LOGINCaterinaThe secondary hiding place was a narrow cavity behind a loose stone in the old laundry passage, a location we had chosen weeks earlier precisely because no one had any reason to examine it. I reached it without incident, worked the stone free, and slid the satchel of ledgers into the dark space behind it, and the fit was tight. When I replaced the stone and brushed the surrounding dust back into a natural pattern, the wall looked undisturbed.Only then did I allow my hands to shake.The descent, the near discovery by Vittorio’s men, the weight of the volumes against my side during the return — all of it settled over me at once. I leaned against the opposite wall and forced my breathing to slow. The ledgers were secure. By that time, Jordan had returned by a different route. For the moment, both of us remained free and the materials remained out of Vittorio’s reach.I waited several minutes longer before leaving the passage, then made my way back to the novices’ wing by the
Jordan Caterina moved ahead of me with the lantern held low, her steps quick but controlled. I followed close enough to cover her back, the spare key Agnes had provided already in my hand.The lower tunnels felt different under the pressure of a ticking window. Every sound carried farther, and every shadow along the walls seemed to hold the possibility of interruption. So, we reached the first junction without incident. The usual watchers were absent, and whatever delay Agnes had arranged was holding for the moment. We took the narrower left-hand passage that led toward the secondary archive chamber where the more recent ledgers were kept. The air grew colder, and water seeped along one section of the floor, forcing us to edge carefully along the drier stone.At the reinforced door I fitted the key. It turned with a low metallic protest. We slipped inside and closed it behind us. The chamber was smaller than the Heart itself, lined with metal shelves and locked cabinets rather than
Jordan's POVThe first clear sign of Vittorio’s response came mid-morning in the form of restricted access. Several of the lower corridor doors that had previously required only standard keys were now fitted with additional locks. Two of the younger priests who had once answered casually to general authority now stood near the main entrance to the older tunnel systems with the posture of men given specific orders. The message was unmistakable, and movements below ground were being tightened.I noted the changes without reacting openly and continued through my assigned duties. The external pressure Safiya had set in motion was producing exactly the internal contraction we had expected. The question was how far Vittorio intended to go and how quickly.Agnes intercepted me near the scriptorium after the midday meal. She spoke in the same low, practical tone she had used since deciding the old arrangement could no longer be sustained.“He is preparing to move materials,” she said. “Not
Caterina's POV I left Jordan's cell before the first bell rang, his perfume remaining on my skin and a pleasurable pain between my thighs as a private remembrance of the hours we had stolen.The corridor was vacant. I returned quickly and discreetly to the novices' wing, slid into my own cell, and secured the door.Only then did I allow myself to fully breathe.The night had given us what we needed: contact, release, and confirmation that we were still on the same page.However, the sharper edges of the scenario became clearer in the morning. The images were already outside.I cleaned carefully, dressed in fresh clothes, and joined the others for the morning offices. Jordan maintained his controlled expression across the chapel, as he always did in public. Our eyes met once, and that was it. The rest of the day would demand the same level of attention to detail as the previous ones.After the service, I was assigned to the herb garden, as usual. The work provided me with a clear vie
Jordan's POV A knock came soft and familiar after the final silence of the monastery had settled—just three quiet taps. I opened the door of my cell to find Caterina already stepping inside, rain still darkening the edge of her veil. I couldn't speak; I just stared at her breast lostly. The bolt slid home behind her with a low metallic sound that felt final.She reached for me first. Her mouth met mine with the same urgency that had lived between us since the tunnels, since the first time we crossed the line neither of us could return from.I backed her against the wall, hands already working at the fastenings of her habit. The heavy fabric gave way under my fingers. She helped, impatient, until the garment pooled at her feet and she stood in the thin shift beneath. I pulled that over her head as well. Then she was bare in the low candlelight, skin pale against the dark stone, nipples already tight from the cool air and from what she knew was coming.I grabbed her breast and sucked
Jordan's POVMorreti reached out to me concerning the news of external questions, just before the midday meal. He stood under the partial shelter of the gate arch, collar turned up against the drizzle, and spoke in the flat tone of a man delivering facts rather than opinions.“Someone in the city is asking about Vittorio’s financial ties to this place. Very, very... specific questions, the kind that come from documents, not rumors. Your journalist friend moved faster than expected.”I absorbed the information without visible reaction. “How long before it reaches official channels?”“Depends on who she gave it to and how firmly Vittorio pushes back. Days, if the pressure holds and less if it doesn’t.” He studied me. “You and the girl need to decide what you still need from inside before this place becomes a different kind of problem.”I nodded. He left without further comment. The exchange added another layer to the already unstable ground beneath us.I went straight to Caterina's r







