Las shook his head sympathetically. Kaichen looked at Dalia. She had her usual attentive expression on her face with that polite smile. Kaichen knew about that smile. Whenever she felt depressed and helpless, she put on that sad smile.

The symptoms Las mentioned were very similar to those that Dalia had been suffering from for the past three months. Kaichen closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them, he didnt want to picture Dalias struggle again.

Where are the guards of Acrab?

They were the first to collapse.

Thats not good. Then who is patrolling the city?

Nobody. To avoid harm and spread of the disease, everyone locks their doors and stay inside.

Dalia sighed. It sounds like a very infectious disease. She glanced at Kaichen. She looked at him as though she wanted help. Kaichen felt better suddenly. He felt good when Dalia needed him. Otherwise, he felt useless.

Scratching her head, Dalia said, Teacher.

Kaichen cenched his hand. He knew what she wanted. She wanted him to patrol the city to see if he could find something. Of course, he would do that. But he didnt want to leave her here.

Can you put a barrier on the whole Acrab?

What? asked Kaichen, surprised. No patrol? Dalia fidgeted with her fingers on the table. He looked at her.

So that no one will be able to enter or leave. She looked at him. Please, could you do it?

Kaichen wanted to laugh. She was so different from the child he had seen going out to the market with her mother. That child had been very full of herself. She had ordered her mother to buy her things instead of asking.

Dalia smiled at him, almost pleadingly, since he didnt answer. Teacher? Can you do it for me, please?

Darn it. Kaichen tried to avoid her gaze. He clicked his tongue. Why is she smiling at me so sweetly? The polite, fake smile did me less harm. It set his heart racing again. Damn it.

He used to like a little girl named Dalia Alshine. She was his first love. But his heart was trampled. He had been hurt. He had hated and resented her with all his might after that. But here she was, a completely different person. He couldnt take his eyes off her.

I hope you dont get sick. I hope you are not in pain. I want to be your strength. If there is anything I can do, I want to do it. I want to see you smile. I want to hear your voice. I want to hold your hand. I want to feel her heart against my chest. I want to caress your slender waist. I want to kiss you and taste your lips. I want to leave marks of love on you. I want to be inside her as I watch her gasp for breath

Im out of my mind, Kaichen admitted. He could not deny it anymore. He wanted her. Denial didnt work anymore and it was too late to regret falling for her. He was already addicted to her closeness to the point that he wanted her by his side always.

*

After leaving Las tavern, we stood in front of the house of one of the patients. My mouth was dry and I was trembling. My palms were and my heart raced. I was nervous. It was difficult to face people after having run away for three months.

Even after I had determined to heal Mickey, I had felt like this. I had killed him and other people of Acrab trying to make the medicine which would heal him. Even if he died then, he would be back the next day. Which was why I was determined to heal him. But it wasnt any easier. The trauma and the guilt remained with me.

The reason I allowed Mimi to work at the castle even now was because I had hopes that seeing her would have helped me prepare to some extent to face the people of Acrab. I had hoped I would be used to seeing people I had inflicted suffering on