The Crown Of Ash and Silver
She could feel the pressure of the symbols around her, the prayers meant to weaken her, the holy walls humming with fear.
She lifted her hand and brushed her fingers along one of the engraved verses. It was a plea for deliverance. As she touched it, frost crept along the letters, freezing the gold in a perfect sheen.
She whispered, “Deliverance comes from those who save themselves.”
The frost spread until the verse cracked, faintly and almost soundlessly.
Far above, in the chapel, a candle flickered out.