Brotherhood of Shades. Dawn Finch

“Bar it well; it will give us a little time. The other doors are already sealed as I anticipated this. Where is my servant?”

      “Here, father.” A young boy ran to his side.

      “Boy, come with me. I have to add a little more to this text and then you must take it and the Master Text to the Sisters, as we have planned. You know what you must do?”

      “Yes, father,” the boy replied. “On my life, I shall see it done.”

      “Good lad,” the father said and ruffled the boy’s mop of black hair.

      The monks rushed to make sure that all was copied into one great volume. The hammering on the door grew greater and the other monks began to drag all that they could move to the door to create a barricade. Pews were piled in front of the door and the stem of the tall brass lectern jammed through the oak handles. Father Dominic hastily filled the final pages, ink spilling over his fingers as he dipped his quill with haste. A few last notes and, with the young servant hot on his heels, he ran into the recesses of the abbey to hide the texts from the king’s men just as they burst into the building.