Angels fly at night

He rode slowly into the city. His two faithful companions followed him everywhere. They looked down on the people watching them with the condescension of those who believed they had an important mission to fulfill.

His name was Edvardo. His long, brown hair was so dark it was almost black. His light green eyes regarded everything with a faint boredom. His strong jawline and broad shoulders would have won him admirers... if he weren't a servant of God. So did his companions. The first, Pedro, was a stocky man with a short, red beard. The lanky blond with dark blue eyes was named Alexander. These two and Edvardo were never apart.

Executioners. The witches' hammer.

That's what the mob called them. But their purpose was far more noble: to cleanse all human souls of sin. Nevertheless, they inspired fear wherever they went.

They slowly, ostentatiously dismounted. A typical housewife and, as it turned out, a widow offered them lodging for the next few days. When they arrived, Edvardo busied himself grooming the horses. He hated having anyone else tend to them. That was when he saw her for the first time.

She definitely stood out from the crowd, mainly because of her clothes. She wore a large coat, despite the warm weather. Her blond hair flowed gently, framing her heart-shaped face. Large, blue eyes regarded everything with gentleness, and a smile played at the corners of her mouth. Her nose was slightly upturned. Her long neck and small, long-fingered hands betrayed a very slender figure beneath the coat, unsuited for hard work. She must have been a noblewoman. But that outfit...

Edvardo thought then that this was what angels must look like.

It took him a moment to recover from her departure. Even during dinner, he was still uneasy. He kept thinking about the girl. When his companions had retired, he decided to do something about it.

"Excuse me," he asked the housekeeper timidly. The earlier arrogance had vanished. "Do you happen to know who the girl in the large coat is? I saw...

" "Jenny?" she interrupted him lightly. "Yes, I know her. One feels happier around her. It's strange that such a fragile creature can be so hardworking.

" "Isn't she a noblewoman?" he blurted out. But he quickly regained his composure. As a rule, he didn't let his emotions get the better of him. Something was wrong with this girl.

"A noblewoman? She?" the woman seemed oblivious. "No, she's an orphan. She arrived here six months ago. I think God is favorable to her and everything around her, because things have been going very well in town since she arrived..."

Suddenly, they heard a knock. After a while, without waiting for an invitation, a woman of about forty entered with a sly twinkle in her eye.

"I heard you were staying here, sir," she said. "I know where the witch is in our town.

" "Speak up." The former arrogance returned to Edvardo.

"I saw Jennifer, that stray, transform into a raven.

" "Nonsense." Edvardo waved his hand, suddenly losing interest.

"I don't think so," Pedro said as he and Alexsandro entered the room. "Can you tell us more about this event?" he asked the newcomer.

"I was returning from town late that day. Suddenly, I saw this stray coming out of the house. It's me! I hid behind a bush. And if a large, black shape doesn't fly out from behind the barn, I thought to myself, 'What the devil.' After a moment, that feather fell to the ground," she showed the assembled group, "and the black shape disappeared...

" "What do you think?" he asked the housekeeper.

"It's possible," the woman rubbed her chin thoughtfully, "indeed, we've been doing suspiciously well since she arrived. Besides, I heard she had a falling out with that young Benjamin who was courting her. That same day, he fell off a cliff outside town.

" "It's impossible," Edvardo thought, "she can't be a witch. Surely Pedro and Alexander will think so too as soon as they see her..."

But the woman they were staying with had known Jennifer much longer, yet she immediately accepted it as true.

The next day, the interrogations began. Yet, none of them could torture her—not even Alexander, who specialized in it. The girl kept denying everything.

"Devil's blood!" Alexander spat on the ground. "She must have cast some kind of spell on us! Especially on you," he turned to Edvardo. "I thought you were immune to all kinds of spells."

He didn't reply.

"There's only one thing left," Pedro said—the test of water."

Edvardo shuddered at the thought. He didn't want to watch them drown the poor girl. He didn't know what terrified him more—that Jennifer would die or that she would survive.

Usually, the water test took place at noon, but this time it was to be performed at sunset. Ironically, they were on the eastern side of the lake.

Jenny walked ramrod straight. She seemed completely unaware of what was happening around her. For a moment, her eyes met Edvardo's. It surprised him. He had expected to see fear and anger, but instead saw… sadness.

He felt sadness too. He wanted so badly to help her, but he couldn't. Suddenly, Alexander placed a hand on his shoulder. His face was completely expressionless.

For some unknown reason, she was allowed to keep her cloak. Pedro tied her tightly and attached a stone to her feet. A moment later, she was in the water. The cloak fell away in pieces, revealing her secret. Edvardo's first impression was correct.

She beat her wings desperately against the water. Her hands broke free as the feathers cut through the bonds. She tried to untie her feet without submerging. She only had to touch them...

A moment later, she rose above them, showering water droplets around her like jewels. She looked at Edvardo with a piercing gaze, then flew off

toward the setting sun... or perhaps the other shore? Who knows...

A few white feathers fell to the ground. Before anyone could catch them, they turned black, and when someone managed to catch them, they turned to ash.

Edvardo felt something in his hand. He didn't need to look; he knew what it was. It was a long, pristine white feather. He quickly tucked it into his pocket. He knew he couldn't tell anyone about it... and that he would keep it forever.