The Dark Warlock: The Nox Haven Series

Chapter 20: Happy Endings

Aleksander's POV:

Caddie didn't want to leave Alix's side. She sat on a wooden stool, next to Alix's cot and held her hand tightly. The nurses managed to calm her fever but they didn't seem confident in her recovery. The possibility of Alix never fully healing grated on both Jaxon and Caddie's nerves. Caddie was dealing with her grief a little better than Jaxon though. While the nurses were treating his sister, he spent most of the time shouting random profanities and death threats. I had to admit, it was sweet how much he cared about his sister. When my brother died it literally felt as if my body had been cut in half and we weren't even close. Alix and Jaxon weren't only siblings but friends.

"You're gonna be okay. You're gonna be just f-fine," Caddie whispered.

She was trying so hard to hold emotions in check but her resolve was breaking. Tears sparkled in her sapphire eyes as she stared stared at her best friend's motionless, pale body. On the other side of Alix's cot, stood Jaxon. Unlike Caddie he didn't bother holding back the tears. Two wet paths gleamed under the lantern as he caressed Alix's cheek.

"Children," the elder nurse said, appearing in the doorway.

Her gaze was filled with so much sorrow as she looked at the three of us. That look didn't settle well with me, it was nearing pity and we didn't need to pitied. Like Caddie said, Alix was going to be fine as long as the nurses did their damn job. Hell, she should have been up and ready party already if we were in the twenty-first century but times we different. Even though we had our magic spells to protect us, like medicine, spells are always being developed and discovered. Apparently one of the spells that had yet to be developed was a perfect cure to the plague.

"It's nearing morning. You all should try to get some rest before your classes begin. I promise to contact you if she awakens."

"No!" Jaxon and Caddie vehemently rejected any idea that involved leaving her side.

"We can't leave, what if she wakes up when we go to sleep-" Caddie was cut off by her own yawn.

Blinking rapidly, she tried to keep her eyes from drooping. It was the first fight I had ever seen her lose. Giving the nurse a sheepish look, she said, "That meant nothing."

I kicked off of the wall and walked up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist. Her body melted against mine without her consent. The last thing I needed, was for her to wear herself out to the point where she couldn't function properly. Grabbing her chin in between my fingers, I forced her to look up at me.

"Caddie, lyubov Moya, you need to rest. What good would it be to stay here and risk you getting sick too," I reasoned.

"Don't be ridiculous Alek, I can't get sick I wasn't bit."

I sighed, "No you weren't bit but you're going to become run down of you do not rest."

"Aleksander is right," Jaxon interjected, "You two should get some rest."

Caddie shook her head and folded her arms across her chest. A pout slipped on her lip as she looked between us. "You have to sleep as well Jaxon."

"I'll sleep here," he told her, "in the cot next to hers."

When he saw that, that didn't motivate Caddie to budge he continued, "Caddie this next few weeks are gonna be hell for all of us. There's still a lot Aleksander needs to tell you- by staying here you're only gonna make this worse."

With a huff, Caddie reluctantly agreed to return to the dorms. Nodding to the nurse, I let her show us out of the infirmary. Caddie spared Alix one more glance before walking out. In the night, when no one was awake, Nox Haven reminded me a lot of the castle I grew up in. There was a lonely feeling in the halls. Shadows danced on the walls and crawled on the floors. The creaking floorboards sounded like tortured screams as we walked across them. As we reached the gold, grand staircase, Caddie was relying on my body for support. Throwing her arms around my neck, I picked up her limp body and carried her up the stairs. She was trying so hard to stay awake and I appreciated the effort but she couldn't win a fight against herself. I could speak from experience and admit that it was nearly impossible to do. There was inner strength within her soul that could not be beat by physical strength.