imself we'd be diverting. I know I didn't."

"Not directly, no," Odeon agreed. "But some of the ones under his
influence aren't much of an improvement." He paused, changed the
subject. "You did a nice job with the Communion of Promise."

"Thanks." Cortin tested the water temperature in the vestry's small
sink, then began washing blood off her arms. The wounds on her wrists
were as painless as she'd been promised, and looked freshly healed,
though she was certain they'd be open again every time she said Mass.
"Word of these and the Communion of Promise should reach Rome in three
or four hours, which means Pope Lucius will guess--or know--I'm the
Herald. He'll have to take some sort of action, even if it's not a
direct physical assault." She turned to Odeon, her expression grim.
"Much as I don't want it to, Mike, I'm afraid this is going to tear the
Church apart."

"So did the Great Revival, back in the 1500s," Odeon said. "It came
out of that stronger and healthier than ever--it'll do the same this
time, if the Protector wins."

"And if not, Shayan destroys humanity, at least in the Kingdoms."

* * * * *

Being acknowledged as the Protector's Herald--even "in part," whatever
that meant; she still wasn't sure she wanted to know--was a relief,
Cortin decided. At least also "in part", since she hadn't wanted that
kind of responsibility and wasn't at all sure she was up to it--but if
nothing else, it did explain why so many things had happened to her so
fast. She'd do her best to live up to the position she'd been given,
whatever her doubts; as Mike had said, God would test you to the
absolute limits of your endurance, but not beyond them.

And she had help. Not only the Sealed ones, but civilians, which had
been proven over the last week of getting ready for the Bains,
especially the children. She'd expected help from the team and
servants; it had astonished her to have the ladies from the New Eden
joyhouse show up, several with children, to make the third floor--to
quote Madame Bernadette--"a proper place to raise healthy, happy
children."

Since the children who'd come along were obviously both, Cortin wasn't
at all reluctant to defer to someone who clearly knew what she was
doing. While they worked, Cortin got to know several of the ladies,
discovering that their enthusiasm for the new family structure
shouldn't have surprised her; in spite of the fact they were paid for