Secrets And Sins Part 3: Happy ever after

Chapter 69

~Lilith~

They were getting nowhere, and Lilith's endurance was waning, the exhausted full body sort of ache getting harder and harder to ignore. She had lost track of how long they had all been sitting here; it didn't help that the conversation went around and around with seemingly no end.

In a bid to refocus, Lilith studied the faces around the table. The emotion on display ranged from anger to shock to despair, all of which were understandable after finding out exactly what the Church wanted from Beatrice.

"I don't understand why we can't just break her out?" Ava was getting more frustrated by the second and Lilith really couldn't blame her. "I could do it alone if I was in angel mode."

"I'm not saying you can't." Fiona's calm demeanor hadn't faltered in the face of Ava's growing desperation. The lawyer's tact was impressive. "I'm saying that it would all be much more straightforward if you negotiate an agreement."

"We have tried negotiating with the Vatican before," Mary jumped in, her voice tight, and Lilith couldn't help but remember the last time she had been at the Vatican. "They weren't exactly reasonable..."

She nodded her own agreement to that statement, straightening up, and gave a low hiss of pain. The back of her chair was the perfect height to really irritate the wounds of her shoulders.

"You didn't have me before," Fiona said with a confidence to be jealous of. "Besides, I've had dealings with the Church in the past... they are powerful, yes, but also shortsighted. We can use that to our advantage."

"Bea shouldn't have to sacrifice her freedom to dodge jail time," Ava argued, her voice cracking slightly. "What's even the point in trying to talk to them? All they want is a Warrior nun to control..."

She was right but Lilith was barely paying attention now. Curling a little more into herself, she almost allowed a wince past her clenched teeth as her stitches pulled.

Lilith felt Mary's eyes burning into the side of her head, her girlfriend never missed a beat, but she said nothing.

"That doesn't have to be the deal." Fiona glanced at Mother Superior then, the matriarch hadn't said much so far, opting to listen to the conversation with a carefully controlled emotionless expression instead. "If we compromise on some of their demands then we can ask..."

"Why should they get anything they want?" Ava snapped, golden-ringed eyes now furious. "I say we fight."

There were a few nods and murmurs of support around the table to that, but it was anything but unanimous. Lilith was too uncomfortable to form her own opinion. She shifted again, leaning forward onto her elbows to take the pressure off her back. The sooner she lay down the better.

"So, we start a new version of a Holy war?" Jillian eyed all those that had agreed before her gaze settled on Ava. "The Church would never stop hunting you, or any of us for that matter."

"We have two Warrior nuns," Ava snorted, folding her arms as she stared down the scientist. "What the hell can they even do?"

"With their level of wealth and power? There would be nowhere to hide. Trust me. I've been at the point of their sword many times..." Jillian's words were laced with an icy sense of foreboding "You mentioned sacrificing freedom? Well, striking a blow like that on the Church... We all would have a target on our backs then."

"Sorry Jillian," Mary interrupted, her chair scraping on the hardwood floor as she stood suddenly. "Mother can we be excused?"

A hand landed on her shoulder and Lilith blinked, realizing 'we' included her. She thought about denying the agony she was in and staying for the rest of the meeting but when she attempted to huff in exasperation, a throb of pain radiated through her body. There was no way any argument from her would be believable.