Patrick woke to the sound of rain on the window. He was back on the soft mattress in the Council House. Justine. He moaned and tears streamed down his face.

Brother Raston came to him.

"It should have been me."

"Perhaps."

"I could have been the one to represent the Goddess."

"Yes, but you weren't. There are no easy answers, not for us, not for the gods. Justine knew that."

Sister Hersh visited too. "I am sorry."

"I know."

"I've seen ...