Bernat stood from the chair. 揚roceed with the melhoramentum.?
An Occitan word meaning 搃mproving,?which began with an acknowledgment that the Holy Spirit dwelled within the Perfectus standing before you. An initiate had to believe that to be the case or none of what was about to happen would matter. Andre stayed kneeling on the carpet and folded his hands, bowing three times. 揃less me, Lord. Pray for me. Lead us to our rightful end.?
He provided the correct response. 揑n our prayers, I ask from God to make a good Christian out of you and lead you to your rightful end.?
揑 will devote myself to God and the Gospel,?Andre said. 揑 will no longer eat meat, eggs, cheese, or fat apart from oil and fish. I will not swear any oaths and will never forsake the sect out of fear of fire, water, or death.?
揇o you have anything to confess??
Part of the ceremony was a cleansing of the soul.
揙nly that my pride and arrogance can, at times, still get the better of me.?
揥e could all say the same thing.?
揃ut mine must be controlled.?
揟hen do that. Without fail. Please recite the Pater Noster.?
Andre murmured the Lord抯 Prayer. Bernat took the moment to step over to the desk and retrieve his Bible. He opened to the Gospel of John, then held it above Andre抯 head as had been done for centuries by other Perfecti. 揑n the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.?
Andre began to tremble.
揟he light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light, he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband抯 will, but born of God.?
Andre抯 head stayed low, to the floor, accepting the Holy Spirit into his heart, cementing his choice to become a Perfectus.
Now the most important part.
揟he Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. He cried out, saying, 慣his is the one I spoke about when I said, 揌e who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.敀 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses and grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.?He paused and allowed the moment to take hold. Finally, he asked, 揂re you at peace??
Andre rose up but stayed on his knees. 揟otally.?
揝tand.?
Andre came to his feet and Bernat stepped close, reverently laying the Bible atop Andre抯 head and gently kissing him once on each cheek.
The kiss of peace.
揥elcome, my brother. You are now one of us in every way.?
Tears had formed in the brown eyes. This arrogant petty criminal was now a part of the one true faith. All new Perfecti were assigned a socius, a comrade who shared, for a time, in their labor and hardships. He抎 specifically asked to be Andre抯。
揧ou will serve me,?he said. 揢ntil you strike out on your own to serve all believers.?
Andre nodded.
Bernat laid the Bible down and walked across to the glass-paneled doors that led out to a spacious terrace. He opened the doors and gestured for Andre to follow him outside. Cool crisp air tingled his nostrils. A perfect mid-spring evening. The more modern section of Carcassonne, known as the Bourg with its crisscrossing mesh of paved streets, could be seen below in the distance, the rooftops lit to the night. He was an ardent student of history and knew about all that had happened here eight hundred years ago. Every detail. The good and the bad. He drew strength from that legacy.
Which he would need in the coming days.
揑t is time,?he said.
Andre nodded in agreement.
They were both here, in Carcassonne, for the same reason.
He smiled. 揕et it begin.?
Chapter 3
Nick quickly worked his way through the heat and smoke, aided by an open door and windows that were being smashed by firemen, allowing the soot more ways out.
One of the policemen followed him.
What was happening here? Hard to say. But whatever it was seemed intentional. He flushed those disturbing thoughts from his brain and plunged out into the Belgian night, filling his lungs with clean air. Ahead, fifty yards away, he caught sight of the black figure racing away down the quiet street.