Board Thread:Episode Discussion/@comment-34633327-20180112214926/@comment-26018514-20180116000124

Antineutron wrote: It's more likely that she planned to fake the Spring Maiden's death, allowing the power to move out of Salem's immediate reach without blame falling on the tribe.

Vernal might have volunteered for that kind of duty (hoping death wouldn't be necessary if Raven managed to eliminate Cinder). Given Raven's veiwpoint(the strong live, the weak die), and that what Ozpin's group last knew of the previous maiden(that she "couldn't take it"). I wouldn't be surprised if she tried to get the maiden to join her(or had made an impression before she had left Ozpin's employ) and the maiden thought of her as an idol before killing herself.

That would explain why Raven is pissed at being insinuated to have killed her... because she didn't need to take it or get the chance to do so, and she may have seen the previous maiden as a weakling... who gave her power she wanted to take or earn.