The Church (The Cloister Trilogy 3)

“Yeah. It’s weird, but I can still feel my toes.”

“All of them are gone? I can’t believe that.” I stare at the bandages.

“Just two. Pinky and the one next to it. I’ll be able to walk fine.”

“That’s not so bad, then. I guess.” I shrug. It’s still super bad, but there’s no point freaking out about it.

“Get me out of here.” He dusts off his too-big white t-shirt—must be whatever the Chapel had on hand.

I help him down. “Jesus, you still weigh a goddamn ton.”

“It’s all in the cock.”

I snort again.

“So glad this has been a heartwarming reunion.” Jez stands at the head of the stairs, a long hunting knife in her hand. “But Noah, you need to be going.”

“I’m not going anywhere without him.” I throw Adam’s arm over my shoulders and help him toward the stairs. “So you might as well back the fuck off.”

“He’s ours.” She moves away so I can get by and sit Adam on the sofa.

He rubs the wood dust from his hair. “I can’t stay here forever, Jez. Someone will find me eventually.”

She waves the knife, coming closer. “You leave when I say. And I don’t say.”

“I don’t want to hurt you.” I hold up my hands.

“That’s novel, coming from a Monroe.” She smirks and points at me. “Just leave.”

“Nope.”

Adam sighs. “Jez, you have to let me go. If I’m found here, they’ll kill you and maybe all the girls up there. That’s how my father is. Scorched earth. You know this.”

“I’m willing to take that chance. I took you. You’re mine. Chastity has plans.”

“Chastity?” I picture the nice Spinner, the one with the scar. “She’s a part of this?”

“She’s the head of this.” Jez says it with pride. “I know you two think you’ve got some way to overthrow the Prophet, but we’ve got this on lock. You just need to sit back and let us handle it. In any case, Adam stays here.”

Adam turns to me. “They plan to blow the church up during Sunday service.”

My jaw literally drops, and I look at Jez like she’s a stranger. “Have you lost your fucking mind?”

“No. As I explained to your brother, this is the only way.”

“It’s the crazy way, sure.” I stare at her, looking for some crack in her resolve. There is none. She believes in what she’s saying. Fuuuuuck.

There’s no reasoning with her, but there’s no way I’m leaving my brother behind. Not again. “Look, if you want to come at me with that pig sticker, go ahead, but I’m taking Adam.”

“And how do you expect to get out without them seeing you, genius?” She points the tip of the knife toward the camera in the ceiling.

I lunge at her. Caught off guard, she tries to swing the blade down at me, but I have her wrist.

“Get off!” She shoves me with her other hand, but I keep my grip on her and increase the pressure.

“Drop it.” I haven’t used all my strength on her, but I will if I have to. “This was never going to work, okay? Just drop it.”

“Fuck you.” Her knee to my crotch makes an agonizing impression, and I feel my lunch creeping up my throat at the peculiar pain that must be what dying feels like.

Letting go of her wrist, I fall back, both hands reaching for the damage between my legs. She springs toward me, but Adam throws himself off the couch and topples over onto her. Shit, with a knife between them, nothing good is about to happen.

I can’t breathe. Not yet. The goods hurt too bad. But I push forward onto my knees. Adam has her wrist pinned with both of his bandaged hands, but she’s trying to gouge his eye.

Scooting forward, I pry the knife from her, then yank Adam back.

He groans and presses his fingers next to his eye. “Goddammit!”

She scrabbles back until she bumps into one of her ridiculous chairs. “Shit.”

I finally gasp in a breath, though I suspect my balls may be lodged in my throat for the foreseeable future.

“Jez, you know that wasn’t a fair play.” He points at my crotch.

“Fuck your fair.” She eyes the knife in my hand.

“Come and get it.” My voice has a wobble to it, but I finally get to my feet.

“This doesn’t change anything.” She rubs her reddening forehead. Adam must have gotten in a headbutt.

“I’m taking him. That’s final. If you rat me out, I’ll rat you out, and around and around we go.” I pull Adam to his feet. He’s winded, and his color seems more off than it did only minutes ago. I worry he’ll pass out before we even get out the door.

Turning to Jez, I ask, “You have a back way out of here?”

She crosses her arms over her stomach and mean mugs at me. No help there.