Chapter V: Temptation
The days that followed were nothing short of torture. This had to be what Sister Rachel had meant when she had accused Sister Sarah of entering her dreams, and yet, nothing in the other nun’s demeanour changed; she was still calm, regal, and kind. Was she really doing this, or had mine and Sister Rachel’s minds projected our sinful thoughts on her? There was an easy way to find out, of course, just confirm the details she had shared about her real name and the reason she had come to the convent. However, I wasn’t sure how to accomplished that, as it was likely that only the Mother Superior would know. Until then, I kept avoiding Sister Sarah.
One afternoon, as I was leaving the garden, I felt the irresistible urge to look over my shoulder. I expected to see the old woman, but instead it was a black goat. Once more, I felt unable to move, and so all I could do was watch as the goat rose to its feet, as big as a man, its glowing eyes fixed on mine.
‘You’re not real.’ I whimpered.
‘Oh, ye of little faith.’
I looked more closely and saw that the goat man was really a man wearing a cloak made of goat skin with the head serving as a hood, the same one the old woman had worn. He had tangled black hair, fair skin, and there was something vaguely familiar about him, though I was sure I had never seen him before.
‘Do I please you more like this? Athénais and her ilk prefer the goat.’
‘You… you don’t please me at all! What do you want from me?’
‘You’ll find out when it’s time.’
And with that, he was gone. When I realised I could once again move, I ran out of the garden and went straight to the Mother Superior.
‘You saw the Devil?!’
‘Yes, and he’s planning something, Mother Superior!’
The Mother Superior let out a tired sigh and shook her head. ‘Lady Brigid…’
‘Do you think I’m a liar? Or mad?’
‘You poor child. No, I don’t think you are mad or a liar, I think something very wicked is playing a trick on you. We must all pray to God to drive it away.’
And pray they did, standing in a circle around me, who was lying on the floor holding a cross; I held onto it as if my life depended on it, and in a way, it did. As the nuns prayed to God for my tainted soul, I added my own pleas for Him to grant me the grace of overcoming the darkness that had taken hold of my heart.
‘Brigid…’
I opened her eyes and saw Haniel floating above me. Somehow, the nuns had disappeared and we were alone.
‘No!’
‘No? But you asked God for His grace.’
Suddenly, I had a flash of Athénais saying: ‘Look at the nice angel cock he sent you.’ Haniel smiled in a way that his delicate features didn’t seem accustomed to, and turned into the Devil. He knelt between my legs and leaned closer, just as he had done in the chapel, and I could see he was naked under the goat skins.
‘You!’
‘Yes, me. I’m afraid that’s not what my brother wants from you. So, if you’re interested in experiencing a nice angel cock, you’re going to have to settle for mine.’
I held the cross between us.
‘Begone, Satan!’
He laughed, and slapped the cross away.
‘I know you are not as cold as you pretend to be. What if I offered you more? What if I made you wealthy in your own right? No more having to do what your parents want. No need to chain yourself to a husband and children. You’d be free to do as you please. Would you like that?’
‘I’m not listening.’ I turned away.
‘Oh, but you are. What do you say, Brigid? You can be free if you give your body to me.’
‘I’m no whore!’
‘Just this once, Brigid. Let me have you and I will give you all.’
He was so close that a single thrust would take my virginity. I found him both repellent and seductive, and wondered how many had fallen for his lies, accepted his offer, and given away their souls. Despite my fear, I looked straight into his glowing eyes:
‘You will give me nothing. For what good is to live a fine life on earth if it means spending an eternity in Hell?’
‘As you wish.’
He disappeared and I found herself surrounded by the praying nuns and still holding the cross. I sat up and they stopped.
‘Lady Brigid, are you alright?’
‘Yes, Sister Ursula. He was here, I saw him. He asked for my body, but I refused and he left.’
The nuns gasped and made the sign of the cross. The Mother Superior helped me up.
‘How do you feel, my Lady?’
‘As if a great weight was lifted from my heart.’
There were no more dreams, no more old woman, no more goat man; I was finally free and could go home. However, there was one thing I had to do before that.
‘Sister Sarah.’
‘Lady Brigid.’
‘I want to apologise for the bad thoughts I’ve had about you.’
‘Well, I don’t quite know what those might be, but thank you.’
‘It was the Devil that tricked me, but I should’ve known it couldn’t be true. You are a good woman, Sister Sarah.’
‘You’re very kind, Lady Brigid.’ Sister Sarah leaned closer and whispered in my ear. ‘Look under your bed.’
‘What?’
Sister Sarah smiled and left. I saw her walk away, confused. That had been a very strange thing to say. Scared, I opened the door to my room and looked inside. At first glance, everything was as it should have been, but when I looked under the bed, I found something wrapped in black velvet. I immediately recognised the ornate box containing the relic, but what shocked me more was the knife, for it was the same silver knife I had seen the angel use on Saint Bartholomew. Terrified, I dropped it. How had Sister Sarah found it and why had she put it under my bed? Suddenly, I remembered that the Devil had mentioned a brother. Satan hadn’t come alone to God’s favoured town.