Free Promise: The Scarred Girl by Maya Shepherd Page B

faces curiously. She cannot see their bodies through their habits, all she can see is their faces, both are smiling brightly. Talking to Nea must bring them pleasure. In their cheeks, Nea can see small pits and can imagine how they must have been ridiculed before the illness took so many people.
    Both have striking green eyes, slightly reddish eyebrows, snow white skin, little snub noses, and narrow pink lips. From their ears dangle earrings with the same image of Ereb that Urelitas wore on his finger. The Carris seem to have designed an entire jewelry collection just to drive their madness for Ereb even further. Nea recognizes a difference in their faces. While the two of them are giggling, her sight is drawn to Hope’s right earlobe. “See here, I have a small birthmark on my ear, Faith does not have one.”
    While Nea admired their earrings, one of the sisters asked, “Do you have any siblings?”
    Nea shakes her head no.
    “Oh, what a pity... but it’s really not that bad, since the Carris is something similar to a family.” Faith smiles blissfully and seems to really believe what she says.
    Nea can explain many reasons why someone might want to be with the Carris, but to call the Carris a family would be exaggerated and excessive.
    “Well, I would not necessarily describe the Carris as a family...” Nea let slip out. Even if she is one of them, she must not agree to all they do. In addition, she likes these girls and wants to at least be honest with them. Faith and Hope stare at her with wide, disbelieving eyes.
    “Are you not happy with the Carris?”
    “There is no substitute for a family. In a family... I mean, no one is all-powerful and there are no priests who have more to say than anyone else.”
    “But of course. Was your dad not the head of your family? And try to imagine that you had older siblings who believed themselves to be better and smarter than you. The main thing for a family to be is to be there for each other and believe in the same things.”
    “And what about the slaves? Is it not unfair that they have to stay with us and not be free to decide their fate?”
    The two look at each other and hesitate with an answer. “Yes, you are right, but we really just rely on their help. In addition, we treat them well. They always have something to eat and never feel cold. You cannot beat that,” both nod in approval of their words.
    Nea understands where they are coming from. In their view, they know it is wrong, but are trying to be nice. They do not want to think about it, let alone talk about it.
    Therefore, she puts out the light and the girls all snuggle up in the warm sleeping bags. Nea’s dog curls up on her feet and puts his head on the sleeping bag. The straw crackles at every little movement, but it is however very soft, even softer than the tree branches she usually camps in, softer even than the bed in Luica’s tent. The only sounds that can be heard are the soft snorting and trampling of animals. With so many unfamiliar noises, she finds it difficult to fall asleep, even though she is very tired.
    Hope and Faith are both nice to her and unlike Luica, Harold, and Zippi; they seem to be really honest. They have no reason to lie to her. On the contrary, Nea is the one who is into foul play. Although she does not plan to hurt these two in any way, she is sure the girls will feel betrayed if they learn at some point that Nea has never been one of them. She knows only too well what that feels like and feels sorry that she now has to do that to someone. Her conscience plagues her already, even though her betrayal of them will be in a few days. She has no other choice if she wants to go to Promise. How did she get into this? She always thinks she’s incredibly smart and strong, but deep inside, she just a sensitive soul, like Miro always said.
    The next morning, Nea awakes when Faith gently shakes her on the shoulder. It took her a long time before she could fall asleep at all.
    The animals