My Seductive Guardian

The Warm Embrace

Everyone froze on the spot. They did not even dare to breathe loudly, afraid that it would garner his attention. How was he here? Why was he here? For the past few days, the man was going to sleep as soon as the sun set. The house had been silent but the servants were not compaking. It only meant they could retire to their bed early or have time to enjoy themselves. Both were preferred.

Cedric took slow steps into the room. The large library suddenly felt too small with his presence. He titled his head and looked at the girl in Caleb’s arms and his eyes narrowed.

“My lord, I have come to check up on her since she was burning with fever last night. We found her unconscious here. She had fainted long ago if my deduction was correct.” Caleb’s words were like oil in the fire. The temperature around them fell suddenly and it felt like the room was freezing.

Alice wanted to wrap her hands around her shivering body but she did not dare to move.

“Why is she in the library in the first place?” His voice was low, dangerous and foreshadowing their doom when Caleb turned to look at Alice too.

“I… she wanted to read books to pass her time. I could not stop her since she pleased me.” She lied when she felt the cold eyes of Cedric. Caleb snorted but did not tell the truth.

“Take her to her room and if she wants to read a book next time, bring it to her room until her health improves.” Alice nodded her head again and again like a rattle drum. Caleb bowed and took Hazel in his arms. Cedric stared at the scene with narrowed eyes before walking to the small table. There was only one plate but the crumbs on it had dried long ago as if it was not served in the evening. If the morning plate was still not taken, it only meant… the frost in his eyes appeared again.

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When Hazel opened her eyes again, she was alone in the room. The bed felt cozy yet her body felt cold. She had a dream where her mother was calling her. But just when she was about to embrace her mother, someone held her and pulled her back. The person was warm and cozy. She felt safe in those arms. The person held her for a long time and she started sobbing. But when he told her to let go, the voice was so cold and threatening that she had run away and fell down.

The moment she fell, her eyes opened and she found herself here. She was the only one in the room. There was no way someone could hug her to sleep yet it felt so realistic as if someone was there taking care of her all night.

She noticed wet cloth and a basin of water on the table. Someone was there after all? Or the maids brough it but did not concern themselves with actually putting wet cloth on her forehead?

She touched her forehead. It was not burning as before. Should she go and complete her task in the library?

She stood up and washed her face with the water in the same basin and cleaned herself well. She opened the closet and was relieved to find a few dresses in it. They were her dresses. Someone had brought them from her old house.

Her eyes softened at their touch. Most of them were chosen by her mother herself. She picked one her mother loved most and walked out of her room.

She paused when she saw a maid, “Excuse me, can you guide me where the library is?” Yesterday, she was too grim to pay attention to the corridors. The maid paused and gasped when she noticed Hazel standing there.

“Oh dear, you are not allowed to come out of your room.” The woman held Hazel by her shoulders and pushed her back into her room, “are you not sick? A sick person should lay down in bed and rest. If you need anything, you should wait for the maid to come and check on you and then tell them what you need.”

The woman frowned and scolded Hazel. She wanted to do more but she was afraid that she would be implicated in the mess too. It was already enough that Alice was suffering. But she could not help but blame the child for it.

“You should stay here. I will go and bring your breakfast. Did you get it?” now more tasks were added to her morning chores! Great. She mumbled a curse under her breath and left the room after giving her another warning.

Hazel blinked when she was left alone. She was served a meal in her bed? She stood up again and looked around. This was the first time she was paying attention to her room. Everything was scattered around as if no one knew how to arrange the room perfectly and though it had everything she needed, it was a mess.

The door knocked and a middle aged man entered the room. He smiled at Hazel with sincere eyes.

“My lady, I am Caleb. I am taking care of your health in this castle.” he smiled and informed, “i am a distant cousin of Templar, you know him right?” Hazel nodded, the vivid face of a young man with spectacles running around her and telling her that taking medicine was important flashed past her eyes.

“He had nagged me enough to take care of you. But I find it a bit tedious since you're not helping me. Now, should you not be resting?” he looked at her bare feet with a grim look on his face.

“Oh!” she nodded and then walked back to her bed and sat there obediently surprising Celeb. He was told that she was a mischievous girl that could compete with the winds and never knew how to stay silent.

“My lady, are you okay?”