chapter 11- Shackled in Silence

The journey to the village felt endless. The car moved smoothly over the dirt road, but Seraphina felt every bump. Not on her skin—But in her soul.

Each mile they traveled felt like a nail hammered deeper into her chest. She sat stiffly, staring out the window, her hands clenched in her lap. She was wearing her nun's habit again, but she felt exposed.

As if she had been stripped bare and left in the cold. Beside her, Damien drove with calm ease. As if nothing had happened. As if he hadn't stolen something from her. As if he hadn't turned her world into a nightmare.

Seraphina wanted to scream. But she couldn't. Not here. Not now. She had no escape. She had to play along—at least until she could find a way out.

Arrival at the Village

By the time they reached the village, the morning sun had risen high, bathing everything in a golden glow. The small church stood at the heart of the village, its bell ringing softly as they arrived.

Seraphina swallowed the bile in her throat as she stepped out of the car. She forced herself to smile as the village priest approached.

"Welcome, Father Damien!" The elderly priest greeted him warmly. "We were beginning to worry."

"We had some trouble on the road," Damien said smoothly.

"Oh?" The priest raised a brow.

"The car broke down," Damien continued. "We had to sleep in it."

Seraphina's fingers curled into her habit. Lies. More lies. She felt sick.

The priest turned to Seraphina with a kind smile. "You must be tired, Sister."

Seraphina hesitated, but then— Damien's voice rang in her ears.

"No one will believe you."

A chill ran down her spine. She forced a small, polite smile. "Yes, Father. But I am ready for the crusade."

Lies. More lies. But what else could she do?

The elderly priest nodded approvingly. "That's the spirit, my child."

The Crusade Begins—But Seraphina's Voice is Silenced

By midday, the church was alive with worship. People filled the seats, their voices lifted in praise. Seraphina sat at the front, her hands clenched tightly together.

This was supposed to be her moment. The reason she was brought here—To use her gift. To preach. To let the Spirit flow through her. But as the crusade progressed—Damien never called her to the pulpit. Not once.

Instead, he took control—delivering sermon after sermon, his voice commanding, powerful. The villagers nodded, clapped, praised him.

Seraphina sat in silence. Her nails dug into her palms as her heart pounded with rage. This was never about her gift.

He never intended to let her preach. Damien had brought her here for one reason only—To break her. To make sure she stayed powerless.

And as she sat there, forced to smile, forced to act like everything was normal, she realized something.

This wasn't just about what happened that night. This was about control. Damien wasn't just trying to silence her voice—He was trying to erase her.

Her strength. Her spirit. Her faith. Seraphina closed her eyes, swallowing the bitterness in her throat.

But deep inside her, beneath all the fear and pain, something stirred. A tiny spark. It wasn't much. But it was still there. Still alive.

And no matter what Damien did—He couldn't take that away from her.

The Return Journey—A Growing Storm

When the crusade ended, Damien was all smiles as he thanked the villagers.

The people clapped and shook his hand, praising him for his "powerful sermons."

Seraphina felt numb.

She had spent three days in the same church, forced to watch him preach while she remained silent. Forced to endure his watchful eyes. Forced to play along—Like a puppet on a string.

By the time they got into the car to return to the convent, the sky was gloomy. Dark clouds gathered in the distance. A storm was coming. Damien started the car.

The sound of the engine made Seraphina's stomach twist. It worked perfectly—just like before. Just like that night. Seraphina tightened her grip on her dress. She knew the truth now.

Damien had never been a man of God. He was a liar. A manipulator. A wolf in priest's robes. And she—She was trapped. For now.

But as they drove back to the convent, with the storm clouds following them, Seraphina silently made a promise to herself.

One day, she would escape. And when that day came—

She would make sure Damien paid for what he did.