text: Mariam panted, her arms burning from twirling the chain. She wasn't going to let Mindy and Bev defeat her! She was going to crush the foolish women. For her Mistress. It was her choice. She was free now. Free of the oaths she swore when she became a nun.
  
  An oath I swore freely, the rebellious part of her mind whispered.
  
  She stumbled. I did swear the oath freely.
  
  The chain about her throat burned in the light of Bev's and Mindy's swords, weighing her down with Daevia's commands. Not request. Commands.
  
  But I chose to serve Daevia.
  
  What choice did I have? She infected my body with such lust we would have done anything just to have an orgasm. That's coercion.
  
  Sister Mariam wavered, listening to that rebellious voice.
  
  Barbs seemed to dig into her flesh, extending from the chain wrapped around her neck, urging her to kill them. My Mistress's whip, chastising me to her will. I'm her slave. The pain grew more and more, and she knew relief would be given if she just attacked Bev and Mindy with her chain.
  
  I am not a slave.
  
  She stopped swinging her chain over her head. The pain grew, screaming through her nerves.
  
  I am not that creature's plaything.
  
  Mindy's sword swung at her neck, shining with pure light. It was almost impossible to think through the pain.
  
  I am Mariam Theodora of the Sisters of the Angels.
  
  The sword struck her neck, shattered her chain, and set her free.