I scrunched my fingers into fists behind my back. "Yes, Lady Cleric. I like to run at night. I find it soothing."
"Do you run in the morning?" Tu asked quietly.
I nodded my head. "Sure. The security guy often lets me out in the pre dawn. I circle the Temple grounds and come back.
The Lady Cleric tilted her head. "Sounds innocent enough."
I smiled somewhat tightly. "Do you run, Cleric? If you do you will know how peaceful it can be."
"Yes. I too find it soothing. Killing demons can be stressful."
I flinched, just a little, but enough to confirm their suspicions. Normal people did not flinch at the mention of killing demons. It was seen as a good thing.
"We know all about your morning runs, Rae. But that's not why we are here. It's what led us to you, but not why we're here."
I swallowed a couple of times before I could say. "I don't think I follow you. Led you to me?"
"You know there is an in and out list for the gate?"
I closed my eyes briefly, realizing the blunder before I answered. "Yes, Lord Cleric.
"This morning, you went out as usual, but you didn't come through the gate again." He pointed behind him, where the black iron gates lurked. "You showed up in my class sure enough, and asked a fewconcerning questions. When we came back to the class you looked most preoccupied. Then you skipped all of your afternoon classes. Most concerning."
My hand reached behind me and curled around Bayou's door handle.
"I understand Lord Cleric," I said humbly. "I will come to your classroom tomorrow morning to discuss my punishment."
The Lady Cleric's face twisted. "No, Disciple Wilder. You are coming with us. Now."
I jerked the door open and bolted through it. Taking the stairs two at a time a hand snagged my ankle and I went down. I smacked my head on the stair in front of me, and was half dragged back down by my calf. Flailing to grab the railing rushing by, I caught one and held on. I half turned, and kicked with my other leg catching the Lady Cleric by the side of her head. She let me go and I scrambled up the stairs on all fours. Up the second flight, I heard her close behind me and plucked my key out of my back jean pocket. I heard her take the second flight of stairs, cursing the gods as my hand tried to slot my key in the lock. My hand trembled. As it slid in and clicked, I opened the door and turned to get the Lady Cleric's fist straight square in the face. Pain exploded out from my nose and radiated across my cheekbones. I flew back, and landed hard on my back with a flat thump. The Lady Cleric stepped in and kicked the door closed behind her. Glamoured as human, I could see nothing in the dark, but I could hear her raspy breaths.
I wiped at my bleeding nose. Why was it not healing?
"Demon bitch," she spat. "That's what you are, isn't it? A demon. That was the only way you evaded the dogs, my tracking."
"It's not what you think," I sobbed and crawled backward.
"I knew it was you, but Tu wasn't sure. He tried to convince me it was just a coincidence. That one of his precious students could never be one of them." The venom in her voice made me tremble even harder. "You disgust me, I read your file. You've been hiding among us since a baby. Fooling that old Priest into thinking that you were an abandoned ward."
"No, it wasn't like that." My heart hurt when I thought of the Priest who had found me outside his door. I would never do anything to hurt him. It was him who had suggested I be enrolled at Temple when he saw how I had survived at the orphanage. I shook my head again. "It wasn't like that."
I was afraid. Had I been this afraid when I'd met Breandan? Or when I'd met- I swear, my heart stopped then kicked twice before a cold sweat broke out on my palms. I couldn't even think his name, because then it would be real. The horror of what was about to happen would become a reality, and there would be no taking it back. I hobbled up and pressed myself against the wall.
"Tomas," I whispered.
I felt him shift beside me before I saw his silhouette slink forward. I heard his snarl a second before I held my palms up and out, the words to call him off dying on my lips when I thought hard about what she would do to me. Would she have taken me to the Priests for judgment, or would she have killed me?
