Misplaced (36 page)

Hi
s
cheek
s
reddened
.
“Oh
.
I
apologize
.
Tha
t
mus
t
ha
v
e
sounded so insensiti
v
e. I should ha
v
e made certain before—”

“Y
ou
ha
v
e
not
ans
w
ered
my
question.
Which
lord?
Are
you
a priest?”

“I
a
m
.
F
a
t
h
er
Do
n
a
t
o
.
I
t
’
s
m
y
r
e
s
p
o
n
s
ib
i
l
i
ty
to
m
ake
a
l
l
w
h
o
com
e
her
e
fee
l
w
elcome
,
an
d
I
fea
r
I’
v
e
don
e
a
poo
r
job.
”
He
searched her face. “
Y
ou
’
re not Catholic, are you?”

Khar
a
shoo
k
he
r
head
,
unsur
e
o
f
wha
t
h
e
meant
.
“
I
a
m
a
visitor with little
time here. In truth, the music brought me.”

“The
bells
are
lo
v
ely,
aren’t
they?
Ha
v
en’t
you
heard
them
before?”

“Ne
v
er. How do they work?”

“I
can’
t
lea
v
e
now,
”
Fathe
r
Donat
o
explained
,
“bu
t
i
f
you
com
e
afte
r
Mas
s
sometime
,
I
coul
d
sho
w
the
m
t
o
you
.
The
y
ring
e
v
ery quarter hour.”

“Why?”
H
e
reache
d
o
v
e
r
an
d
gentl
y
patte
d
he
r
hand
.
“T
o
remind
god’s
children
that
w
e
are
not
alone,
that
he
is
al
w
ays
with
us.”

“Us?
”
He
r
bro
w
furro
w
ed
.
“Surel
y
yo
u
mea
n
hi
s
follo
w
ers.”

“Y
ou,
me,
and
especially
those
who
do
not
accept
him
into
their hearts.”

Sh
e
stare
d
a
t
th
e
statue
.
“Wha
t
o
f
fering
s
ar
e
require
d
i
n
orde
r
t
o
gai
n
hi
s
protection
?
Soo
n
I
mus
t
tra
v
e
l
a
v
er
y
long
distance.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, where are you from?”

Khara lifted her head. “I am Egyptian.”

“Y
ou
’
re certainly a long
w
ay from home.”

I
t
too
k
e
v
er
y
las
t
bi
t
o
f
strengt
h
t
o
brac
e
th
e
floodgate
s
o
f
her
emotions.
“Tragedy
took
me
from
my
home
into
this
place,
where I am lost.”

He
smiled
his
gentle
smile.
“
W
e
are
ne
v
er
lost.
Sometimes
w
e
jus
t
ge
t
sor
t
of—ho
w
shal
l
I
say?—misplace
d
fo
r
a
while,
until
w
e find
our
w
ay back to where it is
w
e need to be.”

Sh
e
leane
d
for
w
ar
d
an
d
whispered
,
“
Ar
e
thes
e
th
e
teachings
of your gods?”

He
held
up
his
index
finger.
“
W
e
ha
v
e
only
one.”
Then
he
brough
t
hi
s
hand
s
togethe
r
i
n
th
e
sam
e
w
a
y
th
e
priest
s
a
t
home
did.
“I
belie
v
e
that
he
guides
us,
and
that
e
v
erything
happens
for
a
reason.
I
hope
you
will
consider
the
idea
that
God
al
w
ays
choose
s
th
e
righ
t
thing
s
fo
r
us
,
thoug
h
w
e
ma
y
no
t
se
e
his
wisdom at the time.”

Looking
at
the
statue’s
face,
Khara
found
solace.
“I
hoped
that
he
might
help
me.”
Her
voice
grew
bold.
“
Y
our
god,
what
doe
s
h
e
command
?
I
s
h
e
a
go
d
o
f
w
a
r
o
r
o
f
death
?
Ca
n
he
command the ri
v
ers to flow
or the sun to shine?”

Th
e
pries
t
w
a
v
e
d
hi
s
han
d
a
s
thoug
h
thes
e
thing
s
w
er
e
o
f
no
importance. “He is master of so much more.”

“Ther
e
i
s
on
e
wh
o
i
s
mor
e
tha
n
thes
e
things?
”
Sh
e
shoo
k
her
head. “Impossible.”

Fathe
r
Donat
o
ros
e
an
d
mo
v
e
d
t
o
a
tabl
e
co
v
ere
d
wit
h
small
candles,
slo
w
ly
lighting
one
before
turning
around
to
face
her.
“What
do
you
suppose
is
the
most
po
w
erful
force
of
all?”
His
hand
patted
his
heart.
“Ours
is
the
God
of
Lo
v
e.
All
he
asks
is
that
you
accept
and
belie
v
e
in
him,
and
he
will
guide
you
in
all
things.”