Bloody Angel: Book 3

The Fifth Day

Rain stayed with Cumulus that night, and the next morning she was deemed well enough to be released from the Infirmary to go back to the Dens. She had to take it easy, though, and ghoul or not she couldn’t lift anything or stress herself for a few weeks until she was well and fully healed. The others doted on her, making sure she was comfortable and cared for but also knew when to back off and let her have some space. She was used to caring for others, not having them fuss over her like they were now. She appreciated it, though. It reminded her of how much the pack loved her, and how much she loved each of them. Her family. Even Copia made a trip down to the dens to sit and spend some time with her that afternoon after lunch during which Mountain and Lilit came down again. They compared stories of what they had been told of the events, her explaining what had happened for her to be hurt in such a way and he told her what he had remembered. He left after giving her a lingering kiss to her forehead, taking the moment to thank Satan for not taking her from him before making his way back up to his rooms.
 

Imperator was hounding him for a meeting, but he couldn’t be bothered right now. Something had started eating at the back of his head when he was visiting with Cumulus and now he wanted nothing more than to get back to Annie. There was nothing more to say to Imperator anyways, nothing more to add to what Aether had already told her and if she wanted to see him that bad she knew where his rooms were. That woman knew damn near everything within these walls. And, it seemed, she knew he was out visiting the ghouls because once he reached the main floor he had to cross to get to the proper stairs to continue up to his rooms she came marching towards him from the other end of the hall, her heels clacking loudly on the tiles.

“Cardinal!”

Copia flinched slightly and let out a mumbled slew of cusses in Italian before schooling his face into something proper, standing a little straighter as she neared even though he fought with his own urge to keep going, to get back to Annie.

“Hello, Sister. How are you doing today?”

Imperator gave a pinched expression before she narrowed her eyes. “You have been avoiding me. I demand to know why!”

“I, like my ghouls, am recovering from an attack. None of us got out of it unscathed, and one of us almost didn’t make it back at all.”

Imperator blinked at that, her expression falling although her eyes remained narrow. “I know your ghouls got injured. It’s part of their job. It’s why they’re here, and they did it well since you didn’t get hurt.”

It was Copia’s turn to blink at her. He didn’t know what Aether had told her but she was clearly misinformed. “I did get hurt, Sister. Greatly, according to Aether. Why do you think I was asleep for four days?”

“But that ghoul said…”

“I do not know what he may have told you, but I trust it wasn’t to deceive you. Perhaps he told you otherwise so rumors would not spread? You know how the siblings talk. Or perhaps he did not know if I wanted it known. I cannot say.” Copia watches her as her eyes flick over him, worry shining in them. It was an unusual emotion to see on her, always so strong and unaffected by things otherwise. He already wanted this conversation to be over. He had to go. “Besides. I figured your attention would be on Papa.”

“He is doing fine, the stubborn old goat,” she scoffs and waves a hand dismissively, shifting to rest her weight more on one leg as her arms fold over her chest. “It was you I was worried about, and we have much to discuss in the aftermath of these events. Your absence was clearly noted and Thomas was sure to voice himself on the matter.”

Copia bristled at that. Of course Thomas would make something out of it. That man could never leave anything alone. Though, the fact Imperator openly admitted she was worried about him? He knew she had a hidden fondness for him, for whatever reason, but that was still a shock to hear her openly admit that. As shocking as it was, he had to go. That pull, the urge was getting stronger.