Angel of the lake

Chapter Three

When she changed, Meg made sure to move that page with her. She kept it tucked between her breasts, safe and sound where no one would see it. She wasn't leaving that around for any old person to stumble across.

She still hadn't figured out what to do with this information, but she knew she couldn't leave it.

As the girls stood in rows outside in the dark, she hazarded a glance around at her friends. At the faces she knew and loved and cared about.

We're all weapons.

And when a gun ran out of ammo, the shooter would discard it.

When the bullet had been fired, what use would it serve afterwards?

No fighter would select a broken blade.

To the fates, they were all disposable.

I won't let us be disposed of.

But what was she supposed to do?

Meg alone couldn't stop this. Evidently whatever Nadine was planning was much bigger than her. So what was she supposed to do? Convert her friends and risk word of it getting back to Nadine?

Why can't this be easy?

And why did it have to be her?

She knew why, deep down.

My eyes were opened a long, long time ago.

She already knew better than most of these girls did, even before she'd seen those plans.

Now, she stood amongst her friends for a late-night inspection. In her nightgown, the cold was difficult to ignore. The feathers of her wings brushed repeatedly against her arms in an effort to warm her up.

It didn't help much, but it was better than nothing.

Inspections like this weren't unheard of, but it meant for certain someone would be in trouble.

As ever, Meg kept her gaze rooted to the ground. The last thing she needed right now was the attention of the fates. Not with the ever-present weight of that page resting beside her heart.

"Good evening girls."

Meg swallowed, chanting with the rest of them. "Good evening Mistress Nadine."

She was certain Nadine got off on this power.

A self-satisfied smirk tugged at the corners of her lips.

"I shan't keep you out of your beds for too long, but this can't wait until the morning." Girls shuffled uncomfortably, each and every one of them kenning what was soon to come. "One of you are a thief, and I intend to unveil which of you it is." Meg gulped, biting back a whimper.

She knows.

But how could she know? How could she possibly know? Meg had been so careful.  Besides, Nadine hadn't caught her in the act.

Meg had the only evidence.

How could she know?

"As you all well know, theft is sin. We can't have sin amongst our ranks. It is unsafe. And as you all know, there is only one fate for those who sin."

Banishment.

The girls shared in a collective shiver.

They're coming for me.

Meg couldn't change anything from the beyond. Nadine must've figured out that she'd been snooping through her room. That Meg was the thief. And now Meg would be punished.