Souls Unfractured (Hades Hangmen, #3)(56)

The cabin of the truck was calm, until Mae asked, “Are you okay, Maddie?”

My eyes lifted to meet Mae’s and I nodded my head. “Yes.”

Mae’s eyes were searching mine, but I did not want to speak. I knew how they felt about Flame. And what broke my heart more was that he knew what people thought of him too. It was why he barely spoke in company. Nobody understood the real Flame.

Nobody but me.

“Are you nervous, Sarai?” Mae asked. I looked to the small blonde teen. Sarai’s hands were tight in her lap and she looked up to Mae.

“Yes,” she replied softly.

Lilah turned in her seat, her hand remaining in Ky’s. “There is no need to be, Sarai. Pastor James is kind. She has closed the church so that no one will be there to make you nervous.” Lilah smiled and sighed. “And you will see that the Lord can still be worshipped. Only purely, not contaminated by hurtful men and false truths.”

Sarai sighed and shook her head. “I cannot imagine such a place, though I am excited to see it.”

My chest tightened as I stared at this young girl. I was beyond thankful that she had found the courage to run away. I knew I would never have left if Mae had not returned. I would have spent my entire life locked in that hell. Until the day Brother Moses killed me. Because he would have. I know now that Brother Moses would have eventually broken me, as Gabriel had done Bella. And I would never have met Flame.

And him not meeting me would have condemned him to a life alone too. I forced down the emotion creeping up my throat and focused instead on remembering his lips against mine.

Without conscious thought, my fingers had lifted to my lips and a smile had graced my face.

My heart leapt with hope. Hope that, maybe together, we may not be so damaged. That we could somehow make one another whole.

The journey passed quicker than most, my thoughts occupied by Flame. Then Ky pulled the truck to a stop.

Mae took Sarai’s hand and left the truck. I went to leave when I saw Ky lean in to Lilah and crush his mouth to hers. Lilah melted into his embrace, and they both broke away with leaden eyes.

“Love you, baby,” Ky hushed out.

Lilah leaned forward once more to press a single quick kiss to her husband’s lips. “I love you too. So much,” she added, and my heart lurched with envy.

“Call me when you want picking up. I’ll be here, downtown, taking care of some business.”

“Okay,” Lilah replied and jumped out of the truck. I quickly left too. I joined Mae and Sarai on the sidewalk. Sarai was staring up at the church, her mouth gaping at the sight.

“Beautiful, is it not?” Lilah prompted, as Ky’s truck pulled back onto the road.

“It is,” Sarai said, clearly in awe. As one, we ascended the steps. Lilah stepped through the large wooden doors first, the three of us following behind. The church was completely silent. At the end, Pastor James stood, obviously awaiting our arrival.

Seeing us enter, Pastor James came down from the altar and we met her half way down the aisle. Her face broke into a smile and she embraced Lilah and Mae. When she reached me, she nodded her head. Then her eyes fell upon Sarai.

“You must be Sarai,” she said. Sarai pressed closer into Mae, obviously shy at meeting the pastor for the first time.

Mae put her arm around Sarai and nodded her head. “This is Sarai. She’s a little shy, but she’s eager to see for herself how people worship here, in Our Savior.”

Pastor James smiled directly at Sarai and showed her the pews. “This is where we worship. The congregation generally comes to a sermon on a Sunday, but the church is open for its people to come by anytime, to worship in private or to have a quiet place for contemplation.”

I watched Sarai staring at Pastor James and my heart clenched at her face absorbing every word. I understood how strange all of this would be for her. And at fourteen, she must feel so lost and alone.

My fingers tensing at what I was about to do, I took a deep breath, and reached down and took Sarai’s hand in mine. Her blue eyes darted to me. I cast her a supportive smile. Sarai’s eyes dipped at my hold, and I felt Mae’s hand squeeze my shoulder.

“Thank you,” she mouthed. I followed Pastor James, hand in hand with the little lost girl at my side. We reached the altar and turned to face the body of the church. Pastor James stepped in front and pointed to the balcony. “That’s where our choir practices and performs on a Sunday.” She turned back round, and pointed to the altar. “This is where I preach my sermons, and offer the blood and wine.”

Sarai’s hand began to tremble in mine. I glanced down at her hands to see her staring down, when suddenly, she dropped my hand and reached into the long pocket of her dress. What followed seemed to happen in slow motion.

Sarai pulled out a gun. In seconds she raised it to Pastor James’ head and pulled the trigger. The sound of the firing of the bullet echoed like thunder in the church. Mae, Lilah and I leapt back, just as the bullet passed through Pastor James’ head, blood showering our clothes as her lifeless body dropped to the ground.

A scream tore from Lilah’s throat. My heart thundered in my chest.

Sarai then turned to us, the gun pointing at our chests.

“Sarai…” Mae whispered, her hand hovering over her mouth. “What have you done? What is happening?”

Sarai’s always shy face then morphed into such a severe expression that my heart sank like a stone. “Shut up!” she hissed, as the gun scanned the three of us. “Devil’s whores!” she spat, and shook her head. “You are sinners, the Cursed Women of Eve. You are tainted by the devil and you must pay.”