The weight of what had just occurred didn't settle all at once. At first, they simply lay there, trying to catch their breath, their bodies still pressed together. The heat radiating from Elias was searing. He was trembling, as if still surging with a restless energy that, quite frankly, was terrifying. Simultaneously, Felix realized his own body had turned to stone. No tremors, no fear, no lingering desire—only a strange, caustic hollowness. Moving as little as possible, Felix dressed himself and turned toward the door, refusing to look at the flushed, disheveled Elias. It felt as though his strength had utterly abandoned him, taking his emotions along with it. What a fool… He knew he ought never to have succumbed; he could have prevented this. He was certain of it. He had kept his vow of celibacy his entire life—even the presence of a wife had not broken his devotion to God. So what was happening now?

  “Thank you for stopping,” he said, his voice firm and glacial. “I would be grateful if you would drive me back.”

  He didn't look at Elias, as if refusing to acknowledge his existence as a human being—treating him instead as a mere utility. It was for the best. Had he dared to raise his eyes to the youth, he would have seen nothing but a madness bubbling up from the depths of Elias's consciousness. Elias was in a state of pure, unadulterated rage. If there was one thing he hated more than a waste of time, it was a desperate liar. And that was exactly what Felix was. Denying the obvious to the bitter end, digging in his heels, refusing to believe even himself—and as if that weren't enough, acting with such insufferable arrogance. As if he were the one in charge here.

  A tremor wracked Elias’s entire frame. He couldn't think rationally—not now, not while he was this high. He licked his dry lips, nervously rubbing his nose, neck, and shoulders, his jaw aching with tension. It did nothing to calm him. Casting a frantic look around the small room, Elias delivered a heavy kick to the small table, sending it skittering to the far corner. Felix flinched at the sound, but he didn't turn around. He remained wooden, which only stoked the fire of Elias’s fury. Elias slammed his fist into the wall beside the door—surely drawing attention—and loomed over the motionless Felix.

  “You have a real talent for driving people mad, Father Felix! You lie to God, you lie to those who care about you, you even lie to yourself! You’ve practically reserved a seat in the Eighth Circle... You liar, you cheat, you traitor!”

  “Are you finished?” Felix replied, his voice still devoid of a single shred of emotion.

  “I will—!” Elias lunged, grabbing Felix by the shirt, bunching the fabric in his fist and hoisting him up from the sofa.

  Felix’s face didn't even register fear; he truly looked like a statue. Elias felt a sharp pang in his heart. Was it from the overindulgence of the powder, the pain, or the resentment? It was undoubtedly all of them at once. Suddenly, a wave of pity for the priest washed over him. Truly... what was he doing? Why was he becoming the very thing he hated with all his soul? But before Elias could even release his grip, the door swung open. Both men jumped, heads snapping toward the entrance.

  Marlene stood in the doorway, looking visibly distressed. She had clearly been in such a hurry that she hadn't even extinguished her kiseru; the sweet scent of tobacco smoke quickly filled the cramped room. Her expression darkened as she took in the scene: a half-naked Elias clutching the shirt of a priest who looked utterly catatonic. She didn't have to say a word. Elias winced and gingerly lowered Felix back onto the sofa, taking two sharp steps back. He was still shaking, his eyes darting around the room and his heart hammering against his ribs, but at least a glimmer of self-awareness began to return.

  Marlene approached, the sharp click of her heels echoing, and caught his nose between two of her knuckles, pulling him toward her until he let out a sharp hiss of pain.

  “Acting like it’s your first time, really?! Ellie!” Elias saw a flash of genuine worry in her eyes, but it frightened him nonetheless. Who knew with her—perhaps she was just worried about where to hide the body... “Lord, boy.”

  Marlene sighed and shoved him away, forcing him to collapse onto the sofa. Elias made a move to stand back up, but one stern look from her was enough to kill that idea instantly. Marlene turned to Felix and brushed his shoulder with the ghost of a touch.

  “Mr. Bauer.” The name made him recoil, his breath hitching as he turned a bewildered gaze toward the concerned face before him. “Can you walk?”

  “I beg your pardon?” Nearly panicked now, he straightened his back, attempting to reclaim his former rigidity.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  “He’s sober, Marlene,” Elias said quietly, his gaze fixed on the priest with equal concern.

  “Fine.” She sighed and stood tall, extending a hand in invitation. “Mr. Bauer, allow me to escort you to the exit.”

  “I can find my own way,” Felix replied. He couldn't manage a smile, but he stood up and headed for the door regardless.

  “Of course,” Marlene said, casting one final look at Elias before stepping out after the man.

