Round 7 Transcript

I turn to Silra with a sharp nod as she herds Clarice away from the church.
I need to deal with Hera before we can function again. My attention snaps back to the trembling woman in front of me. "Well?" I demand, my voice cold and expectant. "Answer me."

Behind me, Halie steps forward hesitantly. "Jeane," she says softly, "maybe we should—"

I hold up a hand to silence her without looking away from Hera. "This is between us," I say firmly. "Abby?"—I glance at the nervous-looking civilian—"go inside. Now."*

My eyes return to Hera, narrowing as I assess her. She’s shaking, clearly terrified of me, but that doesn’t change what needs to happen here. "Last chance," I growl. "Answer me properly or this conversation takes a different turn."*

The church falls into an uneasy silence as the confrontation between leader and doubter reaches its peak.

I feel my pulse pounding in my temples as I lead Clarice around the corner of the church, putting distance between us and the potential disaster unfolding inside.

The night air is cool against my skin, but I'm burning up inside—this situation is fucked on so many levels. We're supposed to be building a secretive all-female harem, not dealing with nosy neighbors who might call the cops or worse. And now I've got Jeane and Hera having it out back there while I'm stuck playing babysitter to our newest potential recruit.

I glance sideways at Clarice as we walk. She's pale, clearly terrified, and I don't blame her—who wouldn't freak after seeing a woman with literal wings? But something about the way she's holding herself makes me think she's not just scared. There's a calculation in her eyes that suggests she might be more dangerous than we initially thought.

We're halfway around the block now, far enough from the church that I can't hear what's happening back there anymore. Perfect—no witnesses, no interruptions. "So," I say casually, still walking, "you wanna tell me why you really followed us?"

I feel my patience wearing thin as I face Hera, her trembling form before me. The others have scattered—Abby inside, Silra handling Clarice, Halie retreating to the background. Good. This needs to be between us. "You will not undermine me again," I say, my voice a low hiss that carries the weight of command. My wings fold tightly against my back, a subtle display of irritation. "Your... reservations... will be addressed later, in private."

Hera flinches at my words, her eyes wide with fear. She's shaking visibly now, and it both infuriates me and stirs something darker within. Her doubt is fracturing our unity, and that makes us weak. I cannot allow this to continue. "Do you understand?" I ask, holding her gaze. "You will not question my leadership in front of others again."

Behind me, I hear Halie's soft protest, but I silence her with a raised hand without looking away from Hera. The sound of the door closing tells me Abby has retreated inside as instructed. Good. This conversation needs no audience. My eyes narrow as I assess Hera. She's clearly terrified of me, which is good—fear can be a powerful motivator. But her fear doesn't change what needs to happen here. "Last chance," I growl. "Answer me properly or this conversation takes a different turn."

The church falls into an uneasy silence as the confrontation between leader and doubter reaches its peak.

I stand frozen, my heart pounding as Jeane's words cut through me like a knife. The weight of her gaze feels physical, a palpable force pushing against my chest. I can't move, can't breathe. The others have scattered, leaving just the two of us facing off in this charged silence. Fear coils tight in my stomach, but there's something else too—anger, hot and pulsing beneath the surface. How dare she threaten me like this? I didn't ask to be a part of this cult, didn't choose to be dragged into whatever dark ritual they're planning. And yet here I am, caught between my loyalty to Abby and my own growing unease with Jeane's methods. I open my mouth to speak, but no words come out. What can I say? That I'm scared? That I think this is all going too far? Jeane will never understand—she's so caught up in her own power trip that she can't see how dangerous this is becoming. So I stand there, trembling and silent, as the seconds stretch into an eternity. Waiting for Jeane to make her next move, wondering if this is the moment where everything falls apart.