Ruinous Creatures

Guarding the body of a recently deceased priest as part of asinine Huntress death rituals is as ridiculous as it is dull, especially when you have the overnight shift.

There aren’t even any histrionic mourners to hustle through as they gawk at his flaccid body, already stinking beneath its jewel-encrusted vestments.

But of course, that’s why I volunteered for this shift. Fewer potential witnesses. Unfortunately, there’s a snag I hadn’t anticipated.

I sit on the shined-up parquet floor of the apse with a sigh that echoes down the cavernous nave. Abundant candlelight, placed for maximum effect rather than efficient lighting, glints off the gilded ceiling and leaded windows, throwing the majority of the main sanctuary into dramatic shadow.