Chapter 10
Sebastian was situated in a guestroom. His bed was in an opposite corner from Thompson, so Timber and Canterbury could tend to him without disturbing the butler's rest. Claude had begun placing cold, wet cloths on Sebastian's forehead to bring his temperature down—or to at least try to. Hannah was kept busy switching the cloths out. They became boiling-hot in a matter of minutes and although it was nothing but lukewarm water to the demons of the Trancy household, the servants of the Phantomhive household were specifically asked not to touch it.
"Is there anything we can do to help?" Mey-Rin asked Claude as she twiddled her fingers.
"Yes," he replied, "I'd like you to bring me a pitcher of ice water and a glass. Sebastian needs fluids and we need a quicker way to lower his temperature."
"Yes, sir!"
Mey-Rin was about to trot off to fulfill Claude's request when Baldroy stopped her.
"I don't know if that's such a good idea." He said, "You could trip and fall, or worse: you could end up getting something that isn't water."
Mey-Rin blushed, "Goodness me, you're right! I'm such a klutz, yes I am!"
"I can go and get the ice water."
"Well then, what can I do?"
Sebastian shifted in bed suddenly, ". . . blankets."
Mey-Rin moved slightly closer to him since his words were too hushed for her to hear, "What was that, sir?"
". . . Cold." Sebastian said quietly, "I need . . . more blankets."
Mey-Rin nodded and turned to Claude, "Where do you keep the blankets, Claude?"
"They're in the supply cabinet in the hallway." Claude replied.
"Come on, Sebastian. You have to drink it."
Hannah and Claude had been trying for several minutes to get Sebastian to consume the ice water Baldroy brought back and although they had managed it get the demon to take the brim of the glass in his mouth, Sebastian couldn't find the strength to swallow any of it. His throat burned, as if there was a piece of white-hot medal wedged in it and if he tried to cough to relieve it, blood came up and his throat hurt more than it had before.
At the same time, Claude and Hannah didn't try to force the cool liquid down his throat. If Sebastian didn't drink it willingly he'd only inhale it, and that would cause even more problems and weaken him even more.
Hannah stroked Sebastian's throat, trying to encourage him to swallow. Eventually Sebastian attempted to consume the amount of water in his mouth. It made the pain in his throat flare and the energy he had left him in large amounts. He pulled his head away from the cup when he couldn't drink it anymore. He felt sick . . . or like he was going to be sick.
He was thankful a wastebasket had been provided for such an occurrence, because no sooner did he lie back down, he felt the water begin to work its way back up from his stomach. He felt his stomach heave and he quickly put his head over the wastebasket. A gush of fluid spewed from his mouth, but by no means was it just the water there.
Claude and Hannah grimaced as the watched blood pour out of Sebastian's mouth with each heave his stomach gave. The sight was awful and it wasn't a good sign for the Phantomhive butler.
The spewing only lasted about a minute, but it left Sebastian completely drained of energy. When the vomiting subsided, he collapsed onto the mattress, gasping for breath; a sign that blood was beginning to pool into the lungs, as well. Only then did Hannah and Claude turn their heads back to take in the sight in front of them; a trashcan full of blood and an energy-drained, deathly pale Sebastian.
Claude pulled his spectacles from his face and slid them into the pocket of his tailcoat.
"Back to square one."
