The storm had died down a little, but the rain continued to fall. Thunder and lightning only showed themselves once in a while, and the wind was pretty much gone completely.

A lull, as the sailors called it.

And this little church was just as quiet.

The pew I sat on creaked a little as I shifted, stretching my shoulder and upper back. For some reason I felt stiff.

Rapti was cleaning the small stone cross of her god. As she wiped it, I could tell there was no real point to. It was free of dust... most likely because she cleaned it often. It probably got cleaned multiple times a day by multiple people.

Yet as repetitive and useless it seemed... Rapti was focused dearly on it. As if the large stone cross that was nearly her size in height, was precious.

Rapti and I were the only ones in the church at the moment. A few other women had been here earlier, but had left to the other church. The large one situated behind this one... or rather, technically, I guess this was the one behind the real one.

That one was probably busy. Around this time should be first sermon of the day. I knew soon I’d hear hymns and a choir as people sang their songs of praise.

“I’m surprised they haven’t torn this place down yet. Or turned it into something else,” I said.

“They will someday,” Rapti said as she focused on a spot.

Luckily she’d be okay with that.

Rapti’s devotion was flawless. To the point that even the members of our society who hated the church, like Lilly, respected her. They might not like her faith, but they liked her as a person.

Yet for as strong as her faith... she was also a realist. She’d cry and weep, as she had done when she had learned of Crane and the rest, but the next day would be standing strong... returning to her daily duties.

It was funny that she was so similar to Lilly, even if the exact opposite.

“She’s a good person, you know,” Rapti then said.

“Who?” I asked. Lilly? Had I said her name out loud?

“Renn,” Rapti said with a huff, obviously upset that I couldn’t tell whom she was speaking of.

“Oh,” I sighed and sat back, making the wooden pew creak in annoyance.

“It’s very rare for such a predator to have such emotions. Yet... that can also be dangerous too,” Rapti said.

“You’re telling me,” I said.

I had told Rapti of what had occurred at Ruvindale... but I didn’t tell her how easily it could have gone so much worse. And most of the ways that would have happened would have been because of Renn.

One wrong move. One wrong word...

“What will you do with her? Take her to Lilly?” Rapti asked as she stretched to wipe off the top of the cross.

“No,” I said.

Lilly would ruin her.

“That’s good. I’m glad you’ve thought about it enough to realize that would be a mistake,” Rapti said with relief.

“Why would it be a mistake, in your eyes?” I asked.

Rapti paused and glanced at me, and I didn’t care much for the look in her eyes.

She found my question ridiculously out of character, and it showed.

“Lilly would utilize that girl’s emotions and turn her into a warrior,” she said plainly.

“What’s wrong with being a warrior?” I asked her.

“We’re not meant to kill our brethren, Vim.”

I sighed but chose not to argue at that.

She didn’t mean our kind, but all kinds.

She saw us and humans as one.

In a way that was a good thing.

Yet in others...

“So what do you think I should do with her then?” I asked her.

“The Cathedral would be the best choice for now. Let Mother Sight talk to her first,” Rapti said confidently.

I groaned, but knew it was the truth.

After all it had been my plan too.

Keep an eye on her long enough to ensure she really wasn’t a threat, then let that old woman decide her fate.

Made it easy for me. At least, it was supposed to.

Rapti giggled, bringing my focus back to her. “What?” I asked her odd smile.

“I like to see you worry. It helps remind me even one such as you is still within the realm of normalcy. I like to see it,” she said.

“Great. I’m glad I seem more normal the more I stress,” I said.

Rapti smiled but said nothing as she finished up her wiping of the cross. With a small gesture she made a small prayer, and then stepped away from it as she folded up her towel.

Putting the towel down Rapti walked over to stand before me. She wore her actual robe today, and it fit her. She looked... content, dressed in the religious garb, while in this religious house.

Most of our kind would be anything but.

“I’m glad you’re doing well Rapti,” I said.

“As much as I can be,” she whispered.

“Is there anything I can do for you before I leave?” I asked her.

She slowly shook her head, smiling all the while.

“You sure? No more busybody nobles sneaking around or anything?” I asked.

Rapti’s smile softened as she quickly shook her head. “No. Thank goodness!”

I wanted to tease her about it, but knew better than to do so.

She had genuinely been stressed over that man. To the point she had sent an actual letter asking for help.

When I had seen that letter, and who had written it, I had panicked... but it was also a relief.

I was glad that even someone like her, who held such pious beliefs, was willing to reach out for help when it was needed.