  She touched his elbow gently and guided him away from the crowd toward a different door, one camouflaged by the shadows. The small, dimly lit corridor made Felix shudder with unwanted memories. They passed through it to an exit on the opposite side of the building. Marlene’s car was parked there—a black Cadillac, its polished surface gleaming under the moonlight—a perfect match for her. The woman quickly extinguished her unusual pipe but paused when she noticed Felix hesitating.

  “Please, get in,” she said with a polite smile. “We’re quite far out, it’s late, and it isn't safe here without a car. I won't pull up right in front of the church, so don't worry—no one will see you.”

  “You’ll be driving?”

  “I will,” she said in a strangely commanding tone. “Let’s not dawdle.”

  They drove in silence for several minutes. Felix nervously toyed with a button on his cuff, leaning back and closing his eyes. He was exhausted, desperate to sleep and strike this night from his memory. He castigated himself, feeling an unbearable weight of guilt for being so easily led, for allowing himself to be taken to God-knows-where. He had been a fool to let himself taste pleasure. Suddenly, he felt a lump in his throat. No, he didn't actually want to erase this night from his mind—but then what was this thing gnawing at his heart and soul? He didn't know. He was on the verge of tears. He surely would have succumbed to the urge had he not lost the capacity for it years ago. Nevertheless, he must have looked distraught enough, or perhaps it was the twitch of his throat or the tension in his face, but Marlene clearly noticed.

  “Do you smoke?” she asked softly, offering him a pack of cigarettes.

  “I am a priest,” Felix replied firmly, opening his eyes.

  “Priests smoke too,” the woman countered, though she tucked the pack away. “How are you feeling?”

  “I am quite alright, thank you.” Another lie. “May I ask how you know who I am? I don't recall seeing you at church or among the relatives of the other parishioners.”

  “You have a sharp eye and a good memory,” she smiled faintly, tapping her fingers against the steering wheel. “I’m not a believer, and I moved here alone a few years ago. That’s why you don't know me.” Marlene took her eyes off the road for a moment to look at Felix with a soft, enchanting smile. “However, I know Miss Hoffman very well. I suppose you could call us friends.”

  “Katharina?” He was genuinely surprised. Of course, he knew Katharina had many friends, but still... “I trust you won't tell her about this... situation?”

  “I have no reason to, as long as you don't tell her yourself.” She smiled again—a peculiar, knowing look—but unlike Elias, she didn't make him feel uneasy. “Forgive Elias, Mr. Bauer. He’s a volatile man, and the 'snow' makes him... even less restrained.”

  “But it’s autumn,” Felix said, glancing at her in genuine confusion.

  “I wasn't referring to the weather.”

  “Then I understand you even less.”

  “In that case, let's just say I meant the alcohol,” she said, her red nails resuming their rhythmic tapping on the wheel. “My point is, he isn't always aware of his actions. But I want you to see what lies beneath them. That he isn't a bad man. No worse than anyone else, at least—in many ways, he's actually better.”

  “And what exactly am I supposed to see?”

  “Find out for yourself and draw your own conclusions, if you want to understand him,” her smile turned sympathetic. “If you don't, then say the word. I can put a stop to him.”

  “I find that hard to believe. What are you to him?”

  “A friend.” She paused for a few seconds before sighing and offering a bit more. “And his boss. I am the sole owner of the 'Cristal' club. He owes me a great deal, believe me, so I can make him leave you in peace.”

  “God knows he’ll resist.”

  “Of course he will! But you know...” she pulled the car over near the church, a safe distance from the residential houses, “if he goes against me and the entire system for your sake—that will speak volumes.”

  “For instance, that I’ll be left with no choice but to accept him?”

  “You’re a radical.”

  “I have to be.”

  “You know,” she leaned back, her eyes locked onto the priest, “Ellie wouldn't behave this way with someone he didn't see a future with. Trust me, I know him.”

  “Well, this time God has set him on a false path,” Felix looked away, nervously curling his fingers. “I am a man of God and I have a wife; I cannot surrender to sin.”

  “Mmm,” Marlene gave an indifferent shrug. “But is having a wife while being a priest a godly thing? To do so without the Church's blessing, so deceitfully breaking the law... Tell me, what is the greater sin: living under one roof with a woman whose union isn't sanctioned by God, or to love sincerely?”

  “I do not love Elias,” Felix breathed, barely audible. “And I will never accept this horrific sin...”

  “And yet, out of everything I just said, that was the only point you reacted to. Not your faith, not your wife.” She wasn't smiling anymore; she had returned to that state of quiet concern. “Mr. Bauer, I won't keep you any longer. It’s late. And once again, my apologies for Elias. If you ever need help, you can reach me through Katty; I don't think she’ll mind.”

  “Of course,” Felix murmured as he stepped out of the car. “Thank you for your assistance. God keep you. Goodnight, Marlene.”

  “Goodnight, Mr. Bauer,” she smiled politely and slowly pulled away, vanishing into the night.