Dark Enchantments: The Demise of the Dusk Court

Chapter 9

Ellie sleeps for several hours before waking up again. "T...T...Thomas?" she calls out softly as she wakes up.

"I'm here," he replies, "How are you feeling?"

"B...better, I think m...my f...f...fever is g...gone."

"That's good."

"Do y...you t...think..."

"I don't know, kitten. I'll talk to her."

"O...okay."

"You should eat something. What do you want to eat?"

"I d...don't w...wanna!"

"Ellie, you'll feel better."

"No!" She begins to cry.

Julia comes rushing into the room. "Thomas!" she scolds him, "What did you do? Why is she crying? I told you not to upset her!"

"She doesn't want to eat!" Thomas shouts, sounding frustrated.

Julia walks over to Ellie. "Sweetheart, why won't you eat."

"Not hungry," Ellie mumbles.

"Honey, you need to eat something. You'll make yourself sick if you don't."

Ellie doesn't respond right away. "Okay," she finally says reluctantly.

"I'll go and get you something," Thomas states, "I'll be right back." He leaves the room.

"He's gone now, Ellie," Julia says softly, "tell me the real reason why you won't eat."

Ellie's voice comes out sounding tiny. "What if something's in it?"

"Honey, did something happen?"

"I h...had a n...nightmare. I was b...back i...in t...that p...place."

"Don't worry, sweetheart. Thomas and I will make sure that nothing is put into your food, okay?"

"O...okay..." Tears begin to fall from her eyes again. She quickly wipes them away. "I...I'm s...sorry."

"Shh, don't apologize. Why didn't you want Thomas to know?"

"He'll worry more about me."

"Sweetheart, that's his job."

"H...he's always stressed out, b...because of m...me."

"It's okay, honey. He'd be lost without you."

"You really think so?"

"Yes, you are a part of him, just like he is a part of you." Julia gently pushes the hair out of her face. "Now, let me take your temperature." Ellie opens her mouth, allowing Julia to put a thermometer under her tongue. It goes off in a few seconds. Julia takes the thermometer and looks at it before letting out a sigh of relief. "You still have a fever, but it's much more manageable now."

"C...could I g...go h..home soon."

"Yes, I think so, as long as your fever stays away for a day or so, I'll let you go home. You'd better not go off on a hunt though."

"I w...won't."

"And tell Thomas to stay at home with you. You'll only end up making yourself ill again if he's gone for too long."

"O...okay, I w...will. C...could Marie come and visit?"

Julia sighs. "Alright, but just her! No, kids!"

Ellie's expression brightens and she sends Marie a text. "Marie!" she says, "Julia says you can come visit!"

"Really?" Marie says, "Are you sure about that?"

"Yes, she said that you can come, but not the kids. My fever is back down to a normal range now."

"But it's not completely gone?"

"N...no, Julia said that it was a low fever."

"Alright, see you soon."

Thomas comes into the room at the same time as Marie. "Here, Ellie," he says, handing her a takeout box. "Marie, what are you doing here?"

"Julia said she could come!" Ellie blurts out, happily.

Thomas sighs, "Alright, as long as it's okay with Julia. I need to go call Kara back."

Ellie looks alarmed. "Why? Is there another case?"

"No, she's worried about you. I'm just going to tell her how you are. I'll be back in a few." He leaves the room.

Ellie opens the takeout box and stares at it, looking at it uncertainly. "Ellie?" Marie asks, "What's wrong?"

Ellie sighs. "I h...had a n...nightmare," she responds.

"Give me it." Marie takes the takeout box and shovels a forkful of food into her mouth. They wait for a few minutes and nothing happens. "See, it's safe."

Ellie nods and begins to nibble on the food.