Later that evening, inside the prisoner wagon, Douglas spoke. “You know they’ll hang you for what you did,” he said to Orion. The night was clear, and the air was cool. “Why are you so eager to rush toward that?”
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQTamrtthdA
Orion stared up at the night sky. “I did what I thought was right. I’m sure I have the Creator’s blessing,” he said, shifting to get comfortable. As he rolled onto his side, he winced in pain.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8XC0nkXzIk
“I don’t think the Creator takes kindly to one of the Church’s priests allowing a heretic to cast spells on him,” Douglas muttered, his anger flaring at the thought. “You’ll be lucky if I don’t tell them.”
He paused for a moment, then added, “I could testify… in your favor. Maybe then you’d escape the hangman’s noose.”
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ211Rv2ffvW
Orion paused. “In return, I speak at your trial—in your favor?” He wanted to see how far Douglas would go.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0pgy99tsxx
Douglas nodded. “If you’re willing to denounce Lucas and his scheme to the council, we can shift the blame to Rhaine. Say it was her idea all along.”
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5NVAhPSkmD
Orion’s voice turned cold. “Lucas was the best of us... and you are the worst. I’d rather face the wrath of the Creator than conspire with a serpent in cloth like you.”
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT6KX4zPHPJ
Douglas snarled. “Blah! Let’s see how brave you are when the noose tightens around your worthless neck.” He slumped against the side of the wagon, sneering. “It’ll be a sight watching you sway at the gallows.”
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWGy5TfkvLf
Orion tried to ignore Douglas’s words. He focused instead on the pain in his leg. The wound throbbed with every heartbeat. In the moonlight, he saw a dark substance on his hand after touching it. “It’s becoming gangrenous,” he whispered. If the infection had truly reached that point, the flesh was already starting to die and rot. He knew then his days were numbered. His eyes drifted toward the night, locking onto the faint flicker of light in Melissa’s window.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ924rnmZZta
Across the way, Melissa and her new housemate, Elle, had settled in her room.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡym4gpZOtVu
“Can you tell me about your parents, Elle?” Melissa asked, her voice soft but determined. She wanted, no, she needed to know more about the mysterious little girl.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKCdFjZBjTB
Elle shrugged. “I don’t know… They were normal people. My father’s name was John. Mom was Sylvia.”
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC7r6quBefS
Melissa took out her Tarot cards and began to shuffle them. As she did, she whispered a silent prayer in her mind, "Reveal the truth." She drew a card and placed it gently on the table. It was the Farmer card. She glanced at Elle. “Do you remember what this card is called?”
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡraAYayTXq4
Elle studied it for a moment. “The Farmer card. It means patience,” she said with a confident nod.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXHDUvJXlYc
Melissa smiled. “You’re right. Patience. Do your work… you cannot rush the harvest.”
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3U0NOjxvkm
Elle tilted her head thoughtfully. “Isn’t that what the Church is doing?”
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7HvFGUfwZA
Melissa blinked, caught off guard. “What do you mean, Elle?”
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡskBq5Wae4Z
“They’re rushing out to Silver Falls,” Elle said. “Are they trying to make the harvest of their work come sooner?”
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbAYv1CXn0J
Melissa studied her, a mix of admiration and concern on her face. “You’re very insightful for a little girl, you know that?”
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKMhqr2emB0
Elle shrugged. “It won’t matter, though,” she said, sitting down beside Melissa.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ63H3rNCz45
Melissa looked at her, concern in her voice. “What do you mean by that? What won’t matter?”
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ649ysxoPWP
Instead of answering, Elle tilted her head. “Why don’t you read another card?” she asked, genuinely curious.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ72lfiRPSQe
Melissa hesitated, keeping her eyes on Elle as she slowly drew another card from the deck. “The reason it won’t matter is…” she began, flipping it over.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtuKXRE3SVv
Elle giggled as the card was revealed.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK2Ch2DS0PQ
Melissa raised an eyebrow and studied it cautiously. “The Jester. The fool of the court. Someone who hides behind a mask—meaning things are not always what they seem.”
Elle’s eyes lit up with recognition. “Tyler! He’s so funny to watch.”
