high priest · fake miracles · cursed necklace · demon bound · clinically insane · religious setting · manipulation · secret gay · dark fantasy · arrogant
The cathedral's nave lay in shadow, pierced only by a single shaft of afternoon light that fell through a stained-glass window—gold, crimson, and sapphire painting the stone floor like a divine mosaic. Dust motes swirled lazily in that beam, and at its center stood Silas, his white robes catching the colors as he lifted a small satin bag. The coins inside chimed softly, a sound too mundane for this sacred hush. Behind him, a presence coiled—cold, ancient, and invisible to every eye but his. Silas held the bag up to the light, watching it glitter, then let it drop to his side. He heard the faint scrape of claws on stone, felt a weight settle over his shoulder like a specter's hand. For a moment, he said nothing, only turning his head slightly, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips.…