He heard quick footsteps behind him.
He turned back, expecting to see one of the Dominicans, or a maiden, and was met by a hard blow to the left side of his face that stunned and staggered him. The world around him blurred in and out of focus. He tried to stay standing but a wave of nausea and vertigo swept through him.
And he collapsed downward.
Claire stood her ground as the abbess stepped forward and confronted her.
揑 order you to stay silent,?her superior said.
揑抦 done taking orders. This is ludicrous. We cannot subject these women to the dangers they now face. I voiced my opposition weeks ago but was overruled. And look what happened. Rachel died. That was my fault.?She pointed. 揧our fault. And all of the maidens who voted for that operation. And now, right here, in our motherhouse, Rome has come with guns, threatening to end us as an order. I won抰 bear the burden of this sisterhood being dissolved or of anyone else being hurt.?
And several of the other women openly voiced their agreement.
揧ou抮e a traitor to us all,?the abbess declared.
揂m I? Look around. Many of us opposed what was done. But you just kept going. We抮e something from the past that has no place in the present.?Her gaze locked on the older woman. 揑 shot that man with an arrow, on your command. That was unnecessary.?
揑 ordered you to do what was needed to defend this house,?the abbess spit out.
揂nd look what it got us. Not a damn thing,?Claire said. 揟hat was my last act of blind obedience. This is going to end. Today. Right here. Right now. I抣l give him what he wants, and he抣l leave. No one will be hurt and our order will continue.?She turned toward Fuentes. 揜ight??
The cardinal nodded in assent, but added a smile that irritated her. 揟here will be no further repercussions.?
揧ou抣l be violating your sacred oath,?the abbess noted. 揅ommitting a mortal sin.?
揑抣l be violating common sense and my own conscience, if I don抰，？she declared. 揂nd I抦 not alone. Most here feel as I do.?She surveyed the room. 揥ho agrees with me? A show of hands.?
Slowly arms were raised. One at a time.
Eighteen of twenty-five.
A clear majority.
She faced the abbess.
揑t抯 over.?
Nick could feel the tension. The maidens were clearly divided. The older woman, most likely the abbess, seemed caught off guard by Sister Claire抯， and the other maidens? reversal. Concern filled the faces of Sisters Ellen and Isabel who, along with a few others, had not voted yes. An overwhelming majority of the maidens, though, seemed intent on giving Fuentes what he wanted.
揂bbess,?one of the maidens said, 搘e tried to explain ourselves to you, to change your mind, but you would not listen. You went ahead with that reckless move in Ghent. I stand with the Vestal. This is no longer worth dying for and has to end.?
揟his is something we should discuss among ourselves,?the abbess declared. 揙utside the presence of strangers.?
揟hat抯 not possible,?Claire said, voice rising. 揇o you think they抮e going away? They抮e just going to walk out of here while we debate the point? There抯 nothing more to discuss. They came for the chapel. I抦 going to give it to them.?
Many of the other women nodded in agreement.
There seemed a clear consensus.
On rebellion.
Kelsey felt the deep resentment that had seeped into the room like a creeping vine. She抎 never before witnessed such opposition to a convent抯 central authority. Her own order was run like all of the others with power centered at the top. It was a democracy only to the point that the sisters freely chose their leader. But, once done, that leader抯 rule was absolute. Certainly, through the centuries, there抎 been revolts and coups to priors and abbesses. But that had been long ago. In another time and place. Nothing of any recent vintage, nor would that ever be tolerated. The vow of obedience she抎 taken to join the Congregation of Saint-Luke commanded her to imitate Christ and obey her lawful superiors.
Without question.
She looked at Sister Claire. 揧ou抮e a disgrace.?
揑抦 complying with the lawful representative of the Holy Father. Our pope.?
A few of the other maidens voiced their agreement.
揥e抮e all servants of him,?Claire said. 揌is word takes precedent over the abbess. And it is not for me to question that authority.?
Kelsey faced Fuentes. 揂re you here for the pope??
The cardinal nodded. 揑 have a standing order to seek out les Vautours, as every head of the pontifical commission before me was given.?
Not exactly an answer.
揝ister Deal,?Claire made clear, 搕his does not concern you.?
揟hen why am I here??
揂nother example of me blindly obeying.?Claire pointed at the abbess. 揝he wanted you here. Not me. As far as I抦 concerned you should leave.?