Grayson's Veil

As soon as the priest spotted Grayson, he ran out the front doors and flew down the steps with Sister Jane trying to keep up.

Avice was quick enough to change back into her raven without their notice. She flew in front of Grayson and circled around the two. Sister Jane sneered at the bird while the priest did not notice, his gaze was strictly on Grayson.

“Where is it?” The priest asked, urgency rang out within his voice.

Grayson stopped. With one hand still covering his eyes, he reached into his pants. He took out the amulet and offered it to the priest.

The priest smiled with hope and greed dancing in his eyes. He reached out to grab the object when Grayson snatched his hand back, causing the priest to scowl angrily.

“Where is Phoebe?” Grayson asked, his eyes searching the area as best as they could.

The scowl was replaced with a sly smile. “She is in the church. She was never a prisoner, remember? It was part of our deal,” the priest said with more force behind his words at the end.

Stepping back, Grayson sneered at the priest. “I did not ask you to help me remember our bargain. I asked you where Phoebe is!” He pocketed the amulet, deciding to keep ut a little longer.

The priest pressed his lips together, trying to hide his anger and frustration. “Sister Jane,” he spoke in a strained, fake happy voice. “Please prepare a feast for tonight. We will show Grayson that Phoebe is well and that we appreciate him gaining the amulet for us.”

Sister Jane nodded.

“And escort him to his room. He looks exhausted.” With those parting words, the priest marched back to the church, anger quickening his strides.

Sister Jane sighed as she watched him walk off. “Yes, father,” she answered in a defeated voice.

Turning back to Grayson, she motioned him to follow her.

He kept his eyes covered until they were in the church. With the sun high in the sky, there were no candles lit and natural light illuminated the building. Though it was cold outside, the church felt stuffy and warm, making Grayson want to shed his clothes.

Following Sister Jane to his room, Grayson observed her. The normally sassy, rude nun was looking defeated, tired, and older.

As she turned to gesture him into his room, Sister Jane’s eyes looked anywhere but him.

“Your room,” she muttered.

Narrowing his eyes on her, he said, “you did not strike me as someone who would submit so easily.”

Finally meeting his gaze, Sister Jane bristled, shock etching her features at his uncovered eyes briefly before settling on annoyance at what he implied.

Grayson smiled. “That’s more like it,” he winked then entered his room, shutting the door in the nun’s scowling face.

Sinking to his knees, Grayson allowed himself to feel despair, pain, and utter hopelessness. His head found his hands on the ground, the dirt and random straws digging into his skin.

He shuddered violently, closing his eyes to the onslaught of vivid memories and sharp pain.

A sharp rap on the door jolted Grayson awake.

‘Who is disturbing me?’ He thought as he sat back on his haunches.

The rap came again, harder and more urgent.

“Give me a moment!” Grayson rasped out, his throat horribly parched.

Thinking of how good a bottle of rum would taste, he opened the door to the same scowling face he had just left.

“Did you forget something?” He asked.

Sister Jane raised an eyebrow. “It has been several hours. I am here to collect you for dinner.”

Grayson stared at the nun, processing her words. He looked around the room, but without a window, he had no clue as to where the sun laid.

Rubbing his face, he looked over at her. She had her arms crossed, her rosary dangling from her fingertips.

“Have you always been carrying that?” Grayson queried, his eyes trained on the cross rocking back and forth. Somehow there was a glint that came off it and caught his sensitive pupils, making him try to hide his cringe but failed.

Sister Jane glanced down at it.

“It was well hidden. Why the curiosity?” She smirked.

Grayson fought back the need to laugh loudly and slap his knee.

“No, no, nothing like that,” he walked next to her and stopped. “Just know that it cannot protect you from him.”

The nun turned her head away, a small amount of pink touched her cheeks. “I never claimed it would.” She brought it up to her face, watching it dangle with a forlorn look upon her face. “It is more of a memory for when things where happy here.”

Grayson nodded once, then lingered. He felt a sense of tenderness for the old nun, similar to an elder that had an impact on their life. But, he knew he could not save her from whatever fate was laid out for her, even if he did provide the amulet that could help her and her priest.

Touching his pocket to make sure the object was still there, he left the nun to head towards the dining room.

It had been days since he last saw Phoebe, he only hoped that she was doing well.

Entering the through basement door, Grayson instinctually looked for Avice. She sat up the benches like before, watching and waiting.

When her attention turned to him, he flicked his finger out in acknowledgement, then turned to the dining room door.

Inside he could tell they were trying for lavish, but ended up meager.

Candles decorated the small room, giving it a soft glow and welcomed warmth. The splintered table was set with old china decorated with faded flowers and rimmed with gold that appeared to have chipped off.

Wine bottles lined the table next to the two rusted candelabras holding three white candles each which were halfway melted already.

Sat at the head of the table was the priest. His head tilted to the side and hands steepled above his plate, he murmured to Phoebe who sat next to him.

Feeling a hint of relief, Grayson walked over to sit next to Phoebe who appeared to be captured by what the priest was saying.

“Phoebe?” He asked.

A sudden jerk in her back told Grayson many things. She was tense, worried, and uncomfortable.

This did not please him in the least.

When she turned her head to him, she squealed and launch herself out of the chair. She wrapped her arms around his neck, soft cheek smacking against his hairy cheek, nearly sending him to the floor with her body colliding with his.

The priest chuckled as Grayson awkwardly placed his hands on her back.

“Someone missed you dearly,” The priest murmured into his cup of wine.

