Sister Cross’ eyes narrowed ever so slightly while the rest of her face remained impassive.
The two glared at each other until a light cough drew their attentions.
“I thought the Elysium Order wasn’t allowed on campus anymore,” Shelby all but whispered.
“Funny thing about rules like that,” Eva said before the nun could open her mouth. “They’re often ignored by people willing to murder children.”
“Quite so,
“Who would even know without your slavering watchdog hanging over my shoulder?”
Sister Cross’ face cracked again. This time rage flowed through. She took a step forward; everyone save Eva and Shalise took a step backwards.
“Don’t speak about her that way. Sister Stirling may have been young, stupid, vaguely insubordinate, and stupid, but she was a good woman. She doesn’t deserve whatever fate she’s met.”
A small humming noise escaped Eva’s throat.
In an effort to defuse the irate nun, Shalise spoke up. “You haven’t found her then?”
Sister Cross sighed and looked back down at the ground. The same expression she wore into the building appeared on her face. With a shake of her head and a soft smile, she looked up at Shalise.
“Her blood was released from the vault to be examined by a senior augur. There hasn’t been any sign of her yet, not even a body. I’m not sure how much more time headquarters is willing to use on their augurs.”
Shalise stepped forwards and felt Eva’s arm fall off of her shoulder. She took the nun into her own embrace for a quick hug. “I’m sure you’ll find her.”
“We’ll keep looking, but I’m being pressured to exalt a sister to be Charon’s newest augur. With everything that has been going on, there just hasn’t been time.” Sister Cross heaved a great sigh.
Shalise wasn’t sure how old Sister Cross was. She guessed somewhere in the late thirties to early forties. Having seen nothing but an oval of skin on her face made it difficult to get a better guess.
The sigh she sighed seemed to turn her from an early forty-year old all the way to her sixties. Pure exhaustion set into her face as her eyes drifted back to the floor.
And the moment was gone. Sister Cross’ face hardened as she looked over the group.
“What are you doing here?” Jordan asked. A cocky grin spread across his face as he brushed a hand through his wavy, brown hair. “Unless you are here to murder us. In that case, I know of some particularly devious third years who are probably far more fun to fight than us little freshmen.”
“If you must know, I have a meeting with the
If there was any more venom in the word, Shalise would have to run to the nurse and get an antitoxin. The flash of hate on her face was far worse than when she looked at Eva.
That was a good thing. Hopefully. Shalise didn’t want her two friends to fight. If she wasn’t that intensely angry with Eva, maybe she wouldn’t try to kill her again–though Shalise was still sure kill was too big of a word; injure and interrogate seemed far more likely. Hopefully.
Shalise didn’t want to be forced into picking sides between the two.
“Well,” Juliana said in the same whisper Shelby used, “we will be out of your way then. Wouldn’t want to keep the dean waiting.”
Shalise quirked her eyebrows. The blond was all but cowering behind Eva. Did she actually think Sister Cross would just start attacking them?
“Quite.” Sister Cross took another deep breath and held it for just a moment. “Be careful on your way back to the dorms. This late-night club of yours keeps you out too close to curfew, especially with that
Her eyes hardened as they met with Eva’s eyes. The moment lasted for an instant before Sister Cross ruffled Shalise’s hair with a small smile. She walked around the group without another word.
“Scary,” Juliana mumbled once the group exited the building.
“Yeah, I wouldn’t want to be on her bad side.” Shelby gave a small shudder. “I could almost feel the power dripping off of her every time the word murder came up.”
Shalise cocked her head to one side. She hadn’t felt anything.
“Speaking of which,” Jordan said, “I feel like that word came up far too much for one night. We only got a vague description of what happened. Care to share?”
“Sister Cross didn’t try to kill Eva,” Shalise said. She spoke too loud if the sudden stopping and stares from her friends was anything to go by. “She was just worried about her friend.”
Eva mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like, “you could have fooled me.”
Shalise ignored her. “Sister Cross always visited my home where I grew up. She’d bring toys and presents and care for all the kids like they were her own. A nice woman like that doesn’t deserve all this stuff with the attacks and fear and hate.”
A silence came over the group. All four of them just stared.
