Bloody Angel Book 1

Anxiously Waiting

Two weeks had passed. Annie hadn't moved since that afternoon she squeezed Copias hand. It was a promising sign for her recovery, but it also only made him worry more with each day that came and went where she still didn't wake up.

Knowing she was beyond death's grasp, everyone adjusted to a more normal routine. Copia, though somewhat reluctantly, returned to his duties. He spent his days going over paperwork and financial statements and the like when he wasn't pulled into random meetings about one thing or another. He did however, much to the dismay of the congregation, remove himself from the sermon schedule for the foreseeable future.

His Ghouls took shifts coming to sit with Annie while he was gone. They'd done a marvelous job of keeping her cleaned and changing her bandages. The only ones left were those on her legs and a few covering the deeper lashes on her back. Her bruising had long since yellowed or faded entirely. They also periodically moved what joints and limbs they could to help keep her muscles stimulated to stave off atrophy.

Lilit was given more freedom within the Ministry, now allowed to walk about the halls or go to the gardens if she so chose. Occasionally she'd have lunch or dinner in the Refectory with Seth and the Ghouls. Mountain rarely left her side. He'd even carved her a beautiful walking cane out of ash wood to help guide her way through the halls and navigate steps.

The Siblings of Sin were very welcoming of her. They helped her with directions if she needed in the rare times the tall Ghoul wasn't with her, or would teach her about the Ministry and their ways. Under their kindness and acceptance she started opening up, turning from a timid bundle of nerves to a very bubbly yet soft spoken woman who always had a glowing smile on her face.

Copia had arranged for rooms to be set up for her and Annie. Close to his own, of course. That didn't stop Lilit from spending most of her nights curled up on the bed next to her sister, though. He continued to sleep on the long couch in his sitting room, unless he had dozed off on his chair next to the bed.

After his workday ended Copia would retreat back to his chambers and relieve whichever Ghoul was accompanying Annie that day. After a shower and changing into lounge wear or pajamas he would make himself a light dinner, grab a book and return to Annie's bedside. The rest of his evenings he would either read aloud to her or sing softly as he read to himself, gently holding her hand in his. Anything to make it not so quiet. He'd also hoped she would react to his voice like she did that day.

But no. She continued to lay there as peaceful and beautiful as ever with no outward indication of waking any time soon.

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"I just don't understand it, Cara," Copia sighs to Cumulus as they walk down the empty hall from his office to the refectory to join Lilit for lunch. "It's been weeks. She's almost healed, no? So why does she not wake?"

"It will take time, Copia," she says to him gently as she snuck her arm and his, lightly holding his forearm as they walk. "We've only seen her physical wounds, theorized what she went through. Her physical wounds may be healing, but we can't forget about psychological ones. And those take much longer to heal."

He sighs again and reaches over to pat the top of her hand. "I know, Cara. I however can't help my worries. I was so hopeful when she gripped my hand..."

Cumulus leans her head against his shoulder, careful of her mask's horns, and smiles to herself. "You really care for her, don't you?"

"How can I not? They're under my protection. Their wellbeing is my first priority, no?"

She stops, pulling on his arm to get him to face her. Her eyes lift to meet with his confused ones and he can see her smile reflected in them. "That's not what I mean, and you know it."