Oh, Ethan will be in trouble when Penny finds him! The Wendigo will seem like a caring grandmother, yes!
Penny stepped out of the tent and blinked, puzzled. Here and there in the camp we could see the lights of fires. But who would kindle them in the morning? As she walked toward the armory, Penny caught a glimpse of the High Inquisitor's squad at one of the fires. She froze.
"Where is the High Inquisitor?" When no one responded, I shouted, feeling how quickly the remaining patience was draining away. "Where is the High Inquisitor?"
Corinne looked at her and didn't answer. Her eyes were dead, and Rick muttered.
"Go where you went." Don't stand here.
Normally, Penny would have been wary of how stunned the boys looked, and even the ever-haughty Corinne, and the fact that they were holding flasks in their hands, even though alcohol was usually forbidden in the camp. But now she didn't care about anything except the desire to find Ethan and make a scandal for him.
"Where." Supreme. Inquisitor. Penny clenched her fists, ready to grab the neck of anyone who held her even for a second. And I don't care about my small stature and weakness. "Why are you sitting here instead of preparing for your mission?"
The commissioners looked at each other in silence, and Jeff said cautiously:
"What mission, Penny?" It was in the afternoon. The High Inquisitor did not return.
"What?!"
Penny threw herself at Jeff right over the fire, slapped him in the face to make him shut up and not talk nonsense, not even tell such lies out loud. She clung to Jeff, putting her hand over his mouth, punched him in the nose, clumsily but hard, beating and beating until she felt herself being dragged away by several people at once.
"Shut up!"
"I'm mad!" He's crazy, fitful!
Penny was twisted, she struggled, trying to throw herself at Jeff, but forced herself to calm down. Something, rising like a nameless force from within, resonated with cold rage, like a predator waiting for its prey to come close enough.
"Tell me," she said quietly, looking at Jeff and throwing off the hands of the others without the slightest difficulty. Even a legion could not contain it now. "Tell me what you mean." Tell!
"Demon spawn," Jeff spat, wiping the blood from his broken nose. "Your place is at the stake, that's right, Bishop..."
"Speak!" Penny shouted. There was silence, and Jeff's face was filled with real fear. What did he see in front of him? Was Penny frightened? "Speak!"
"What do you want to hear!" Corinne stepped between Penny and Jeff and nudged her shoulder. "If you hadn't decided to sit out in the camp...
Penny wanted to grab Corinne by the neck. So that you can feel the pulse beating under your fingers. She woke up only when Sean appeared next to her and began to unclench her fingers.
"Penny." Settle down. He is no longer there, that's all.
She looked at it and asked for the umpteenth time, almost imploringly:
"Speak."
"What can I say," Sean finally freed Korin and stood right in front of Penny, approaching, ready to attack at any moment. The others stood at a distance. "The High Inquisitor and Korin entered the building where the demons had taken up residence. Some kind of abandoned hotel. We stayed outside. Corinne went out. The Grand Inquisitor does not.
"Why did you stay outside?" Penny exclaimed. "Two against demons, how could you let him go?"
"Are you overheated in the sun, fallen?" Rick was indignant. "We are soldiers. The High Inquisitor instructed him to wait while he and Corin investigated the situation. We waited.
"And then?"
Everyone was silent.
"What happened then?" Penny looked at Corinne with a heavy look. "You left him there. You cowardly piece of shit, he trusted you!
"Penny," Sean said quietly.
"It was an order!" Corin shrieked. "The High Inquisitor ordered me to retreat when we realized there were too many of them.
"I didn't.
"What do you know, you...
"I'll rip your back right now if you don't tell the truth.
As she said that, Penny was sure she would vomit. He doesn't know how, he doesn't know when, but he'll vomit for sure. Such strength was accumulating in her hands that she could make out the whole camp by a stone that she had some kind of backbone.
Corinne fell silent.
"I had no way out!" she said at last. "I would have died there, just like the High Inquisitor!"
"What were you really ordered?"
"Open fire and take as much as you can with you.
There was a sigh of amazement. Disgust flashed on Rick's face, Sean opened his eyes in disbelief.
"It turns out," Penny said slowly. "You've entered the demons' lair. We realized that there were too many of them. And the High Inquisitor ordered to open fire? Instead of calling for reinforcements? Tell!
"They've seen us," Corinne said, turning away. "The High Inquisitor."
"Corin...
"We didn't stand a chance, okay?!" The only question was whether he would die alone or both of us. And whether someone will be able to report on what is really going on in the nest. To do what we came there for.