he had been so close to her?

She slowly got up from the floor and dropped one of the blankets. She kept the other one tightly pulled around her shoulders before exiting the parlor. Then she made her way down to the kitchen.

Sebastian was inside, fervently preparing the next meal. He had his sleeves rolled up to his elbows and his coat was hanging on the hook. She had to admit to herself that he did look rather attractive like that. But attractive or not, he was a demon, and she was still attempting to get used to that. He was probably only this attractive because he was a demon.

"You've finally awoken," he said with a small smile when he noticed her presence. "How are you feeling?"

Adalina clung the blanket tighter around her in response.

"You must be hungry. Would you like something to eat?"

She gave him a small nod.

"Very well. The young master has allowed you to be excused from your chores for the time being to allow you to recover. Return to your room and I shall bring you a tray of food."

Adalina smiled a little before heading back out. As she made her way to her quarters, she suddenly felt very light-headed. The room began to spin before her, and she felt as if her feet were no longer tethered to the ground.

She began to fall towards the hard floor.

However, before she could hit the ground, Sebastian caught her in his arms having sensed that something was wrong with her as she left the kitchen. He pulled off one of his gloves and lightly pressed his hand to her forehead.

"As I suspected," he murmured. "You have contracted a fever. This won't do at all."

He gently lifted her up, letting the blanket drop to the floor, and carried her to the head maid's quarters before placing her down on the bed. Heat was radiating off her body, yet she was beginning to shiver again. He sighed as he pulled the thin blanket on the bed overtop of her.

Letting her rest for the time being, he returned up to his master's study where Ciel was angrily sifting through paperwork.

"How is she?" he asked when the butler came into the room.

"I'm afraid she's come down with a fever since her fall into the lake. She is resting now, and I will continue to care for her until she is well again."

"I want to find this Daniel man, and I want him dead."

"If I may, sir, Adalina fits the description of each of the women who were murdered. If she is up to the task once she is recovered, she may pose as one of the women in order to draw Daniel out. After all, he did not see her well enough in the dark, and even if he did, he would not recognize her if she was dressed as a member of the upper class."

Ciel folded his hands together and placed them under his chin. "Do you think she would be able to handle it?"

"I don't doubt it. She is a Phantomhive servant after all. And I believe she has had quite a change in attitude since our encounter with the latest murder."