After bathing and donning new Ordo Argent gear, Gabriel accompanied Abbot Khalid down to the gatehouse and stables. During the descent, Khalid explained some paleblood traits and vulnerabilities and revealed the scars on his face came from killing a shapeshifting monstrosity called a duskdancer. In the stables carved within the cathedral’s pillar, Gabriel met two Sūdhaemi stablehands, brothers Kaspar and Kaveh; Kaspar spoke for Kaveh, who was born tongueless. Khalid also greeted Prioress Charlotte and her sisternovices, who were sketching the horses.

Gabriel noticed a striking novice whose asymmetrical face and poise captivated him. Khalid praised the novice’s drawing, while Prioress Charlotte redirected credit to divine guidance, asserting strict obedience. Gabriel recalled silversaint vows of celibacy and his guilt over hurting Ilsa, yet found himself drawn to the novice when their eyes met.

Moving deeper into the stable, Gabriel discovered two wretched vampires hanging in silver chains above a pen of sosya horses. Khalid explained the Order accustoms their mounts to the presence of vampires so the steeds can carry silversaints into battle. Handing Gabriel sugar cubes, Khalid told him to choose a horse by trusting his heart.

Gabriel selected a large black gelding with braided mane and tail, the same horse the talented novice had been sketching. As he bonded with the animal, the novice spoke up, naming the horse Justice and bristling with anger. Prioress Charlotte immediately rebuked her as Sisternovice Astrid and slapped her for insolence, declaring that as a member of the Silver Priory she owned nothing and must obey.

Astrid defied Charlotte, stating she never wanted to be there and rejecting the label of sister. Charlotte publicly humiliated her, calling her a bastard and threatening that her only places in the world were as a wife of God or in a brothel. Gabriel tried to intervene, but Khalid restrained him and ordered him to stand down. Charlotte escalated the punishment by whipping Astrid with a thong tipped with iron, demanding that Astrid beg God’s forgiveness. Astrid resisted until the blows forced her to cry out and finally beg, after which Charlotte ended the beating.

The novices, led by Prioress Charlotte, departed to silent contemplation; Sisternovice Chloe helped the shaken Astrid gather her things. Khalid then warned Gabriel that while a strong will and good heart are virtues, questioning orders would bring severe consequences; he asserted command with calm authority. He asked Gabriel to forgive Charlotte’s severity, hinting that the coming mass would be painful for all.

When Gabriel asked why, Khalid revealed that someone would die at the evening mass, specifying only that a good man would die. The moment closed with a heavy sense of foreboding over the impending execution or sacrifice.