Page 5 of The Sinner and the Priest: Part Two

Silence. Crickets. They all look at me with wide eyes.

“If this is about Raven’s chicken bones, can it wait until I get back?”

We’re only gone for a few days.

“Her what?” The Reverend Mother blanches.

“Chicken bones?” Wesley scratches his head.

“What are you talking about?” Leila asks, eyes narrowing.

“You know, the occult shit we found in the crypt last night.” I gesture in the direction of the church. “It’s the same as what’s in her room.”

“It is?” Thea’s eyes grow wide.

“I thought that was the psycho Sinners,” Zeke says. He grunts when Leila slaps him in the chest.

“They weren’t always like that.” Leila looks at Wes. “Wait, were they?” Then at Cisco, and raises her voice an octave. “Were they?”

A flash of yellow appears in the distance outside the estate gates. “Taxi’s here. Quick—tell me what I walked in on. What did I miss?”

Everyone starts talking at once. The Rev and Dominic both speak to Cisco. The others are in my face, and Wesley has papers in his fist. My gut sinks when I see the symbols and handwriting. New translations already.

I hold up my palm when they speak over each other. “One at a time.”

“Fuck.” Thea scrubs her face. “Okay, so I’m just going to say it.” She gets a constipated look and then turns to Wes. “I can’t say it.”

“I’ve got it, love.” He squeezes her shoulder and hands me the papers. “There have been new developments.” When I open the notes, he points at a verse. “That one in particular. Read it in the cab. Memorize it. Then throw it out.”

I gasp when he makes me fold the papers. “I wasn’t done.”

“Sorry, it’s just that . . .” He gets the same constipated expression that Thea still wears.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake.” Leila shoves him out of the way and looks me in the eye. “It talks about Lilith again.” Pauses. “And you.” Another pause. “And the antichrist.”

Crunching gravel alerts us to the arrival of the cab. Two seconds later, the car door opens.

“I’m sure it’s all baloney.” I shove the notes into my pocket. “I think I’d know if I’m the mother of all demons reborn. I think you’d all know.” I glance at Cisco, who’s dropping his duffel bag into the taxi’s trunk, jaw clenched. Annoyed. “I think I’d know,” I repeat, turning back to the group.

“We agree,” Wesley says. “But . . .”

“Spit it out,” I say.

It’s Zeke who answers, and by answer, I mean lean toward me and mumble almost inaudibly, “Famine.”

I don’t have time for clarification. Cisco arrives, freshly shaven, pressed black clericals, and combed hair, but glowering.

“Andiamo,” he clips, jerking his head to the taxi and taking my bag.

“I hope that attitude isn’t directed at me,” I return.

“It’s not,” the Reverend Mother says, coming to my side. “They told him the news before you arrived.”

“Oh. Famine.” I nod, as if I understand what any of this means. The Rev launches into a list of side hustles and missions while I’m in Rome, particularly at the Vatican.

“I asked Father already,” she says, “but I also think you should try to sway the Cardinal to our cause.” She purses her lips. “I refuse to believe they were completely lying about the merger.”

“Um . . .” Wes starts, but the Rev shuts him down.