Things were quiet in the temple.
Something was wrong.
"This way, Favoured. Hurry."
The Abbot had come personally to fetch me. One of the initiates was sick, and the Maiden's magic wasn't working.
"She's been getting worse." He said. "We don't know what it is."
"I'm not much of a healer, Abbot."
"I know. That's not why we called you."
"Why am I here then?"
The Abbot didn't reply.
He led me up to the second floor of the temple, to the dormitory where the initiates on night vigil slept.
A crowd of worried initiates were huddled outside a closed door.
It was dead silent.
"Abbot." One of the initiates said.
"I know, Iri." He patted the young man's shoulder.
He opened the door, and led me inside, shutting it behind me.
The girl on the bed was dead.
Her face had been covered with a sheet.
"Who?" I asked.
"Penny." The abbot said. "I knew she didn't have long."
