sparrow

virtuous. the word stuck with clarity upon the gullet of the seawretch, a look of skepticism drawn across her narrow frame. so little in the world was truly virtuous -- and caiaphas had long been convinced of the notion that the world had little supply of the way of innocence.

she kept her dubious thoughts at bay, curbing the acerbic wit of her tongue. let little leucothoe not know of your impiety, the brinehag thought. "do you pick the sacrifice?" there were many things caiaphas had no qualms sacrificing -- the young, the old -- specifically, her enemies.