Rift Angel by Stuart Jaffe

Author:Stuart Jaffe [Jaffe, Stuart]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: urban fantasy, contemporary fantasy, ireland, magic, parallel universes
Publisher: Stuart Jaffe
Published: 2018-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

Leading the way, Sister Mary had no trouble creating a path through the woods despite the dark. The nuns followed her without question, though the casket made travel awkward, forcing them to weave around the denser groupings of trees. Still, they managed to stay close to Sister Mary more often than not. Behind it all, Roni darted from tree to tree. Not that the nuns would spot her in the dark, but she still thought precautions were the smart play. When the woods opened into a clearing, Roni stayed behind a tree trunk to watch from a distance.

Large stones cut like massive blocks prescribed a circle within the clearing. Some of the stones acted like oversized benches while others stood upright to form the impression of walls. On the sides of the vertical stones, Roni spotted markings — possibly Gaelic writings. Finally, after Sister Claudia started a fire in the pit dug near the middle of the circle, Roni understood — this was a pagan burial. From the soft flicker of orange firelight, her thoughts were confirmed when she noticed the graves lining the back half of the clearing.

Off to her left, two trees kissed up against each other forming a wider barrier. Roni scurried across, her heart hammering, certain every crinkling, leaf-breaking step would be her undoing. But she reached the trees. Even before peeking around the trunk, this new position allowed her to hear clearly what Sister Mary said.

“My dear sisters,” Sister Mary began, “we have much to do tonight. But as we prepare to step forward into a new chapter of the Abbey, we must first turn the page on the old chapter.”

The three sisters set the coffin on the ground and bowed their heads. “Sister Ashley was a dear woman to us all. It may seem that she was taken too early from us, but the Lord has a plan for all, and it is our duty to have faith rather than sadness. We few of the Abbey are the chosen. That comes with great responsibilities and greater dangers. Sister Ashley’s sacrifice is of both.”

Roni rolled back behind the two trunks. Glancing upward, she noticed several points where the trees left a gap. She pulled out her phone, set the camera to film, made sure to cut off the camera light, and lined up a good shot between the trees.

“Tonight, we honor Sister Ashley in the best way we can.” Sister Mary stepped closer to the coffin. With a twitch of her finger, Sister Claudia and Sister Susan opened the lid. “Without a body, we must mourn her through representation.” Sister Mary pulled out an old Bible — leather bound and valuable from the looks of it. She set it in the coffin with care. “She always admired this copy I kept on my desk. It is my great honor to bury it as a sign of my love and devotion to one of our fallen.”

Sister Susan stepped forward. She pulled out a thin, gold necklace with a crucifix pendant.

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