Mannus slammed his hand on the tabletop then refolded his arms. Then he was shouting. “We’re planning to kill a member of our own Godhead and then steal the most holy relic in the history of holy relics and you’re worried about doing it during the Maze Mass? Did I choose the wrong pilgrims?”

“Calm yourself, Mannus,” Alexandra chided. “Or I’ll do it for you.”

“You’ve promised us proof that he’s fallen from the faith,” another woman piped up. Alexandra had decided weeks ago not to bother learning their names. “We see this mission as a manifestation of our devotion, not a blasphemy of it.”

“Okay, fine,” Mannus grumbled. “Your objections are noted in the record. Notice there isn’t any damn record. But I’ll remember it. Anyway, Sunday. Noon. We’ll meet where the pilgrims are gathered, then sneak away as they really get into their stuff. The House of God is maybe half a mile from there. And we all know the plan once we arrive.”

The man with the tattoos spoke next. “If we know the plan so well, why did we meet tonight? Where’s the proof you promised?”

Mannus didn’t respond, just looked over at Alexandra. It was time.

She stood up. To the gasps of almost everyone in the room, she slipped out of her robe, letting it fall to the floor. Underneath, she wore the finest of clothes, dyed the finest and brightest of colors, interlaced with threads of gold and silver. Then she reached up and pulled the grimy wig off her head, tossed it on top of the discarded robe. Next, she pulled out the pins holding her hair in a bun, letting it fall to her shoulders as she brushed it out with dirty fingers, the thickest, darkest, richest hair they’d ever seen, cascading in waves upon her upper body.

That was all it took.

These people knew who she was. These people had absolutely no doubt who she was. How many times had they lined the streets to watch her pass? How many times had they fallen to their knees and beaten themselves in her holy presence to show their devotion? They knew a member of the Godhead when they saw one. Well, when a member of the Godhead didn’t wear a disguise, anyway.

There was shock at first. No one moved, no one spoke, no one breathed. Then the six of them did all three things at once. The next few minutes proved as predictable as gravity, and she allowed it to happen.