Phoebe stiffened but tried to laugh it off. “I did! I did!” she exclaimed as she pulled back.

When she looked up at him she froze. “Grayson,” she whispered, her hand moving in front of her mouth. “What happened to your eyes?”

Grayson touched the corner of his eye. “Nothing for you to concern yourself about, Phoebe.” He grabbed her shoulders, holding her eye. “What about you? How are you fairing?”

Phoebe waved off his hands, a true smile gracing her lips. “I am fine. Ready to get back on the road and find Eleanor.”

The corner of Grayson’s lip tilted up, happy that her friend was her priority too.

“Well now that you see for yourself that this… lady is fine, let me have the amulet and dine together, shall we?” The priest spoke loudly, holding up his wine like he was ready to toast the evening away and took a sip.

Glaring at the priest, Grayson sat down at the opposite end like he did last time they dined together.

The priest set his glass down and put his hand out palm up. “I held my end of the bargain Grayson. Do not go back on your word, it would not work in your favor.”

Grinding his teeth to hold in his anger, Grayson pulled the amulet out from his pocket and set it next to his plate. He steepled his hands like the priest did earlier and sent a piercing stare at him.

“I…heard something on my travels to retrieve this,” he nudge the amulet, “for you.”

Sighing, the priest regarded him with annoyance. “No. I want my amulet. Give it to me and I’ll answer whatever questions you want.”

Grayson stared at the priest. He knew he was going back on his word, something he was not fond of, but he did not want the man to have the amulet just yet.

So, he looked over at Sister Jane who was sitting near the priest opposite of Phoebe.

“Sister Jane,” he began. “Will you please hold this?” Grayson slid the object over to her, making sure it stayed on their side instead of near the priest.

Eyes shifting between Grayson and her priest, Sister Jane nodded.

“So, Priest,” he began before the priest could object, “I realized over the last few days that I did not get your name.” Grayson grabbed a bottle of wine and broke open the seal.

His eye twitching, the priest breathed in to stomp down the anger that was rising within his chest. “Father or Priest is just fine.” He grounded out.

Grayson clicked his tongue. Shaking his head, he stood back up and took a long swig of wine straight from the bottle. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the nun huff and push the goblet towards him.

Slamming the bottle on the table, he kept his head down but his eyes up, staring directly at the priest. Then, he righted himself and slowly walked around the table as he talked.

“Well, it is only polite if you tell. Even I, a lowly soldier, know something about proper etiquette,” Grayson began.

The priest chuckled. “And yet I am surprised someone like you would want to follow that rule.”

“Only to those I serve, and I have served you. Have I not?”

Studying Grayson, the priest took a sip of his wine. “It will not matter, you are leaving in the morning and do not need my name when you visit the town. I have already sent word that you and your companion,” he nodded towards Phoebe. “Are to be treated respectfully.”

For the first time since Grayson came back, the priest looked him in the eye. With the wine halfway to his lips, he stopped and shut his mouth tightly.

‘The bastard knows about Uphir,’ he thought as his upper lip curled slightly. Trying to hold back his anger a little longer, he brought the wine bottle to his lips again.

After the slight hesitation, the priest went on. “I suppose I could compensate you more since it seems to have taken longer than what you most likely thought it would take.”

Grayson gulped loudly then lowered the bottle. “I can agree to that.”

The priest smiled. “Wonderful! What would you like then? You already have food, wine, and coin. Perhaps a horse or two for the remainder of your journey? A…” he glanced at Phoebe again, “more willing companion for a night or two?”

“…Information.”

The priest barked out a laugh. “What a sense of humor!” He looked over at the nun, continuing to laugh at the absurd request.

Sister Jane smiled but did not join in his laughter. She looked over at him, anxious energy dancing in her eyes.

When the priest finished laughing, he pretended to wipe a tear away. “Such wit you have, Grayson. I like that.”

Pretending to smile with the insufferable man, Grayson nodded. “I’m not jesting about wanting information. You might have something useful that could help me find my wife.”

“Ah, yes. Your wife,” the priest paused, deciding to grab the wine and fill his cup again. “I must admit I forgot about your odyssey. You are a very dedicated man to go look for your wife when it appears she has left you for possibly another.”

Beginning to get annoyed by the unnecessary claims, Grayson took another gulp of wine.

“You know nothing of what has happen. How dare you assume his wife left on her own, that is my friend you speak ill about!” Phoebe’s voice climbed in shrillness as she berated the priest.

Grayson slammed his bottle of wine down on the table, making the women jump and the inside splash onto his hand covering the neck.

“I would be careful with your next words, priest,” ground out while taking his wine soaked hand and whipping it so hard the drops landed on the priest’s white collar.

The priest’s face turned red with anger. He stood up, knocking his chair over. “You have quite the mouth on you, is that how you speak to your superior? Your wife?”

About to launch himself at the priest, the nun stood in front of him. “Father! That is enough! He just wants some information, can we provide it for them so they may be on their way?”

Both men glared at each other, not moving until the other did.

Finally giving up, the priest huffed out and grabbed his fallen chair to sit down. Grayson followed without taking his eyes off him.

“Fine. I can provide you what I can,” the priest muttered while drinking his wine.

Grayson gave a sharp nod. Before he could begin, the priest cut him off.

“However! Once the questions are done, I want the amulet and I want you and your whore to leave immediately. I will not sit by and let you sully my church any longer!”

Grayson sat in his chair, sneering at the priest. “With immense pleasure.”