Only to stop in his strides. He looked between the two of us. “Oh my.” Then to the angel. “Am I in trouble?”

“Your faith has not been shaken. Some men, I would indeed tell to avoid her.”

I thought that was a massive compliment to the priest.

Will relaxed. “So, what is this about?”

“We both had the same idea. Of seeing if you could talk the woman…a nun…making the spirit bombs into, well, stopping.” I glanced at the angel. “Apparently, she doesn’t want to believe he’s a real angel.”

“He must be saying something she doesn’t like,” Father Will quipped. “Some people don’t want to hear God unless He agrees with their own narrow interpretation of the Bible.”

“And some people will not follow unless they believe only they are right.”

I had to challenge that. “Are those really the kind of followers you want? I’d rather have people make the positive choice.”

The angel shrugged. I saw the shadow of wings behind him. It was an I don’t make policy kind of shrug. “We can, perhaps, debate philosophy later.”

I nodded. “If it wouldn’t get you in trouble. So…”

“I can try. She isn’t going to hurt me, and you’re right…she might listen to a priest. Or I can find out what order she’s in…” He tailed off.

I liked the way he thought. Find out who her temporal boss was and get them to talk to her. Maybe even order her to stop. Threaten to pull off her habit or whatever if she didn’t. “Can nuns be defrocked?”

“Yes,” they both said, more or less together.

“I hate leaving loose ends to other people, but I don’t think I have much choice with this one. You’ll take care of it, right?”

What I got was a nod from both of them. Which allowed me to graciously withdraw from the sacred precinct. Outside, the air was warm and humid. Summer. I felt as comfortable as I had during winter.

I was still worried about Monica. She was a big girl, but she had done what she did. Or maybe her motivation would keep her protected. Doing something to protect somebody else had to count for something.

Your faith has not been shaken.

I thought about that. It bothered me. I might be Loki’s daughter, but lying to people so they kept their faith? That had led to this. It had led to the fyrhund being destroyed and me and Kanesha being hurt.

It had led to all kinds of abuses, I thought. I realized I had a problem with Christianity after all. But it was their choice, I supposed, to do things their way.

I would do them mine. And that, I thought, meant having a long conversation with Kanesha.