After all I was...

“May I ask you something, Vim?” Rapti then asked.

“Of course you can.”

“I fear your answer, however,” she whispered.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“Why’s that?”

“Because of where we are,” she said.

Ah... I glanced at the cross she had just wiped down.

Yes. A place where one was not supposed to lie, no matter what.

“Well?” I asked her.

She blinked, and then nodded... as if to steady herself. “I wish to know if the Monarchs are angels,” she then said.

For a long moment I stared at the woman, who was not a human... yet dressed and looked like one. Who believed in a human religion, and devoted herself to it too.

Rapti gulped as I studied her, and I wondered how long she has been brooding such a query.

Probably years.

“Monarchs were created by your gods, Rapti,” I said to her.

Her breath caught, and her hands quickly clenched together. I half expected her to fall to her knees in prayer.

Raising my hand to stop her from her next question, I nodded. “Yet that does not mean they’re angels. What kind of angel would slaughter their creator’s children? After all they don’t just hunt our kind, they hunt anything that lives. Humans and animals alike,” I said.

“Then why were they created?” she asked with a hush.

“Who’s to know?” I asked back.

Rapti didn’t like that answer, but I nodded all the same as to further mean it.

“But... but the Monarchs... Why then do they look...” she glanced at a nearby statue. One carved into the stone pillar that held up a part of the roof.

The three headed creature was undoubtedly a reference to some kind of being in their holy scripture. Which probably only further confused her, since it also resembled the last Monarch I had killed.

That meant Oplar had described it well.

“Evils are evils Rapti. Humans over the years have seen those creatures. From up close and from afar. They get told about to others, depicted and shared. Over time they become the faces of evil or judgment, for many religions,” I explained.

I was careful in what I said, but not because I feared lying in this house of her gods. Rather, I feared saying something that would tarnish her pure devotion. I might not agree with her beliefs, or the humans in general, but I did like the morals and codes it taught and instilled in people. Plus, I was a firm believer in free-will. And religion was the epitome of that belief.

One could not be free and at the same time not be allowed to believe what they wanted to.

Rapti’s hands clasped together tighter, and I hoped I’d not given her a wrong answer.

It wasn’t entirely wrong after all. Although a little stretched.

After all none of the Monarchs had been created by her gods.

Her gods were all dead.

Killed by those very Monarchs.

“You know full well that nothing is born evil Rapti,” I added.

She nodded. “Indeed. So... were the Monarchs corrupted then? By who? By what?” she asked.

“Ever the philosopher,” I said.

Rapti didn’t like that comment. She glared at me for a moment before remembering she was in the house of her gods. A serene smile replaced that glare quickly... and oddly, I knew it was a real one. Not forced at all.

Wish I could do that.

“I’ll have a book sent to you. That tells a little of the Monarchs, and their... origins,” I said, and realized I had just promised something a little outrageous.

“Really?” she stepped forward, excited.

I nodded, since I knew there was no way out of it. Why did I just promise such a thing? Was I tired?

“I’ll send it from the Cathedral. I’ll expect it back, so just give it back to me when I return,” I said.

“Oh! Thank you Vim... really...” Rapti closed her eyes and made a small prayer in thanks, which made me feel awkward.

She wasn’t praying to me of course, but it still felt weird.

Slowly standing, I sighed and nodded. “Let’s go check on the headache,” I said.

“She’s anything but, Vim. Really. She had gone to cleaning before I had even awoken this morning, how could you say such a thing about her?” Rapti asked as she hurried to follow me out of the church.

“I can say whatever I want. When she’s crying you can just wrap her in your arms and cry with her, but what am I supposed to do?” I asked her.

“Hold her as I had done? Who knows maybe you’ll actually shed a tear or two too, I bet you could do it if you tried,” Rapti said.

Sure I could.

I shook my head as we left, and ventured into the church’s grounds. There were covered paths that connected the buildings around us, and a large open garden situated on both sides of the pass.

The light rain was what probably kept it so empty. Usually these gardens were a little busy. With people, or children, running around. Especially around this time of day. Odds were they’d be offering some kind of lunch soon too, which would draw more in.

Beggars and wealthy alike ate for free here. It wasn’t uncommon to see the very merchants who owned entire fleets of boats getting their share, standing right next to the homeless.

“I have noticed you glaring at her. Is that why? Do you dislike her?” Rapti asked as we walked.

I had been glaring at Renn?

