t a desirable situation, true, but as I said, it is necessary,
and I promise you as much of an explanation as you can understand when
this stage is complete." He gave her a brief smile. "It may help you
to know he has no spiritual authority over those who are Sealed, as
Ivan told you--and it's Mike and Sis who have that authority over those
who are devoted to the Protector. Pass on to them, would you, that the
time has come to institute the bread and milk Communion of Promise?
It'll give limited protection to those who want to be Sealed but can't
until the Protector manifests fully."

"Of course I will."

"Then except for two small personal items, I've done all that is
appropriate at this point. Let Mike and Sis guide you, accept the
support of the others who are or want to be Sealed, and work for the
Protector's objectives." He smiled at her. "The first personal item
is to reclaim the symbol Shayan stole and marked you with. You belong
to me, not him--as do the other Sealed. Please remove your gloves."

Cortin obeyed, finding as she did that the circled triangles no longer
disturbed her. And they didn't look like burns any more; instead they
seemed to glow with blue light, somehow comforting. "Will . . . the
others have these?"

"If you and they want, yes. It isn't a requirement; being openly
Sealed will mark them for Shayan's personal torture if his people
capture them, and he needs no supernatural powers to make that weeks of
agony. His millennia of practice are enough."

"My team would never forgive me if I left them out of anything, even if
it was risky. They'll want these marks, but I don't know about the
others--I can't choose for them."

"True. If they want them when they see yours, they'll get them. The
other item is a trade, if you wish. Your back pain for the Stigmata,
which will show you act with my approval. To compensate for the
inconvenience of bleeding periodically, they won't cause you any pain."

"I could hardly refuse anything you offer--I'll make the trade." She
hesitated. "Uh, what about the cartridges? Was Sis right about them?"

"She was indeed, so long as the wearer doesn't commit a mortal sin
deliberately. You'll forget about the symbols and trade both until the
latter takes effect." He kissed her again, in a brotherly way this
time, and vanished as he had appeared.

* * * * *

Cortin woke with a feeling of imminent disaster. It had see