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmfa6oLjZgM
Melissa quietly placed the deck on the table, her expression unreadable. After a brief pause, she spoke softly, “I think there’s more than one person wearing a mask right now.”
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkKFhlky7Lp
Elle blinked. “Who else is wearing a mask, Melissa?”
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH5f2WroyYQ
Melissa chose her words carefully—she didn’t want to upset her. “I think… there might be a little girl who’s feeling scared right now. She’s putting on a brave face, wearing a strong mask. But deep down, she’s hiding something. Isn’t that right, Elle?”
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDkO4UTUe2
Elle shook her head slowly. “I can’t think of anyone. Who do you think it is?”
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdTqwnHUTB0
Melissa took a steady breath. “I think that little girl… is you, Elle. You’re safe here. You can tell me anything.” Her voice was soft, soothing, coaxing.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ew37qCcVg
But Elle suddenly stood up.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5bmf11ltWA
“Elle, don’t go,” Melissa said gently.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsImAyuBkT7
Elle didn’t answer. She lowered her head and walked over to the window. “If I took my mask off…” she began, but her words trailed off as something outside caught her eye. “The wagon and Orion, they’re gone!” she cried, pointing out the window.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhxC8vs1Uim
Melissa rushed to the window, her eyes scanning the street. “Where did they go?” she asked urgently. Elle only shrugged. Without wasting another second, Melissa ran to the front door. Two guards stood firmly in place, blocking her path. “Where is Brother Orion?” she demanded.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX9a0tN2c5a
One of the guards responded calmly, “Brother Orion begged the driver to take him to Trandell. His condition has worsened.” He handed her a folded piece of paper. “He told me to give you this.”
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtblieIxDPW
Still reeling, Melissa took the note and unfolded it with trembling hands. Her eyes moved quickly over the familiar handwriting.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtw2aVVI9qc
Forgive me, Nightingale.
I am not long for this world.
I cannot bear for you to watch me die slowly.
I may not survive the trip, but I need to make sure Douglas pays for what he did.
The dreams have gotten worse.
I won’t burden you with the horrors I’ve seen, but know this—River Hallow is not safe, not with Douglas and me still in it.
Prepare yourself, Nightingale.
Darker days are yet to come…
—Brother Orion
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZD709i7uyB
Melissa tried to push past the guards, but they restrained her with ease.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNJsTyibuqL
“There’s nothing you can do,” one of them said gently. “I’m sorry.”
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIn43UN8a1H
Defeated, Melissa returned to her room with Elle. She knelt to pick up her Tarot cards from the floor, but her hand trembled, and the deck slipped from her fingers. The cards scattered across the floor. Only two remained in her grasp.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHZQLaUBG9p
Elle reached up and took one. “Why is this knight bleeding?” she asked.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDGtVhJ0qwc
Melissa looked at the card. “That’s the card for Betrayal,” she said softly. “The knight trusted someone they shouldn’t have. It means unseen forces are conspiring against you. It’s a warning.”
She paused, unsure whether the warning was meant for Orion… or for her. Then she turned over the second card still in her hand. It was the Farmer. Melissa stared at it for a long moment, then looked at Elle, uncertainty flickering in her eyes. The only thing she could think of was… Patience.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXN2CKsVKHt
---
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgNXAHCFw6s
Jirjin made his way from the tavern to the church. It had been a while since he last stepped inside, but here he was. The doors were locked. With Father Lucas gone, one of the army priests had taken over, and no one was allowed inside after dark. “Because the Creator only cares about you during the daytime, it seems,” he muttered. He tried the doors a few more times, but it was pointless. With a sigh, he followed the path behind the building until he reached the graveyard. “I hate this place,” he said under his breath as he walked among the gravestones.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWjfwfMHaK3
He stopped at a freshly dug grave. “Good evening, Lucas,” he said, nodding at the mound of broken earth. “I suppose you know everything now.” He looked up at the stars, silent for a long moment.
“I hope Alex comes back,” he murmured, lowering himself to the ground. From his coat, he pulled out a bottle, yanking the cork out with his teeth. “Here’s to you, Lucas. Thanks for giving us a chance,” he said, raising the bottle in a solemn toast.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeAcMcYqlDk
He took a long, burning gulp. “I hope it wasn’t wasted.”
ns216.73.216.94da2