“Not entirely,” I said honestly. It wasn’t hate... or dislike... I just...

“Please be kind to her. She seems frail,” Rapti said with a whisper, as if saying something that was a secret.

“Frail?” I asked her.

She had been crying a lot lately, and getting... emotional... but frail?

Definitely not. A few times she had been nearly ready to pounce and attack even me.

“She’s endured heartbreak, and recently,” Rapti nodded, confident in her assessment of the women.

Well... that was correct.

I hadn’t told Rapti that Renn blamed herself for the events at Ruvindale... and hopefully Renn wouldn’t either. But I knew in time the Society would hear of it. Lilly and the rest knew, as did Trixalla and the rest there.

And it was the truth after all. No one would probably outright blame her for the end result... but everyone would know and recognize that she showed up, and then something bad happened shortly after.

Hopefully she found a way to earn her place in the Society before then.

“You’re acting as if I’m some heartless prick or something,” I said.

“You are... sometimes...” Rapti sounded odd, as if she was afraid to admit it aloud.

“Hmph.” I huffed as we headed to the main church’s hall. The closer we got I could hear the priest, his voice echoing all over.

They sure did know how to build these things in such a way to make sure everyone could hear the word of their clerics.

Rapti followed in silence as we passed another pair of nuns. They both were walking with bowed heads, most likely in prayer, so didn’t notice us. Or rather didn’t care enough to notice us.

Finding a main door to the church’s nave, I wasn’t too surprised to find that most of the seats were full.

“Let the word of our Lords dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to our creators,” the priest was preaching well, and he had the full attention of nearly everyone present.

Or well... everyone but one.

Finding her was easy. She didn’t wear the hat she usually wore, but instead a cloth piece that Rapti had given her. Yet, even though she now looked like any other woman in this church... somehow I found her with ease. She sat alone in one of the last few rows.

Maybe it was the way she sat. A little straight, yet hunched... Or maybe it was her expression. That strange focus, full of wonder yet worry.

I stepped far enough into the nave to be inside, yet not so far that anyone would really notice me. Stepping up to a nearby section of a pillar, I went and lightly tapped on it with my knuckle.

There was no way anyone heard me knocking, especially as the priest raised his voice to initiate a new song to be sung by the choir... but I wasn’t knocking for them.

Renn turned her head right after my fourth knock, and she blinked and smiled at the sight of us.

“Look at that,” Rapti whispered, finding joy in Renn’s simple happiness as she stood from her seat.

Since Renn knew where we were, I stepped out of the church. Back outside, where the rain was a tad bit louder than the song being sung.

“I’m going to walk around and check the city. Would you like to come with us?” I asked Rapti before Renn reached us.

“No. I shall finish my duties here. I’ll meet you back at home later,” Rapti said.

“It’s loud but there’re some real good singers here,” Renn approached us with a happy skip, as if she was a young child.

“Sister Norbilla is a phenomenal singer. Her hymns will bring you tears,” Rapti said with a nod.

“We’ll see you later Rapti,” I said, trying my best to end the conversation before it became serious.

Renn looked at Rapti with a sad face, losing most if not all of her earlier happiness. “We’re leaving already?” she asked, worried.

“Oh, no! Vim simply wishes to examine the city. I’ll see you later tonight, unless you’d prefer to stay here with me,” Rapti said quickly.

For the tiniest moment I expected Renn to say yes, which worried me. Was Renn that interested in their religion? Surely not...

“We’re going to check the city?” she asked me.

I nodded.

Renn nodded quickly, and I realized that I probably shouldn’t have invited her... maybe she mistook this conversation as me asking her to help me.

Which meant she might be seeing this as me approving of her foolish idea and...

“It was lovely Rapti. But to be honest it’s... a little loud. I think I’ll leave before it starts to hurt,” Renn said.

“Ah, I forgot. Of course. I shall see the two of you later then,” Rapti nodded with a smile, but somehow that smile was... Was that a smirk? What was she thinking? Especially since Renn seemed very genuine in her statement. And who would doubt her? Rapti had seen her ears. Or rather, her real ones.

There was no doubt that it was loud to her.

Rapti bowed to the two of us, and then turned to leave. Instead of re-entering the nave she chose to head back down the path we had come from. Maybe back to that smaller church we had just been in.

“Ready?” I asked Renn after a moment.

She nodded quickly.

With a sigh I nodded and gestured for her to accompany me. First... I needed to find an umbrella for her.

It was still raining after all, and Rapti would not appreciate me letting her get soaked again.