The chapel was built entirely of wood. Wood walls, slat floors, and a shingled roof, where the rest of the monastery was built of stone, brick, and tile. The small structure had only one door and no windows.
When Jesse wrestled Irulan inside, he blinked into the darkness, smelling candle wax and flowers.
Roses. Why did everything smell of roses?
The moment he stepped across the threshhold onto wood floor, Irulan calmed.
"Lani?"
"Further in, Priest, so we can light the way."
The glow of Irulan's skin faded as they left the moonlight behind in the courtyard. Jesse heard the telltale snap and hiss as a match was struck.
'Lani? Are you alright?'
'Where are we?!'
Jesse adjusted his grip on her. She'd stopped struggling physically, but her mental voice betrayed her terror.
Pinpoints of light bloomed along the walls like a growing, glowing vine, illuminating the room.
This, Jesse's thoughts instantly growled, is not a chapel. He immediately backpedalled.
"No, Priest. Do not take her out into that light again. This is her refuge."
Irulan trembled in his arms.
The old monk moved into the center of the square room, gesturing for the other brothers to step away from the walls to join him.
"Irulan, we welcome you. We have built and guarded this sanctuary, waiting for the time when it would be needed again."
Lani and Jesse hovered warily just inside the doorway, staring with undisguised caution at the so-called 'monks' lined up across the room. They had all shed their monk robes and now wore tunic and leggings. Each tunic bore a different rose embroidered on the left shoulder. And every one of them, save the old man, was armed.
When Jesse wrestled Irulan inside, he blinked into the darkness, smelling candle wax and flowers.
Roses. Why did everything smell of roses?
The moment he stepped across the threshhold onto wood floor, Irulan calmed.
"Lani?"
"Further in, Priest, so we can light the way."
The glow of Irulan's skin faded as they left the moonlight behind in the courtyard. Jesse heard the telltale snap and hiss as a match was struck.
'Lani? Are you alright?'
'Where are we?!'
Jesse adjusted his grip on her. She'd stopped struggling physically, but her mental voice betrayed her terror.
Pinpoints of light bloomed along the walls like a growing, glowing vine, illuminating the room.
This, Jesse's thoughts instantly growled, is not a chapel. He immediately backpedalled.
"No, Priest. Do not take her out into that light again. This is her refuge."
Irulan trembled in his arms.
The old monk moved into the center of the square room, gesturing for the other brothers to step away from the walls to join him.
"Irulan, we welcome you. We have built and guarded this sanctuary, waiting for the time when it would be needed again."
Lani and Jesse hovered warily just inside the doorway, staring with undisguised caution at the so-called 'monks' lined up across the room. They had all shed their monk robes and now wore tunic and leggings. Each tunic bore a different rose embroidered on the left shoulder. And every one of them, save the old man, was armed.
"Who the hell are you?!"
The old man chuckled.
"Dear Irulan, we are The Rosalini."
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