The Assumption (The Hypothesis of Giants Series, Book One)

Chapter 14: The Oubliette

Aurora awoke to find herself in her bed in the Sanctuary. The events of the night before played over and over again in her mind like a nightmare. She turned to see that she was alone in the room. She got up and opened the door. Nobody was there, and she dreaded the worst. Why didn't anyone wake her up? Unless Boreas didn't make it.

She ran down the hall and to the Sacristy. She nearly ran smack into Eileen, who was carrying the breakfast tray.

"Eileen! Where is he? Is he...?"

"He's alive! I thought someone had told you by now!"

Aurora didn't let her finish. She threw her arms around her friend and hugged her so tight that she dropped the breakfast tray onto the floor.

"Where is he? Is Otus with him? I need to go to him."

Eileen showed her the way to another chamber that they hadn't been allowed access the day before. She didn't bother to knock and opened the door wildly, stepping forth into a grand bedroom with bookshelves lining each of the four walls. There was an open ceiling letting in an ominous blue-gray light and there were candles lit on each of the four walls. A large canopied bed stood at the center of the room, and there sleeping on the bed with a thick bandage around his neck was Boreas. Otus was standing over him, bending down slightly and holding his hand tenderly. Mrs. Xiomy was busy talking to the doctor in the corner. His features she hadn't cared to notice the night before, but he was an attractive man with a mustache and thick graying brown hair. He wore glasses with small clear lenses and was writing something vigorously on a pad of paper. Fawn was nowhere to be found.

She ran to the bedside and Otus put his hand up to indicate a whisper. "He's asleep, but he's a fighter this one. I told you my first impression was right. The doctor said he'll make a full recovery."

"He shouldn't be moved until tomorrow," The doctor added ripping a sheet of paper from the pad and handing it to Mrs. Xiomy. "He's lost a lot of blood, and rest is the best thing for him now."

Aurora sat on the edge of the bed and gazed down at Boreas, who was asleep, cleaned up from the night before. She continued to experience flashbacks of him bleeding to death in his mother's arms.

"I am glad he's okay," she said, finding the words hard to say as she took his hand in her own.

The doctor exited, and Mrs. Xiomy thanked him again for all that he did. When the door had closed shut behind them, Aurora turned to Otus and angrily snapped, "Why didn't you wake me up?"

Otus continued to hold Boreas's hand. "You had a rough night too. I thought it best that you sleep. There was nothing else you could have done. I carried you back to your room once I heard the doctor's report."

"Yeah, you still should have woken me when I was in the Sacristy."

"Praying?" Mrs. Xiomy said putting her hand on her shoulder.

Aurora fumbled with her shirt sleeves, annoyed she had gotten caught. "Figured it did no harm to try."

"Which god did you pray to?"

"The one that would help Boreas." She obstinately clenched Boreas's hand a little tighter, afraid that he would slip away from her again, like he nearly did the night before.

Suddenly his eyes flickered open and adjusted to the light trying to make sense as to where he was. He opened his mouth and tried to speak, but Mrs. Xiomy stopped him, "Don't try to speak. It will take a few days for the wound to heal. But you're going to be okay. We're all here."

His eyes perused over them from face to face until he stopped on Aurora and didn't take them off her. He took her palm in his hand and using his fingernail, gently wrote the words I'm sorry against her skin.