“When did you last see her?” Lucia managed to ask, though her voice sounded strange to her own ears. If V had truly disappeared from the convent, it meant one of two things, either the mission had gone wrong or it had already begun.

  Where are you, Rahi?…

  Lucia tried to justify her own panic for her sister’s wellbeing, the very sister who had made her a criminal against the convent and the government, who’d gotten her caught by a brother dangling off a balcony, who’d made her slap a sister and watch her best friend take the punishment instead.

  As she waited for an answer, she looked up at Benedict and Cathy ahead of her. They were speed-walking down the cold corridor, the night deeper and darker than ever, just before dawn. Both were silent, lost in thought. Cathy sobbed quietly.

  Lucia was about to repeat her question when Benedict slowed, falling back beside her.

  “I thought I saw her leave your room during the alarm,” Benedict said. “But now that I think about it, it could have been you, not her.”

  “But you weren’t there either,” Cathy blurted, sudden realization flashing in her eyes. She looked at Lucia with a mixture of worry and confusion. “Where were you during the evacuation?”

  Lucia’s throat went dry. Another lie to tell, another story to spin. “I—I got turned around,” she stammered. “I went the wrong direction and ended up...lost.”

  It was weak, but Cathy was too distraught to question it further.

  “We have to find her,” Cathy said, gripping Lucia’s shoulders then pulling her forward. “If something’s happened to one of our mentees, if she’s hurt or—” Her voice broke.

  Part of Lucia wanted to tell Cathy that the best mentee to go missing was V. She knew how to take care of herself. She was part of the most infamous rebellion group in the South. But she also knew the worst mentee to go missing was V, for the exact same reason.

  “We’ll find her,” Lucia heard herself say, though she had no idea how. “She has to be somewhere.”

  Even as she said it, dread pooled in her stomach. Because she knew her sister. The chaos that brewed in V’s mind, Lucia could never predict it.

  Ahead, a group of distraught sisters caught sight of them and hurried over, breathless and worried.

  “Where could she be?”

  “We need to redo the search. Where should we begin?”

  “Did you check the dorms?”

  “The kitchen?”

  “How about the library?”

  The cathedral…

  Lucia bit her tongue. Her eyes flicked toward the distant dome gleaming faintly under the moonlight. If anyone were to start the search, they should start there. But she didn’t want them to know.

  Heavy footsteps echoed down the corridor. Brothers of the order joining the search. Lucia let out a low sigh. Wonderful.

  “The Mother Superior gave us the order to accompany every sister group involved in the search tonight,” Brother Ilya announced as he approached.

  Lucia wanted to palm her face. The Mother Superior? Of course. Perfect. Let’s get the entire hierarchy involved. Beside her, Cathy gasped through a sob.

  Soon, the group split into five, a brother assigned to each. At least Roman wasn’t among them. Which was both relieving and concerning at the same time. Another worry for another time.

  Lucia joined the group heading north toward the cathedral. The cold bit through her thin blanket. Her boots felt heavy, oversized. She hadn’t even had time to change into proper clothes.

  “I’m sorry Brother Roman couldn’t make it,” Ilya said suddenly, leaning closer.

  Lucia startled. She didn’t know why he’d say that. She cracked a nervous smile. “Great.”

  He continued, oblivious. “He assures you that this shouldn’t affect your ranking or position this year. No one’s blaming you for losing your mentee. The fire alarm was...unusual.”

  “Ah.” Lucia nodded. The chill locked her jaw. Fear crept up her spine. Every minute she wasn’t back in the gardens disposing of the evidence was another chance she’d be found out.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “How about the cathedral?” Cathy called as the behemoth came into view, the most pristine building on the grounds.

  “Unlikely,” a sister chimed in. “It’s locked at all times. She wouldn’t have wandered in.”

  Lucia exhaled quietly in relief.

  “She might be stuck by the back walls then,” Benedict offered, biting her nails. It was the most Lucia had heard her mentee speak. Benedict was usually reserved, even though her room was right next to Lucia’s.

  “Excellent idea, Sister Benedict!” Cathy shouted, her voice tinged with hope. “Let’s head that way!”

  Ilya quickly nodded and sped to the front. A torch, battery powered, approved by the Faith for emergency situations, lit their path. The sisters hurried after him.

  Lucia slowed, glancing at the cathedral’s shadowed back door. When the others rounded the corner, she turned back, boots scuffing on stone as she ran.

