away from the gate. Why didn’t they bother to escape by night? It didn’t matter. They couldn’t outrun God’s judgment. Tera knew God’s judgment could be swift, but she had never really understood what that meant.
She understood now.
People raced past, trying not to touch each other. Rumor said the illness moved by touch and by sicken breath. It made sense. Touch and shared breath were a sure part of debauchery.
But the punishment was too harsh.
“I didn’t mean for this, Holy Father,” Tera whispered. How many times had she said that?
She neared the gate. People moaned. She didn’t have any fears of being fired upon. The soldiers standing in the distance broke their ranks, and one soldier doubled over and retched onto the field. Tera guessed they were used to seeing her habit by now. Her heart thrummed. Part of her wanted to escape and leave the sinners to their fate, but she stayed because that was what a nun did. Sister Grace and Mother Mae had both taught Tera to care for those in need. It was the highest calling and the heaviest chain.
She knelt beside a bearded man. Red blossomed on his chest and red froth bubbled when he tried to speak. She laid her hand on the man’s chest, close to the gaping wound. His gaze pleaded.
She made a sign of the cross. “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name…”
“Amen.” The man’s stare locked onto what Tera hoped was heaven before she finished.
Several men in black clothing pulled a wagon toward the gate, their faces hard. These men also had nothing to fear from the soldiers across the field. Tera could not blame Lord Heim. Some people still thought God’s judgment could be avoided simply by keeping away from afflicted people.
Tera turned away. Why did God have to punish so harshly?
She stopped, and realization dawned on her.
God didn’t only punish the town for its debauchery. No. God punished because the town allowed a servant of hell to walk freely among them. They even welcomed it! Tera hadn’t forgotten how the fox demon had danced at that ball. Tera still didn’t understand why the town bishop had invited her and the Inquisitors, but it did end with Tahd’s capture. All the same, the fox was also invited and welcomed.
That had to be it. God would punish the town as long as the demon walked free. That also meant Tera was partially responsible for the illness. She had failed to capture the fox when she’d had the chance.
Her legs shook under her. The realization made her dizzy. Could she really be the one to blame? Not fully. The blame was the demon. It was the source of God’s displeasure. Only that explained the harshness of his hand.
She had to find the demon and end this.
Evelyn would help, if Tera could find her. The fool woman had disappeared shortly after people took sick. Timothy also didn’t appear as he had said he would. Did Evelyn find him?
Tera turned toward the center of the town. Her footsteps echoed in the empty streets. She needed help. The fox was too strong and crafty for Tera to handle alone. She thumbed the scar on her cheek. She knew that too well. She needed to get the bishop to help.
The church loomed. Buildings stood far back from the tombstones that marked holy ground. A cemetery near the center of the town struck Tera as strange. Normally the dead rested on the outskirts of a village. Tangle grass grew wherever gaps opened in the paving stones. The crowded tombstones and stone vaults resembled the streets Tera had left behind. Beyond the maze of the past, the church’s door stood closed. Tera frowned. Why were the doors closed? People needed access to God, especially now. She crossed the distance, climbed the stone stairs, and rapped the heavy iron knocker.
“You won’t find the bishop here.”
Tera turned, and a bent woman with her gray hair tied in a severe bun held up a wizened hand.
“Is he out helping the people?” Tera asked.
The woman cackled. “Helping the people. A good joke,
She understood now.
People raced past, trying not to touch each other. Rumor said the illness moved by touch and by sicken breath. It made sense. Touch and shared breath were a sure part of debauchery.
But the punishment was too harsh.
“I didn’t mean for this, Holy Father,” Tera whispered. How many times had she said that?
She neared the gate. People moaned. She didn’t have any fears of being fired upon. The soldiers standing in the distance broke their ranks, and one soldier doubled over and retched onto the field. Tera guessed they were used to seeing her habit by now. Her heart thrummed. Part of her wanted to escape and leave the sinners to their fate, but she stayed because that was what a nun did. Sister Grace and Mother Mae had both taught Tera to care for those in need. It was the highest calling and the heaviest chain.
She knelt beside a bearded man. Red blossomed on his chest and red froth bubbled when he tried to speak. She laid her hand on the man’s chest, close to the gaping wound. His gaze pleaded.
She made a sign of the cross. “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name…”
“Amen.” The man’s stare locked onto what Tera hoped was heaven before she finished.
Several men in black clothing pulled a wagon toward the gate, their faces hard. These men also had nothing to fear from the soldiers across the field. Tera could not blame Lord Heim. Some people still thought God’s judgment could be avoided simply by keeping away from afflicted people.
Tera turned away. Why did God have to punish so harshly?
She stopped, and realization dawned on her.
God didn’t only punish the town for its debauchery. No. God punished because the town allowed a servant of hell to walk freely among them. They even welcomed it! Tera hadn’t forgotten how the fox demon had danced at that ball. Tera still didn’t understand why the town bishop had invited her and the Inquisitors, but it did end with Tahd’s capture. All the same, the fox was also invited and welcomed.
That had to be it. God would punish the town as long as the demon walked free. That also meant Tera was partially responsible for the illness. She had failed to capture the fox when she’d had the chance.
Her legs shook under her. The realization made her dizzy. Could she really be the one to blame? Not fully. The blame was the demon. It was the source of God’s displeasure. Only that explained the harshness of his hand.
She had to find the demon and end this.
Evelyn would help, if Tera could find her. The fool woman had disappeared shortly after people took sick. Timothy also didn’t appear as he had said he would. Did Evelyn find him?
Tera turned toward the center of the town. Her footsteps echoed in the empty streets. She needed help. The fox was too strong and crafty for Tera to handle alone. She thumbed the scar on her cheek. She knew that too well. She needed to get the bishop to help.
The church loomed. Buildings stood far back from the tombstones that marked holy ground. A cemetery near the center of the town struck Tera as strange. Normally the dead rested on the outskirts of a village. Tangle grass grew wherever gaps opened in the paving stones. The crowded tombstones and stone vaults resembled the streets Tera had left behind. Beyond the maze of the past, the church’s door stood closed. Tera frowned. Why were the doors closed? People needed access to God, especially now. She crossed the distance, climbed the stone stairs, and rapped the heavy iron knocker.
“You won’t find the bishop here.”
Tera turned, and a bent woman with her gray hair tied in a severe bun held up a wizened hand.
“Is he out helping the people?” Tera asked.
The woman cackled. “Helping the people. A good joke,
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