Beyond The Veil,

Creusa wiped the tears that brimmed at the corners of her eyes as she finished her narration. She had never had to tell anyone her life story, and retelling it brought a fresh kind of pain, like she was experiencing the loss of her family once again. But she had not told Nephele the whole story. She didn't tell her that her real name was Creusa and not Lucy. She didn't tell her that Byron and his mother singlehandedly wiped out her family. All Nephele knew was that she was an orphan, and her family was very rich.

It wasn't her intention to withhold information from Nephele who seemed very open-minded, but she couldn't just trust anyone.

"I'm sorry," said Nephele, her face filled with sympathy. She couldn't have thought that sister Lucy who looked so wise beyond her years was a nun against her will. It never occurred to her that perhaps that was the same fate that had befallen her. Part of the reason why Creusa had told her story was because she wanted Nephele to have a clearer perspective on her situation.

"Is the convent that hard to leave?" Nephele suddenly asked. She couldn't understand how Lucy had survived ten years in the convent. She would have already left.

Lucy gave a downcast smile, her eyes fixated on her hands. "I tried to escape once." Her smile widened as the memory resurfaced in her mind. The consequences were dire at the time, but she still got something to remember from the experience.

"What happened?" Nephele's curiosity leaked into her voice and Creusa stared at her, a little amused.

"I got caught the following day and Byron beat me up so badly. It took more than a week to heal," Creusa related, omitting the part where she'd used the men bringing weapons into the convent to escape, and the part where she'd dared to approach a man and offer herself to him in exchange for security.

"You didn't tell me about the men earlier," Nephele reminded. They were sitted opposite each other on Creusa's bed, the moonlight illuminating the room.

Creusa pinned Nephele with a skeptical gaze, contemplating on whether to evade the question or just tell her. What could possibly happen anyway? It was not like they were trying to keep their activities a secret.

Creusa sighed and crossed her legs, one over the other. "The convent isn't exactly a convent… or a normal convent," she added when she saw the confused look on Nephele's face. "There are other things that happen here apart from… well, praying and everything."

Creusa stopped to gauge Nephele's reaction. All she saw was curiosity. She didn't seem fazed but then she hadn't gotten to the best part. Why was she even hesitating?

"Illegal things happen in the convent. They use it as some sort of organization. The men you saw earlier bring in things like weapons. Then the priest and Zero do negotiations with wealthy buyers. I'm not sure but I think worse things happen down there. I've never been there."

"Down where?" Nephele interrupted, already invested in the revelation. Even though her face revealed nothing, she was surreptitiously amazed. It felt like something out of a novel. Using a convent for illegal business?

"There's a library. An old underground library where all things happen."

"And the priest is involved?"

"Yes. The priest isn't… I don't know if he's an ordinary priest," she corrected herself in time. She was suspicious and almost sure that father Arzhiel wasn't a real priest, but she wasn't going to give anyone half-truths.

"What do you mean by that?"

Creusa sighed in frustration. How was she supposed to explain when she wasn't sure herself what set father Arzhiel apart. There was something odd, and unsettlingly dark about him, but it was also about everything about him. His cold, deep-set eyes, his pale skin, his absurd attractiveness. His lenience with her.

"You'd have to see him to understand what I'm saying. Otherwise, I don't know how to explain."

Nephele nodded in understanding, now eager to see the priest. "So, how is he involved with the business?"

"I think he's in charge. He's the one who deals with Zero and—"

"Who's Zero?" Nephele interrupted again. Was she getting too curious and caught up in the story?

Nephele's eyebrows quirked upwards as she saw Lucy lower her gaze. Her cheeks turned pink and a shy smile spread across her face.

Creusa raised her gaze and saw Nephele staring at her incredulously. "Ahem… uh… he's the leader of the crew." She said, schooling her expression and slapping herself inwardly.

Nephele gave Lucy a long stare, her narrowed eyes searching Lucy's. "How do you know all this?"

Creusa pursed her lips. "I've been here for ten years, using everyday to plan an escape. I've been observing everything and everyone because the first time I was stupid and didn't have a plan and I got caught. I know most things that the other nuns don't know."

Nephele stared at Lucy for a long time, amazed. This woman had more to her than met the eye, and she didn't know if that made her like her or be cautious of her. Nephele liked readable people. Lucy was not readable at all.

"Well, that's… good to know." She said, lacking anything else to comment.

Silence engulfed the room as the two women got lost in their own thoughts. Lucy was starting to regret over sharing with Nephele and wondering whether the latter was now judging her, while Nephele was wondering if she should explore the parts of the convents which only Lucy seemed to know.

"Your brother paid the convent to keep you here," Lucy suddenly blurted out and Nephele stared up at her wide-eyed.

"What?"

Lucy's lips parted to explain herself, but there was a sudden knock on the door, followed by the door creaking open. There was no time for either of them to react so they helplessly stared at Reverend Mother Beatrice's livid face.

"Sister Lucy, what is happening here?" the Reverend Mother asked, her tone flat.

Lucy and Nephele stared at each other, then back at the Reverend Mother. "I was just explaining to sister Nephele how things are done here," Lucy answered meekly.

The Reverend Mother's eyes narrowed at them, then she scanned their clothing and her face changed again. "And why are you not in your habits?"

Lucy opened her mouth, then closed it and stared at Nephele, pleading with her eyes. This was not the right time to give Reverend Mother a reason to separate them.

"We were just cleaning up," Nephele said nonchalantly.

Reverend Mother Beatrice glanced at her, and Nephele couldn't fathom the look in her eyes but she didn't care.

"Get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning," the Reverend Mother finally said. She waited until Nephele was back on her bed to leave the dormitory.

Neither of them said a word until Beatrice's quiet footsteps faded in the distance.

"What did you mean earlier?" Nephele asked, her voice calm and her head still covered under the quill.

At the question, Lucy cursed inwardly and face slapped herself. Why couldn't she keep her mouth shut?

"Uh… can we talk about it tomorrow?" She asked hopefully, her voice barely above a whisper.

"No."

Damnit. "Reverend Mother might come back."

Nephele was silent for a few seconds. If she didn't get answers, she wouldn't be able to get any sleep. She might loose sleep even when she got the answers, but it was better if she knew exactly what was going on.

"I want to know," Nephele said resolutely, her voice dropping an octave.

Lucy sighed. She had a right to know. "Remember how I said Byron's mother paid for me to be kept here? Your brother did the same. He gave the council money or maybe something else… a bargain so that you'd be kept here for however long he wants. That's all I know. You are not here by accident and no one will tell you, so…"

For a long while, Nephele didn't say anything, and Lucy had to peek at her bed to see what she was doing. She was just staring at the wall opposite her, her body covered from the neck below. She felt Lucy shift on her bed and instinctively shifted her gaze to her.

"Why are you telling me this?"

Lucy didn't have to think about her answer. She had waited ten years to get a breakthrough on her plan to get back her freedom, and maybe Nephele was the breakthrough. And if she wasn't, she had already shared too much with her.

She locked eyes with Nephele's vacant ones. "I want you to help me leave this place. I've waited long enough, and I think we can help each other. That's if you want to leave…"