Free A Great And Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray Page A

stupid, but I’m feeling quite optimistic.
    “So, what is this secret initiation?”
    Elizabeth looks to Felicity for permission to talk. “You only need to take something from the chapel.”
    “As in steal something?” I ask, not liking where this is going one bit but feeling too far in to get out now.
    “It’s not stealing. After all, it will never leave Spence. It’s just a way to prove that you are trustworthy,” Felicity says.
    I have a few seconds to think and even though the most reasonable answer is to say I’m not interested and go back to bed, I say instead, “What do you want me to take?”
    The clouds thin into wisps. Buttery moonlight spreads out and down. Felicity’s mouth opens, her tongue rubbing against her top teeth, feeling them. “The communion wine.”
    “Communion wine?” I repeat.
    Pippa makes a coughing noise in her throat before dissolving into giggles and I can see this is an impromptu request, an extra bit of daring on Felicity’s part.
    Cecily looks aghast. “But Fee, that’s sacrilege!”
    “Yes, I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” I begin.
    “Really? I think it’s an excellent idea,” Felicity snaps. The admiral’s daughter doesn’t like it when her crew disobeys. “What about you, Elizabeth? What do you think?”
    Elizabeth the puppet looks between her two masters, Felicity and Cecily. “Oh, I, I suppose—”
    Pippa breaks in. “I think it’s a tip-top idea.”
    I could almost swear I hear the trees whispering
idiot
. What have I gotten myself into?
    “Don’t tell me you’re afraid to go in there by yourself?” Felicity says.
    That’s exactly what I’m afraid of, but I can’t very well say it. “What happens when Reverend Waite discovers the communion wine is missing? Won’t he be suspicious?”
    A contemptuous “ha” escapes from Felicity’s mouth. “That drunkard will only suspect that he drank it himself. Besides, there are always Gypsy caravans around here this time of year. We can blame it on them if we have to.”
    I don’t like this idea much. The chapel doors seem to have grown taller and more ominous since vespers. Despite my misgivings, I know I’m going in. “Where does he keep the wine?”
    Pippa pushes me toward the doors. “Behind the altar. There’s a small cubbyhole.”
    She slides the bolt back with all her strength. The doors creak open on the tomblike darkness inside.
    “You can’t very well expect me to find it in the dark.”
    “Feel your way,” Felicity says, pushing me inside.
    I can’t believe that I’m here inside a dark, gloomy chapel ready to commit complete sacrilege by stealing. Thou shalt not steal. I seem to recall that as being one of God’s
I’d rather you didn’t lest I have to smite you into ash
commandments. Nor do I think it will help my case that I’m stealing what the Church believes is the holy blood of Christ. It’s not too late. I could still turn back and go to bed. I could, but I’d forever yield what power I have now to those girls.
    Right. Get this over quickly, then. The light from the open door brightens up the vestibule, but the far end, where the altar and wine are, is in complete darkness. I start toward it and hear the door creaking closed, the light vanishing with the girls, the heavy thud of the wooden bolt being thrown on the outside of the door. They’re locking me in. Without thinking, I throw myself shoulder first into the door, hoping for enough time to push it open. It doesn’t give. And actually, it hurts quite badly.
    Stupid, stupid, stupid, Gem.
What did I expect? How could I have been taken in by that story about wanting me to be part of their private club? Ann’s voice swims in my head—
what’s the point? There’s no winning against them.
I don’t have time to feel sorry for myself. I’ve got to think.
    There must be another way out of here. I only have to find it. All around me, the church seems to breathe with shadows. Mice scurry under pews, their claws