Divine Contract

Rosary

Lady Catherine had called Lillian three times last night and the girl hadn’t bothered to pick up.  She was a clumsy, forgetful thing, that girl.  Irresponsible in almost every way that mattered with the exception of school work.  She was the epitome of book smart with zero common sense and the entire Convent was aware of it so normally her thoughtlessness wouldn’t send Lady Catherine into a fit.

    But tonight was different.

    After her nightly prayers, she’d been settling in for the night and reached to set the alarm on her clock when she saw it.  The rosary.  Now, it wasn’t bizarre for a rosary to be lying about on a nun’s bedside table but this rosary had been stolen from her.  That demon had torn it from her hand the night Lillian had walked into her life, leaving her fingers with second degree burns.

    With shaky hands, she’d picked it up and examined it.

    Bringing it to her nose, she recognized the scent immediately.  It smelled of ash.  Of fire.  Of Lillian’s bedroom every night she’d suffered from those awful night terrors.  It was him.

    And so she’d called.  Again and again.

    It was a threat, she knew.  A warning from him.

    “I’m back,” it seemed to say to her as she stared down at the black beads, moving them about in her hand as she fidgeted.  And he had told her he would be back, hadn’t he?

    Lady Catherine hadn’t slept a wink.  She’d even considered catching the first flight to New York herself.  She’d intercept Lillian, talk her into coming back to the Church, to safety.  She’d been lost in her morning prayers when her phone finally buzzed.  She answered on the first ring, muttering, “Gracious child, where have you been?  I was worried sick.”

    “I fell asleep early last night, sorry for missing your calls Mum,” Lillian replied in a rush.

    Lady Catherine could hear people chittering in the background.  “Where are you?”

    “On my way to my first class,” she said cheerily.  “I’m so excited, Mum.  It’s English Lit.  You know how I feel about reading and writing.”

    “Yes, of course,” she said, frowning at how happy the girl sounded on the other side of the phone.  She sounded absolutely chipper, in fact, and seemed like she was staying well and out of trouble.  “Lillian,” she said seriously, trying to think of the best way to approach such a touchy subject.  Any time she brought up the man with the fire crown, Lillian’s entire demeanor would change.

    “Hm?” she hummed, truly jovial.

    Lady Catherine adjusted the phone at her ear. Glancing up at the cross hanging on the wall in front of her.  Did she want to ruin Lillian’s lovely day with talk about that demon?  With a sigh, she surrendered with a simple, “Just keep in touch, please.  Make sure you tell me if anything important happens, okay?”

    Lillian giggled.  “Of course Mum.  I love you.”

    Her old heart tightened at those words.  Smiling despite all of her anxieties, she said, “I love you too, Lillian.  Stay true and study hard.”

    “I will.  Talk to you later okay?”

    “Yes, God bless you child.”  Lady Catherine hung up the phone with a frown.  Glancing down at the rosary, she decided to visit the chapel for a little extra prayer.  If Lady Catherine was right and he really was back, they would all need it.