Chapter 021
A white-robed nun stood outside both of the dormitory buildings. One in the short pathway leading to the Rickenbacker and one on the opposite end of the street in front of the Gillet.
Eva froze at the sight of them. There was still a good distance between her and the dorms. She spun and headed down an alley in the entertainment area just outside of the dorms. The thick snow crunched under her feet as she ran to a secluded spot.
“Arachne,” she whispered, “there are Elysium nuns outside the dorms.”
The spider stirred beneath her heavy coat. She slipped out and dropped to the ground. An instant later, Arachne stood in front of her on two legs. A grin split across her face. “Let’s take them out,” were her first words.
Eva shook her head. “If there are two, then there are more. Probably a response to the necromancers.”
“So? We can take them.”
“I’d rather not risk it. Even if I wanted to, I’d still like to be able to attend school, at least for now.”
“We running back to the prison until they leave then?”
“I’m not. You are.” Eva held up her hands before the protest could even start. “If they’re looking for the necromancers, they might look at the prison. All my books, my notes, my equipment. It needs to be hidden. I trust you to do that for me.”
Arachne still looked sulky even after the emphasized trust. “I can’t move that skull. Your other demon wouldn’t tell me a thing about it.”
“This again? Ylva is not my other anything. I couldn’t just leave her to wander on her own with that death touch of hers.” At Arachne’s continued bad mood, Eva unzipped her jacket and pulled her shirt down, exposing her modest cleavage and the small black sphere that nestled between. “You don’t see me carrying around that skull, do you? You should be aware that I never take this necklace off, given where you spend most of your time.
“Now, are you going to help me or should I really call up Ylva again?”
It was an empty threat, she knew it and she knew Arachne knew it. Arachne knew she knew it. It was a vicious cycle.
Having the daughter of Hel marching around the prison for the last week had been stressful enough. Her setting up a full throne room in cell house two and asking that it not be touched until her next visit made Eva even more nervous.
Arachne eventually sighed. “You should come with me. It would be dangerous if the nuns catch a whiff of your… treatments. I can protect you while I’m around, but not from the prison.”
“That is one of the reasons I want you back there. Stay there after you hide the books. Or wherever you decide to hide them.” Eva gave the demon a comforting smile, at least, she hoped it was comforting. “I’m only halfway done with the treatments and even further before I’m where you are. I look normal and no one has noticed anything amiss so far. I can’t say the same about you.”
A sudden pull in her wrists knocked Eva off-balance. She fell right into Arachne as the spider tightened her grip around Eva’s wrists.
“What if they find out anyway? What if the necromancers attack?” She half whispered, half shouted.
Eva let out a soft sigh as she relaxed into Arachne’s shoulder. “Arachne,” she said after a slow breath, “if the necromancers attack then the sisters will fight them. I’ll be fine. However, we run an increased risk of them detecting something wrong if we’re together.”
“I’m not staying there,” Arachne said after a few minutes of them resting against each other.
Eva definitely enjoyed the heat radiating off the spider-woman. She might have to look into making more heat runes for her clothes, or just upping the intensity; Montana winters were cold.
“At least for a few days, I’ll get a feel for the sisters. If it seems safe then I’ll leave a mark on the roof, a smiley face by the door.”
Arachne nodded. “I’ll have to accept that. But, I can’t take down the wards.”
“That’s fine,” Eva said. “Don’t worry about any of the furniture or my master’s area. Books and especially my spare dagger, but anything else easily movable. I don’t know any good hiding spots that are out of the elements though. I’d rather not have my books damaged.”
“Leave that to me.” Arachne let Eva go. “Eva,” she said, “I will be back, soon. I’ll know if something goes wrong.”
“I’ll be careful. Don’t get seen on your way back. I’m almost worried someone saw us arrive.”
“Who do you take me for?” Arachne chastised with a wide grin, though her heart didn’t seem to be in it.
If Arachne even had a heart. Something to ask another time.
The spider quickly clambered to the roof of a building in the alley and vanished from Eva’s sight.
With Arachne gone, Eva headed back to the dorms. It didn’t seem like a good idea to step straight through her window. They might have put up detectors for magical transportation.
Instead, Eva walked right up to the front door, looking her best like she was supposed to be there. I am supposed to be here, she thought with a mirthless smile.
The nun glared at Eva as she approached. “Stop,” she said. “I haven’t seen you before, who are you?”
The smile vanished off of Eva’s face. “My name is Eva. I reside in dorm three-thirteen.”
“Explain your absence for the past several days.”
Eva glared at the white clothed nun. She wasn’t sure if she should risk lying. On the other hand, telling her that most of the time was spent in the company of demons would probably not go over well. “I was in the company of a guardian following the Halloween debacle. Zoe Baxter was aware if you need to confirm that.”
Hopefully the instructor would come up with a better lie and be able to sell it.
The nun glared back and studied Eva. She whipped out a cell phone and tapped the screen a few times. “Your full name?”
“Eva.”
The woman typed on her cellphone once again before glaring back at Eva. “Your full name?”
Eva grit her teeth. She knew she should have just stepped straight into her room. “I gave the fullest name I ever give.”
The nun’s glare intensified. Her free hand slowly inched around to her back.
Eva narrowed her eyes and mirrored the action, planting her hand on the hilt of her dagger beneath her coat. Her blood magic would be drastically slower than whatever the nun had planned, but hopefully a quick step behind the nun would buy time. Arachne wasn’t around, but she shouldn’t have a problem escaping at the very least.
A gloved hand clasped the shoulder of the white-robed nun.
The nun jumped half a foot in the air, whipping around to face her assailant.
The sudden movements almost made Eva jump into her attack. She managed to maintain her composure. Her arms dropped to their sides.
A nun wearing the more traditional black habit glanced between Eva and the nun. She narrowed her brown eyes at her comrade. “What’s going on here, Sister Mable?”
Her voice was soft, almost melodic. Yet the nun wilted under its tune.
Before the nun could respond, Eva decided to get her side of the story across first. “Your lunatic Sister was about to attack me for refusing to state my name. Not that she has any right to ask or deny me entry to my dorm room in the first place.”
“Is this true, Sister Mable?”
The nun glanced down at her feet under the harsh tone of Sister Cross. Almost as if she was slapped by the voice. “I asked for her full name, she refused. Under the scriptures of Saint–”
Sister Cross held up a gloved hand, stopping the cowed nun’s voice. “We’re here for the protection of the children, not to slaughter them ourselves. Consider yourself relieved. Return to your quarters and reflect on your actions.”