"I trust you used a pure asem mirror, Sister?"

"Of course… Sister!"

Judan's eyes blazed at the girl's affronted, impertinent voice. “Do not dare to take that tone with me!” she snapped. “When the spell is complete, you may subject yourself to three hours of Penitence of the third grade!"

Sofia's blue eyes widened and her jaw dropped: Judan had condemned her to lie prone on a layer of sharp stones, with her arms raised behind her like wings. The least movement would result in a lash from a steel-tipped martinet held by a watchful attendant.

"Can Sister Judan do that, Reverend Mother?” The words burst from the girl's lips as if torn from her, and she raised an imploring gaze to the Prioress. “I worked for many hours on my preparations!"

"Sister Judan is the Authority here, Sister Sofia,” Lizaveta hissed. “She may assign any punishment she wishes, as you should know well.

"However, you have compounded your error by disregarding Custody of the Eyes. Your sentence is hereby extended to four hours, and I shall be your attendant during the Penitence. “I trust you will apply yourself to your work here with diligence; I should not like to have to condemn you to a Penitence of the fourth grade. Apologise at once!"

A slight, weak girl like Sofia would be unlikely to survive such an ordeal, and her expression showed that she knew this only too well.

"I apologise with full humility, Reverend Mother, Sister Judan and all my beloved Sisters,” Sofia breathed, lowering her eyes and prostrating herself before the conclave.

"Apology accepted, Sister Sofia,” Lizaveta said, favouring the prone nun with a curt nod. “Should you perform well tonight, I may choose to substitute a horsewhip for the martinet, if Sister Judan is amenable to this."

"I have no objection, Reverend Mother,” Judan replied, curtseying. “May I continue? We have many other stipulations and conditions to consider, and the spell must be cast within the next two hours if it is to succeed."