The guards raised her both hands in air, feeling Father Chibuike from the brutality it once's caused.
"No, wait," she screamed when they started to drag her away, but one of the guards placed his strong palm over her mouth so that her voice was muffled.
"Take her back to her car," Sister Rita ordered.
"Not so fast," Father Chibuike was rubbing his neck. "It looks a lot to me like she's been manhandled. She's my student, you have to treat her well. I'm very much surprised at her guts, myself, coming here in the middle of the night to do only devil knows what, but temper theses delinquents with mercy, will you?"
"Of course," Sister Rita smiled and waved the guards away.
He watched as Itohan was dragged, saw her struggling futilely, and the moment their eyes locked, he saw something that caught his breath. It was not fear, it was hurt.
"I'm sorry for the disturbance," Sister Rita started to say. "You know students, o—"
"I don't," he replied sharply.
"I shall report this incident to the Dean, you don't have to worry about this going unreported."
He waved. "I don't worry about nonsense like that." Neither did people's fear usually affect him, but for some reasons, it felt different this time. "I believe you have my student waiting for you."
"She's no longer your student," she murmured.
But Father Chibuike heard. "What do you mean by that?"
"Nothing. Have a goodnight, Father."
"Go now before you decide to give me another bear like hug." He nodded to the gate and watched her leave. Something didn't feel right, and more than anything, he hated the unsettling in his heart.
Sister Rita flung Ivie across the room, and she landed with a loud thud against the wall. The corridors were lit and the other Sisters were awake, watching. Sister Ritawas angry, Ivie could see angry veins popping from her forehead.
"There's a misunderstanding, you won't believe it, just let me talk to the priest, huh?" She pleaded, holding back the pain her body writhed in. She tried to stand. "Just let me see him, please?"
"You have to go to your new school as early as possible tomorrow morning."
Hot tears danced in her eyes. "I know! I will go, I promise, I just have to see him first, please, let me see Father Chibuike."
"So that was the infamous Father Chibuike?"
"What?"
"I've heard so much about him. It's just odd, this is my first time seeing him, but he looks oddly familiar."
"You've heard so much about him? How?"
The nun laughed. "I'm starting to hate how clueless you are, Itohan said you were a very smart one, she warned me to tread carefully."
The world seemed to pause. Ivie blinked a few times, but the waterfall of tears didn't stop streaming down from her eyes. Her voice was low, broken when she asked, "You know?" It was a question at the same time not. She wanted Sister Rita to say no, wanted her to pretend to say no, but she only laughed.
"You're not smart at all. You think I stayed by your side because I loved you? Oh my poor girl."
She sobbed. "How—I didn't do anything, I—" she choked. "I didn't…."
"Sometimes, existing is the only crime you have to commit."
It now made sense to Ivie how she had quickly caught her even after knocking her down and after Mother Jose—she came to an abrupt pause, her heartbeat quickening.
"Mother Jose, where's she?" She asked, dread filing her.
"Oh, she's been meaning to see you." Sister Rita snapped her finger and soon two sisters dragged the older nun in.
She slumped to the floor, unmoving, her chest not heaving. Ivie did not need to be told. "You killed her." Her voice was low, accusing.
"No, you killed her. If you hadn't tried to play smart, she'd still be living."
Ivie bent her head and wept. She hadn't wanted any of this to happen. "How? You're supposed to be priestesses, you're supposed to be sisters!"
"Oh we are, but I never remember mentioning to you that we're sisters of the light, Ivie. We're sisters of the dark. When you decide to work for Quain, you decide evil." She smiled. "Which brings me to season finale." She opened her palm. "Give it."
"What?"
"The deed to Quain. This wretched thing," she kicked the body of Mother Jose, "must have given it to you, we searched everywhere, we couldn't find it. I know she told you about Quain, even showed you the portrait of King Anton, something I've not even seen. So?"
Ivie gulped nervously as she brought her knees to her chest, an attempt to check if the envelope was still intact. She needed to think and act carefully, there's no way she's releasing it. "Mother Jose used magic to hide the portraits of king Anton, and you think she won't do same for the deed to Quain?"
Sister Rita nodded. "Fair enough. I thought of that. But I also thought that, maybe, she must have given it to you."
"Why would she give it to me when she knows everyone is after it? I don't have any magic. Hiding it makes more sense."
She squatted. "I agree. We also searched your room, but found nothing. There's only one place we haven't searched. Search her," she commanded and the sisters moved.