CHAPTER # 18

Aunt Rosaline was sitting on the bed with her back resting on the headboard, almost lifeless. Her eyes had no shine, her body was as if all the flesh had disappeared....just like a skeleton with only skin on it.

A weak smile plastered on her face. Anne is sitting beside her on the bed trying her best to cheer her up. Whereas Mommy was sitting on a chair beside the bed near Aunt, holding her weak hands in her trembling ones but she was trying her level best to stay strong.

"Oh Sabi...." Aunt noticed me and gestured to me to come close. I didn't realize it, but my eyes were already filled with tears. I didn't want to appear weak and make her worry so I quickly blinked the tears away before they fell.

"Good evening Aunty" I said with a smile. She smiled and nodded since she didn't have the energy to speak.

"Mommy, I went to the training grounds with Sabi. It was so fun and you know what happened....." And Anne continued to narrate the whole story making Aunt giggle at her cuteness and making me and Mommy sad seeing Anne's efforts. She really loves her.

After an hour or so Aunt unconsciously fell asleep due to her weakness. Mommy made her lay comfortably and kissed her forehead.

"I hope you recover soon, my dear" Mommy said and left the room since she couldn't bear to see her only friend in such a state.

I also went towards her and kissed her cheeks and whispered, "Everything will be okay. I'll do my best to cure you. You are really strong."

Then I too left the room and Ann also came out after sometime and some maids entered the room since we can't leave her alone.

"Okay Anne baby, We will be leaving. Take care hm?" Mommy said and patted her head with a smile. Anne smiled and nodded. I noticed some tears in her eyes so I went towards her and hugged her.

"My Ann is very strong. You don't have to hold back. Crying out your pain helps your heart calm down and it becomes lighter." I said rubbing her back and soon after Anne burst in tears and cried in my embrace.

Mommy also came and hugged us whispering comforting words. When Anne calmed down Mommy offered her to stay over with us which she gladly accepted. I asked the butler to inform Uncle Syle when he arrives that Anne will be staying the night with me.

When we returned home we saw that Daddy and Shane had arrived. Shane went downtown with Sir Ryan since he was very curious about what was there.

"You're back!!" Shane exclaimed, running towards us. I hugged him and asked him, "How was your day? Did you have fun?".

"Yes! And I found my friend too!" he exclaimed.

"Oh really? Which friend? I don't remember you making any friends." I asked.

"I made one when I went with Dad to the party" he said while I made an O-shaped face.

"It was not a party," Daddy said helplessly, making us chuckle.

As for the party he is mentioning, A month ago, Daddy took him to his business meeting because in his opinion he should get familiar with all the nobles.

Me and Mommy first tried to convince him that Shane is just four years old but eventually gave up after seeing how stubborn he was. But he gave up on his own when Shane showed no interest.

"And guess what, he is very strong. He broke the table in half with only his fist!" he said, replaying the actions.

"And he punched a big man and he also broke his leg because the man was bullying him." he said with excitement. Whereas Mommy and Daddy were indulged in their talk so they didn't hear a single word, as for Anne she showed the same excitement as Shane.

'He befriended a human, right?' I thought, maintaining my smiley face.

"Really?! Then what happened?" Anne asked curiously.

'Anne, he is four and you are ten years old....Stop behaving like a five year old! But how can I blame her, she is a real kid whereas I am a full grown adult inside' I thought looking at the two kids having the best conversation of their life.

"Shanie? How old is your friend?" Anne asked.

"He is sixteen years old," he said, making me choke on air.

"W-what si-sixteen?" I asked to which he nodded innocently.

'Wtf? He befriended a boy who is not one or two years older but a whole twelve years older than him!' I was shocked by my brother's choice of making friends with people four times his age.

"And where did you meet?" I asked hoping for a simple innocent answer.

"Oh we met in front of the....what was it called?....Aha! The shop named Witch's Crate" he said, making me stop functioning.

"The w-witch's crate? Did I hear correctly?" I asked and he nodded.

'WHO THE HELL IS HIS FRIEND??? Witch's Crate is a place where only people like gangsters, assassins and people who want poison and stuff for killing can go. What the hell was he doing there?' I thought as I was still in shock.

"Sister?" "Sabi?"

Anne and Shane shook me, bringing me back to the world.

"Huh?"

"Are you okay?" Shane asked.

"Y-yeah I'm…I'm fine. Just got a little shocked by your friend's actions, haha" I said awkwardly as he passed a proud smile.

'It's not something to be proud of, bro?' I thought, looking at Shane.

"Anyway, if you ever meet that friend again please stay at least twenty steps away from him okay?" I said, making him pout.

"Why?" he asked, sulking.

"Because he is a bad guy and my Shanie is a good boy. Will you listen to your sister?" I asked and he nodded. He left while sulking as I watched his figure disappear. And as soon as he disappeared I said to myself,

"And I guarantee he will not listen to me".

"Miss and Lady Anne, Master is calling you to have dinner," Mr. Butler said, gaining our attention. We nodded and followed him to the dining room where everyone was already seated. We both also went inside and got seated.

"So Sabi, how was your first day at training?" Daddy asked, cutting his steak.

"It was good. I had fun and I also got-" I replied, eating my steak but before I could complete Daddy cut me off.

"You got what? Did you get hurt? Do I need to call the physician?" he asked, looking towards me, all concerned.

"I got complimented" I said.

"...."

"*sigh* I'm fine Daddy look" I said and got off the chair, went towards Daddy and twirled in front of him, showing that I'm okay to which he sighed and nodded. We continued eating while talking about our day but I could see Mommy was down ever since we came from Anne's house which made me worried as well.

After having dinner we bid farewells and went to our respective chambers. Me and Anne freshened up and changed into our night wear and sat on the bed.

"Sabi what's that?" Anne asked pointing towards the stupid book which was on my study table.

"Oh that, Nothing, just a stupid and useless book" I said to which she nodded.

We were talking when suddenly a thought came into my mind.

"Ann? Can you bring me that book please?" I asked Anne. She nodded and got off the bed to get the book.

'When I touched the book it gave me an electric shock so if Anne is the Fragment of Sol, it should show some reaction to her, shouldn't it?' I thought as I watched Anne approaching the book.

Anne slowly extended her hand to pick up the book while I stared intensely so that I don't miss any type of reaction. I wasn't even blinking in case I missed something.

"Sabi?"

"....."

"SABI!!!" Anne yelled, startling me.

"What?!" I asked, placing my hand on my chest as my heart started to beat as if it would be getting a prize for running a marathon.

"I called you so many times but you didn't answer," Anne said.

"Oh, Um...sorry. What were you saying?" I asked.

"Is this the book? I wanted to ask this?" She asked, showing me the book in her hands, making my eyes pop out.

'When did she pick that up? Ugh! I didn't see, Ahhhh!!' I cursed myself for getting distracted, making Anne confused.

Suddenly a spark came out of the book, making my eyes wide.

"It sparked! It showed a reaction! Yes! Yes!" I exclaimed and started jumping while Anne was just standing there frozen.

"What spark? I didn't see anything...What's wrong with her? Why is she so happy?" Anne asked herself but soon after gave up her thoughts, dropped the book and came to join me who was jumping on the bed.

"Anne, I'm so happy!" I said while jumping.

"Me too! I don't know what's the reason but seeing you happy makes me happy!" Anne said, jumping with me.

We giggled and finally drifted off to our dreamlands while holding hands....