  At the door, she spotted footprints leading in, but none leading out. Her heart skipped.

  She pushed the handle. It clicked open.

  Oh, Rahi. At least lock the door behind you.

  She swept the footprints away, dust rising in the moonlight, and slipped inside. Her gut told her V was still here.

  Darkness swallowed her as she closed the door. Her fingers fumbled for the lock, but found nothing.

  Then, a distant groan.

  Lucia froze. The pitch-black faded slowly as her eyes adjusted to slivers of moonlight filtering through stained glass. The groans subsided, replaced by the faint hum of something alive.

  The tower…

  Had V gotten trapped at the spire? Lucia remembered her sister catching the delivery, then slamming herself against the roof.

  Panic surged. She bolted down the aisle and across the altar, marble slick beneath her boots, and reached the door leading up the spire. She yanked it open, wind rushing past.

  “Ra—” she stopped herself. That name was forbidden. “V? Sister V?”

  Her voice echoed.

  A moment of silence.

  “Here,” a voice, shaking and broken, answered.

  Lucia shut the door behind her, moonlight cutting a silver line across the floor. It was V’s voice.

  “Where are you?” she called. “Where—”

  No answer. Only the low hum occupying the space. She had heard that before. The hum of the machines. The hum of the digital.

  She followed it to a small closet at the far end. Inside, V lay slumped in the corner, a hand pressed to her stomach, her face pale. A faint blue glow emanated from the package at her feet.

  “You found me,” V sighed. The usual spark was gone. It reminded Lucia of their mother that night, the night of the Upheaval.

  Lucia sprinted toward her, panic flooding her face. But V jolted, raising a hand. “No—wait!”

  It was too late. Lucia’s fingers brushed the air and a blue field flared to life, wrapping around V before vaporizing into nothing.

  “Stop. Wait there,” V said. “Are you hurt?”

  Lucia held her hand. The one that set off a spark of blue. Her burned palms still throbbed. Yet the finger that had touched the field was only slightly blackened, without pain.

  “I’m fine. I’m good.” Her voice trembled. She looked at V, who was breathing heavily. “What happened?”

  V leaned back, wincing. “The energy capsule came loose. It burst open before I could even make it out.”

  Lucia’s eyes darted to the delivery bag, larger than she remembered, half her own height. Its side was ripped, the glow spilling out.

  “The cap,” Lucia said, “It’s missing the cap.”

  V managed a faint smirk through the pain. “There she is—the smart one. Where have you been, sister dear?”

  Emotion flickered between them. V had always been the impulsive one. Lucia, the careful. The smart one, V used to say, though Lucia never believed it.

  Something glinted on the floor. The cap, round, metallic. Lucia grabbed it. Then held it up.

  “I’m going to try to put it back on,” she said.

  V nodded weakly. “You just need to hold it close—”

  But Lucia was already doing it. The cap snapped into place with a metallic pop. The blue glow vanished. The hum dropped three levels instantly.

  Only moonlight remained as Lucia waved her hand, testing the air. Nothing.

  “It worked,” V groaned, trying to stand. Lucia caught her by the elbow before she fell back on the floor.

  “Did it pierce you?” Lucia asked, eyes flicking to V’s abdomen. Energy capsule blasts rarely left visible marks, no visible blood stains.

  “Since when are you an expert in energy capsules?” V muttered.

  “Since I was six,” Lucia replied absently.

  That made V pause, and then laugh, the sound brittle but familiar. Lucia couldn’t help but laugh, too. Something only they knew.

  “Ow,” V winced, bending over in pain. Lucia nudged her shoulder lightly. “Don’t move.”

  She was about to check the invisible wound again when the door slammed open.

  Both froze. Footsteps hurried in. And before they could even breathe, a figure appeared at the doorway, tall and shivering.

  “Sister Benedict,” Lucia’s heart dropped. Her mentee stood frozen, eyes darting between V and the faintly humming package.

  Lucia rose at once, hands half-raised in explanation. All she needed to say was that it was Cathedral equipment, and that Sister V had been injured accidentally.

  But before she could speak, Benedict’s face twisted in fury.

  “I knew it!” she shouted, lunging for V and grabbing her by the collar. “I knew it was you!”

  Lucia blinked in confusion. So did V, struggling to pull away.

  “Where is she?” Benedict’s voice cracked. “Where is Sister Teresa?”