Chosen : Assassin Book 1

Chosen - chapter twenty-six

Chapter Twenty-Six

The room was dark except for the soft glow of a crackling fire. I pushed myself up onto my elbows and looked around. My body felt like it was on fire. Cassius lay, slumbering, beside me. His soft snores and heavy breathing told me he was in a deep sleep. He clutched a towel in his hand, he'd been dabbing at my forehead before falling asleep himself. I smiled down at the man and leaned on my injured arm to kiss his cheek. Pain shot through my entire body. Apparently, the wounds were worse than I initially thought.

Grabbing my arm, I attempted to stand. The room spun, and my arm throbbed. The stuff Cassius put on me wore off sometime during the night. The pain radiated everywhere. I dropped to my knees with a loud thud and whimpered, not very assassin like. Angeline burst through the door that connected my chambers to Cassius's and ran to my side.

"Lady Joselyn!" she hollered, helping me stand.

"Get me to the bed," I whispered. "It hurts so much. My body is on fire."

"You're fevered. I was afraid this would happen. That physician shouldn't have touched your arm."

"I just need to lay down, Ang. Please help me."

"Of course, then I'm fetching the surgeon."

Cassius sat up in time to catch me as I fell onto the bed. He positioned me, so my head rested on a pillow.

"Joselyn, what happened?" he asked, dabbing my forehead once again.

"I don't know. I woke up and felt like I burned up on the inside. My shoulder and arm hurt badly. The pain is everywhere."

"Go fetch the surgeon, Angeline," he commanded, kneeling next to me.

"I planned on it, sire," she mumbled before running from the room.

I looked up at Cassius through blurry eyes and smiled weakly. He ran his fingers through my hair, stroking the tangled mess.

"Thank you," I whispered.

"You don't have to thank me." He leaned down, kissing my warm forehead. "I don't like how hot your head is getting."

"I'm okay."

"I don't know, Joselyn. I'll be satisfied once the surgeon looks you over."

I rolled onto my side, placing my head on his lap. The heat rose up my face into my eyes. I closed them, breathing heavily, and tried to sleep.

"Lady Joselyn?" a distant voice asked.

"Hmm?" I responded in my fever-induced slumber.

"Are you feeling all right?"

"I'm fine. I just need some sleep."

"Your forehead is burning up, lady. I'm going to examine your wounds, do not fret good lady."

"Okay. Whatever you say."

The wrap was removed from my shoulder and cold hands ran across the incision and down my back. I moaned slightly at the relief from the heat. My sleeping gown was pulled down my back.

"The wounds look fine. I don't see where there could have been an introduction of infection."

"Things look fine," another older voice said.

"Could there be another wound that was missed?" Angeline asked.

My arm was lifted and nearly dropped.

"Oh no. There was one missed."

I felt cold fingers run down my side sending searing pain throughout my entire body. I cried out in pain.