Chapter 25
Chapter Twenty-Five
FALSE PROPHETS
As bees buzzed around my head, they mirrored the contemplations zigzagging through my mind. My gaze absently landed on an empty plot and pile of dirt in the far corner of the garden. “What are you planting over there?”
Veilentine glanced over her shoulder. “Whatever is mint to be.”
I huffed a laugh, still biting my tongue in contemplation, eyeing the grotesque spiked fence.
Staring over at the dirt pile, Reverend Mother seemed lost in thought. “You know, I’ve been thinking a lot of my late husband, Bishop Killian, lately.”
“That’s understandable,” I replied, baffled by the pathway of Reverend Mother’s conversation today. Was she sharing with me? Not scolding, not teaching, simply talking.
“Why would that be understandable?” she asked with a slight edge.
I furrowed my brow. “Well, because of Iris, sort of, losing her husband. I mean, I hope he’s found but… you never know.” I shook my head, knowing I sounded like a nervous idiot. “Sorry, that’s probably insensitive or not the proper thing to say. I am sorry about your husband.”
“Oh,” Veilentine waved her hand. “I’m not.
Don’t mistake my reminiscing for nostalgia.
Bishop Killian was an odious fellow. God, every now and again I believe I catch a whiff of his foul odor.
Sweat and altar wine.” She shivered. “It was a great relief when he passed, though yes, that’s a horrid thing to say.
I only married the man because I was forced to.
You see, where I’m from, women are married off in sort of a divine order of the clergy.
Lady of Sorrows was the name of my home church…
women weren’t allowed to speak there, nuns taking mandatory vows of silence in service of the ministry.
” She looked towards the woods. “I daydreamed about running into the forest and never returning… instead, I fell into god’s word. The bible was my escape.”
“I didn’t know any of that… I’m sorry. I’m learning that most all churches are not like ours here at Lost Souls.
” The enigma of my Reverend Mother clicked a bit more into place then.
I’d never imagined her as a girl married off unwillingly, not allowed to speak, a girl who dreamt of running away…
her only sanctum the words of ancient texts.
“Is that why when he died you became a prioress?”
Veilentine picked a leaf from a trailing vine.
“No, that just sort of happened. I am grateful to god for where I’ve ended up…
though I’m not confident I make much of a difference sometimes.
It seems a lot of tired prayers whispered continuously over the same bodies, day after day, week after week.
What good is a holy woman hidden in the moors? ”
“You’ve made a difference for me,” I said instantly, and I meant it. “And I know for Sister Delilyx and Sister Pandorian, too. We weren’t… you know… suited for our old convents.”
Veilentine gave a polite smile. “Well, that is nice to hear. Thank you. You three are a joy to guide… most days.”
I chuckled at that, still fixating on the crude and sharp fence surrounding us. After a thoughtful pause, I said, “I think if I’m a crow, then Lilith is a rabbit.”
Veilentine arched a brow. “Riddles of your own now?”
I shook my head. “She seems frightened to me… of what, I’m not sure, but her trepidation began long before Archie Maison went missing.”
“Perhaps you’re right. However, a false prophet is still a false prophet. A wolf in sheep’s clothing remains a wolf even after lying with lambs.”
My cheeks flushed at what could have been construed as a double meaning. “If you’re right… what happens then? What will you do to her?”
Reverend Mother reached forward, cupping my jaw. “Any rotten fruit must be plucked and discarded nary it ruin the bunch.”
I swallowed, suspecting she’d say as much.
“I trust your Sisters in Christ informed you of the arrangements for tonight’s community meal?”
I nodded. “Yes, they did.”
“You should go and begin setting up the chairs.”
Agreeing, and also already knowing I’d be stuck on chair-hauling duty, I turned on my heel, dodging the erratic path of bees as I did so.
“Oh, and Sister Jezebella?”
I stopped in my tracks at the spiked garden gate, wiping the sweat from my palms at my sides. “Yes, Reverend Mother?”
“Once dinner is served, meet me in my office. I trust you know how to find it at all hours, even well past midnight, isn’t that right?”
My throat constricted with the sinking knowledge that she’d seen me the night before… she’d known I’d been listening.
And that night, I’d be punished by my prioress.
Despite the time, arm strength, and back and forth trips to the church basement for mismatched chairs, the evening’s community meal looked lovely.
Delilyx harvested wild butterweed from the fields and dressed the long table down its center.
