The Witches Image

Chapter 5

Warmth enveloped me. Sighing, I buried my face in the lavender-scented pillow. A sharp pain immediately shot through my temples. Groaning, I opened my eyes. Where had I been? The memory of the ritual hit me with full force. What had happened?

Slowly, my eyes adjusted to the darkness, broken by the moonlight streaming through the window. Beds lined the opposite side of the room, just as they did on my side. Separated only by a screen of cloth. So here I was in the infirmary. A deep sigh next to me startled me.

Copia was sitting in a wing chair next to my bed, his eyes closed and his head leaning against the side of the chair. His chest rose and fell steadily. The robe he wore for the ritual lay carefully folded beside him.

What was he doing here? Had he been sitting here all this time? I raised my hand and felt a tugging sensation on the back of my hand. There was a needle with a bandage on it, a thin tube leading to an IV hanging above me. My head was throbbing like I had the worst hangover of my life. With a glance at Copia, I sank back into the pillow. I looked at his face, so peaceful in the moonlight. The black contours of his makeup were a little blurred. The unbuttoned shirt revealed a rosary. The upside-down cross was emblazoned on his hairy chest. What a handsome man, I thought as I drifted back into a restless sleep.

Lilith stood before me...her eyes glowing red...repeating the same words over and over...ita sit...ita sit...ita sit...ita sit.... "Suddenly Copia was standing beside her...he put his arm around her waist and pulled her towards him...his free hand went around her neck and her face turned towards him...their lips met...jealousy rose in me and I clenched my hands into fists...as I looked into my own eyes....a scream came out of my throat....

"Sorella Lia!" I jumped and looked into Copia's mismatched eyes. He held my face with both hands and stroked my cheek with his thumbs. The leather was cool against my fevered skin.

His voice was more like a whisper, soft yet dark. My heart pounded against my chest, my breath came in gasps as if I'd run a marathon. Copia had turned on the small lamp on the nightstand. I squinted against the glare. His gaze was restless. Searching my gaze.

"It was just a dream...!" He gently wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes, his voice soothing. "Just a dream!" My eyes met his, his hands still on my temples, forcing me to look at him.

"You're in the infirmary, Sorella! You had... uh... fainted after you signed the book!" his eyes searched my face, looking for any sign that I remembered what had happened. But there was only darkness and glowing red eyes.

"You scared us all to death!" A gentle smile played around his lips, the look almost affectionate. I swallowed hard.

"I'm sorry!" my voice was hoarse, every word scratchy and uncomfortable.

"Shh... You have to save your voice, Sorella! Here, drink!" He let go of me and I immediately felt the loss of his touch. As soon as it was gone, I longed for it. Groaning, I sat up. He handed me a glass of water, the coolness good for my throat. It brought brief relief.

"Very good," he said and took the glass from me. I cleared my throat.

"What happened?" I asked, slowly sinking back into the pillows. Copia sighed and sat down on the edge of my bed. There was a hesitation in his gaze, as if he was searching for words. Words for what he had seen. What had happened to me.

"Uhh...well...uhh...like I said, you suddenly fainted...hit your head. You'll get an enormous lump," he grinned. I immediately realized that wasn't all. There was something he wasn't telling me, something he didn't want to tell me. Something that even he seemed to be confused about. Hot tears streamed down my face. I couldn't help it, I was ashamed, infinitely angry that I didn't seem to be able to end anything sensibly. Those dreams that had haunted me again. The whole monastery must have thought I was a freak by now.

"Non piangere, Sorella!" he whispered in Italian, taking my free hand in his. His thumb stroked the back of my hand reassuringly. "Everything will be fine, si? This happens sometimes... it was all a bit too much for you... You need to rest. Sleep. I'll stay here... Mi prenderò cura di te!".

"But you don't ...!" Before I could finish my sentence, he interrupted me with a raised forefinger.

"No discussion... I'm staying here until you fall asleep, si?" He sat down in the chair with a sigh, his eyes fixed on me. His mouth curved into a smile that didn't reach his eyes. They were full of worry. He turned off the light and all I could see was his silhouette. The lines of his face, still facing me.

"Thank you," I whispered, closing my eyes.

"Buona notte... amore mio!", his voice was more of a whisper, the last words more mumbled to himself, but I had understood him.

Copia POV

Her eyes still shone in the darkness. He couldn't take his eyes off her.

"Thank you," she whispered before closing her eyes. It touched his heart.

"Buano notte...amore mio!" he said softly. ...amore mio... these words left his lips without him being able to do anything about it. He immediately felt bad. What was wrong with him? He hardly knew this woman and yet she had fascinated him from the first moment. Copia had sensed that she was something special. And he knew that he wasn't the only one who had noticed it. Even Sister Imperator had noticed. No one was transferred to another convent just like that. At least not that easily. And the fact that Sister Imperator had put her under his supervision confused him even more. She never did anything without a reason, she was up to something, he was sure of it. This was only confirmed by what had happened at the ritual tonight.

Lia had looked like an angel, beautiful, her long hair flowing around her shoulders, her green eyes looking at him so willingly, her red mouth opening so willingly for the host. Sighing, he turned his eyes away from her and ran a hand through his hair, letting an unruly strand fall to his forehead.

He closed his eyes and immediately saw her eyes again after she had signed the book. First, distorted with pain, a sharp scream that made his blood run cold. Then the eyes wide open, staring into space. Her head tilted back and a shadow flashed across her face. The terrified screams and cries of the guests echoed through the chapel. Her arms tensed and she began to shake. For a brief moment, he had imagined that she was floating. Which was impossible ... Wasn't it? ... Lucifer's power was infinite ... flickering candles ... a loud scream ... and she fell. She collapsed like a doll. Her eyes twisted ... so that they seemed only white. He had dropped the book and tried to catch her ... but she slipped from his grasp and landed on the floor with a thud ... screams echoed through the chapel, excited voices mingled as he knelt beside her and laid her head on his lap.

"No! Stronzo!" cried Terzo, who had reached her first. "Don't move her! Somebody call the ghouls, we need a stretcher!" Terzo put a hand on her forehead as she still trembled under his touch.

Sister Madison stood beside them with tears in her eyes. She looked anxiously at her friend, who was twitching and shaking. And he was no different. He had caressed her cheek, spoken to her, called her name. But she hadn't reacted. Terzo had given him that look. That look that left no doubt that he had recognized it. She wasn't just any sister for Copia. And that after such a short time.

Sister Imperator had had her hands full escorting the troubled crowd out of the chapel. The ghouls arrived, Lia was carefully placed on the stretcher and carried out of the chapel. Copia was always by her side. Even when the nurses tended to her in the infirmary, he could not leave her side. He felt responsible for her.

"Fratello!" Terzo had stepped to his side and put a hand on his shoulder. "Come, we must let the nurses do their work!" But he had refused. Which Terzo had only acknowledged with a worried look and a nod.

Copia had stayed with her the whole time, until the nurses had done their work and Sister Lia was stable again. No one could explain what had happened. But everyone had a vague idea of what it might have been. Which worried Copia even more. He had insisted on staying with Lia. He didn't care what the others thought, he had the responsibility and he carried it.

And so he sat in the darkness, the sound of Lia's steady breathing in his ear.