Page 5 of Where the Dark Knelt (Worshipped by Darkness #1)

My heart skipped a beat at his words. My eyes locked on the dark, towering peaks of the Gothic monastery emerging in the distance, partially hidden by rolling waves of fog.

The driver dropped us off at the entrance, and my father asked him to wait for a couple of minutes while he saw me off.

Was this really the last time I would see him?

I didn’t know when I would see him again.

I knew absolutely nothing about this monastery, its rules, or its daily life, but judging by the fact that we now lived in entirely different parts of the continent, meeting regularly would be almost impossible.

He took my hand gently, pulling the hood of my robe over my head, and did the same with his. Together, we rushed through the rain toward the monastery’s towering entrance.

No one met us outside. For some reason, I had expected the opposite, a line of nuns greeting the newcomer, offering blessings and prayers. But the courtyard was empty, silent except for the rain pounding against stone.

Perhaps because of the downpour, everyone had retreated indoors, hidden somewhere in the vast corridors or quiet corners, reading prayers or holy scriptures under candlelight.

He opened the huge metal doors in front of us, and to my surprise, they made almost no sound. I couldn’t imagine how much strength it took to move them alone, but he managed it with calm resolve.

Inside was a grand hall that stole my breath.

Towering marble columns stretched toward ceilings painted in bright frescoes of angels, God, and His heavenly servants.

Outside, everything had been shrouded in darkness and fog, but here…

here was a world of art and eternal beauty.

Candles flickered everywhere, casting warm golden halos against polished stone walls and illuminating sacred paintings with a soft glow.

As we walked down the central aisle, my heels tapping rhythmically against the gray marble floor, I couldn’t help but gaze around with my mouth open.

I had always loved monasteries, churches, and temples for their interiors.

Each was a masterpiece, unique and eternal, standing proudly for centuries, outliving generations, carrying their silent prayers and whispered secrets into the future.

At the altar stood a tall nun, her posture regal beneath her black robes.

She turned as she heard us enter, bowing her head in greeting.

In her hands burned a thick yellow candle, its flame dancing with life.

Behind her, the altar was adorned with herbs and candles of different shades, their mingled scents filling the air.

An ancient script lay open, Latin letters curling across its pages in sacred beauty.

It looked as though we had interrupted some ritual or prayer ceremony. Yet she merely nodded, her eyes calm and dark, waiting for us to approach.

“Greetings, Father Gabriel, and his daughter Eveline.” She bowed again, and we bowed back to her. She wanted deference, and I wasn’t going to lie… I gave it to her.

“I’m Eata. I oversee this monastery and serve as the High Nun.

” Eata stood before us in a long gray robe embroidered with silver along the edges.

The color suited her perfectly, matching her ash-blonde hair that was braided into two thick plaits, so long they almost touched the stone floor.

Gorgeous hair — thick, healthy, shining softly in the candlelight.

I didn’t think I’d ever seen hair like that in the city.

It amazed me, and she noticed my stare, giving me a perfect smile that showed rows of white, polished teeth.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Eata. I’m Eveline. I came here—”

“It’s very nice to see you in person, Eata,” my father interrupted sharply, squeezing my hand so hard I almost yelped. “We came here for important reasons. I explained them over the phone, but I will repeat just in case—”

“No need.” She raised her hand gracefully, silencing him. “I remember our conversation well.”

Her light blue eyes turned to me, scanning my face, my robes, my soul, as if she were peeling away layers to search for secrets.

“If she has been celibate for more than a year—”

“She’s a virgin,” my father cut in before I could open my mouth.

I nodded stiffly, clenching my teeth and his hand in anger.

He didn’t let me speak for myself, as if I were a child.

But deep down, I understood. He wanted to help, to make sure they accepted me quickly, so I could begin this so-called healing from my demons.

So I could find God again, and maybe… live.

“Wonderful, Eveline.” Eata’s smile widened, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “That is even better than a year of celibacy.”

She turned back to my father with a flick of her robe.

“Since she is your daughter and already knows of God and our faith, we can skip two stages of admission: the Inquiry Phase and Application & Pre-Candidacy. However, she will have no further privileges. She will begin directly with Phase Three: Candidacy.”

My heart thudded dully as her words echoed in the candlelit hall.

“She will live with us for a year,” Eata continued, her tone firm but not unkind. “She will learn our ways, our discipline, our theology, and our daily routines. Shoulder to shoulder with the sisters.”

A year… my throat felt dry as dust. My stomach cramped with hunger and cold, and for a moment, the world swayed around me.

“This year will be eventful for her,” Eata said. “She may not need to become a nun, but during this time, she will understand whether her place is here forever… or if she is merely a passing guest seeking refuge.”

I nodded silently at each of her words. There wasn’t much choice now. It was too late to run.

I’d honestly never known there were stages to become a nun, never cared to research their lives. But life always had unexpected turns for us, sometimes merciful, sometimes cruel. I would find out which soon enough.

Right now, all I cared about was getting rid of the depression that had plagued me since I was a kid, a shadow I’d desperately denied for years.

Maybe… maybe I was just tired. Maybe I wanted peace, wanted to find God, or something greater than the corporate grind that devoured us like carrion birds.

Workers? No… we were slaves. Slaves to a system that didn’t care if we lived or died.

And I was done with it. Done forever.

If there was any salvation left in this dying world, I would find it here or I would leave this place as broken as when I came.