Every word pierced Ariella's heart like a dagger of betrayal. They wanted her to cherish the child, to love her — "her true affection for the baby will keep her safe until we are ready." They relied on Ariella's connection with the infant to shield her until the Order could take her away. Marina had pretended to be a caring friend, all the while keeping Ariella unaware of the truth.
"Sister M," Ariella murmured, nearly spitting the name. She crumpled the edges of the paper in her hand. "She's one of them... Marina is one of them." Speaking it out loud made the reality hit harder, filling her with nausea.
Samuel placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, his calm voice contrasting with the chaos inside Ariella. "I know this is terrible. But we can turn this to our advantage, Ariella. If Marina — or Sister M — is still in touch with the Order, she could help us predict their actions or locate their leaders. We can find her."
