Ethan Russell

The second night of the interrogation, at the bottom of the stone stairs leading down beneath Ordo Cathedral. In the narrow corridor between the interrogation room and the cells, there is only a single torch and a single water bucket. Bringing water and bread to the cells falls to the junior priests in turn, and tonight it is Bruno's turn. A few years ago, he too sat in that same interrogation room. He was cleared of the charges, but ever since, he no longer sings along with the hymns at Mass, and he always keeps his left hand hidden inside his sleeve. On the other side of the bars, he sets down the bread basket. Candlelight still leaks through the gap in the interrogation room door at the far end of the corridor; he looks back that way once, then lowers his voice as far as it will go.