Sister Pandorian lit several extra prayer candles and assigned every seat a burlap place setting.
For throwing it together the day of, and moving it outside instead of on pews inside, it was a gorgeous setup to behold as the sun washed the stone church and gloomy town in deep purple and reddish orange.
Townspeople gathered, talking and breaking bread from the plentiful baskets we’d provided. Miss Honey brought a basket of her blessed scones, and with some convincing, a few parishioners even gave them a try and were pleasantly surprised.
Lilith had appeared at some point, placing dishes of pot roast and trays of vegetables on the table.
Yet I found ways to dodge interactions or be too close to her.
When she floated to my side of the table, I’d spin and begin a conversation with another parishioner.
At one moment, she made eye contact with me and opened her mouth to speak and I pretended to forget a pitcher of water and spun to fetch it from the kitchen.
It wasn’t the most mature response, but at the present moment, I had no response.
I had no idea what to do. While I found myself slowly questioning everything Lilith had ever said to me, combined with the letter and drawings I discovered, it was clear she’d not been wholly forthright.
Yet, had I been with her? Had any of us been upfront with any of our Sisters in Christ when we first arrived here?
I’d only recently uncovered small details about my sisters and their pasts.
I’d only just stumbled upon them being intimate, and they’d only just trusted me with being open with their affections.
Until I’d asked, I’d not known Reverend Mother had been married before becoming a prioress. My sisters didn’t even know my full story; I’d only told Lilith, and Reverend Mother knew from my last convent’s report to her.
Was the fact that Lilith may have secrets to hide really that bad of thing? Didn’t we all?
Yet… our secrets weren’t ones to damn The Altar Church of Lost Souls.
We weren’t aiming, as Reverend Mother alleged of Lilith, to bring a judgmental eye to our door.
Father Benedict sounded worried about Silent Damnation’s bishop and vicar and the report he had to give…
it sounded as if Lilith’s home church had more power within our religion than I’d been privy to.
If she were plotting to bring ill will upon us, or dismantle the safe haven we’d cultivated at Lost Souls… I wasn’t sure I could forgive that.
I rounded the kitchen, holding two glass pitchers of water, when a golden vision appeared, bumping into me. Lilith crossed her arms. “You’re avoiding me.”
“You nearly made me drop these.”
“Why? Why are you avoiding me? I wanted to show you this.” She peeled back her collar, revealing a red heart stitched in. Apparently, Delilyx liked her now and had given her a hidden token of that affection.
“This water is really very heavy, and you know Sister Pandorian and Sister Delilyx won’t fetch it, so I must.” I swerved past her into the sanctum of civilization.
She couldn’t accost me if I stayed around the general public.
Though, by her crossed arms and foot tapping on the porch step, it seemed as if she were greatly considering it.
The whole scene would have been cute had I been confident if I could trust her or not.
As I spared a glance at Lilith, who was blatantly staring at me from the front steps, an arm wrapped around mine. “Sister, how are you?”
Pulling my gaze from the angry angel, I found Iris holding my elbow. “Hello, Miss Maison, I’m well. How are you holding up?”
“We pray every day for Archie Senior’s safe return.
” Though her face was downcast, I couldn’t help but notice the color in her face was a shade brighter.
Maybe it was the extra sleep, what with Lilith’s assistance with the baby, or maybe it was the absence of one large, drunken man from her life.
Regardless, it was a comfort to see her looking well and rested.
When I glanced up, Lilith’s cheeks were red, and she looked as if she were positively fuming at my innocent exchange with Iris. I huffed a small laugh. Was perfect nun Sister Lilith jealous?
As folks ate, talked, some laughing, it felt for a moment like our town was back to normal after the incident of the missing Mr. Maison. The sight warmed my heart, and I silently felt gratitude that Reverend Mother moved the dinner outside.
“This community meal is a sensation,” Sister Delilyx said, clasping her hands together. “Don’t you think so, Pandy?”
Sister Pandorian took a bite of a buttered roll. “I have to give it to her, Reverend Mother Veilentine was right. It’s what Howl Moor needed.”
“Speaking of…” I looked around. “Where is she?”
“She went inside a few minutes ago. Said she had a meeting or something. Maybe it’s with Father Benedict. Odd that he’s not here, is it not?”
“I hadn’t noticed,” I said honestly. “Though my soul is dirty, or whatever.”