Which was no comfort.
He抎 dreamed about his elevation for many years, wondering what the moment would feel like. To be there, in St. Peter抯 Basilica, at a consistory, where his selection would be decreed in the presence of all the remaining cardinals. He would swear allegiance and be presented the ring, scarlet zucchetto, and biretta by the pope.
What a glorious moment.
揂rchbishop. No. Gerard. Might I call you that??
揙f course, Eminence.?
揋erard, thankfully, the Dominicans have always been there when the church needed them. They were here, in the Languedoc, during the Albigensian Crusade. They were there during the Inquisition, Reformation, Counter-Reformation, and every other challenge we抳e faced during the past eight hundred years. The Point of the Spear is their elite. The ones called upon for the most difficult tasks, the ones that try our consciences and keep us awake at night. I抦 fortunate that the current head of the Dominicans is a close friend and understands the gravity of this situation.?Fuentes paused. 揂nd the importance of me being the next pope.?
The Spaniard gently laid a hand on his shoulder. 揕et me tell you a story. I like stories. They help bring things into clearer focus. I once knew a shop owner in Barcelona who had some puppies for sale. A young boy came into the store and wanted to buy one of them. Their price was ten euros, which the boy had. 慍an I see the dogs??the boy asked. And out of the kennel came a large mother with five tiny balls of fur following. One of the five lagged considerably behind, limping as he walked. 慦hat抯 wrong with that little dog??the boy asked. The shopkeeper told him, 慔e has no hip socket. He抣l always be lame.?The boy smiled, pointed, and said, 慣hat抯 the one I want to buy.?The shop owner was surprised and told the boy the dog wasn抰 worth the price. 慔e抯 never going to be able to run and jump and play with you like the other puppies.?But the boy was adamant. 慖 want that one.?Then the boy rolled up his pant leg to reveal a badly twisted, crippled leg supported by a metal brace. He looked up at the shop owner and said, 慖 don抰 run so well myself, so the little puppy will need someone who understands.挃 Fuentes pointed. 揧ou抮e my little puppy that I want to buy, and I will understand, too. Neither of us is without fault.?
He realized that his own sins had backed him into a corner with no way out, save for the man standing next to him. To be a cardinal he had to sell his soul. But at least Fuentes was making it easy.
揥hat are you going to do with de Foix??he asked.
揟here is no choice.?
No, there wasn抰。
揟hat man is not going to stop,?Fuentes said. 揌e can, and will, make your life a living hell. And he抯 right. You will not be given a red hat.?
揂nd I will, most likely, also lose my archdiocese.?
Fuentes nodded.
He did not hesitate. 揇o what you have to do.?
揧ou know what that means??
揙f course. Do it.?
The sale had just been finalized. His soul was gone.
揟he Italians have a term. Fiducia. Their bond of trust,?Fuentes said. 揧ou and I will now have that too.?
The cardinal extended a hand, which he shook.
He realized that his actions, swift and natural, with no hesitation, governed by reasoning and convenient rationalizations with zero quarrels of right and wrong, came with a name.
Amoral.
Fuentes motioned and they walked back through the trees, closer to where the others stood. The cardinal waved and Friar Dwight walked over to them.
揗ake sure Bernat de Foix joins Father Tallard,?Fuentes whispered to the Dominican. 揘either should ever be seen again.?
Chapter 55
Pyr閚閑s Mountains
Southern France
12:40 p.m.
Nick stood at the base of Mount Canigou. Perched upon a rocky pinnacle thirty-five hundred feet up sat the motherhouse of the Maidens of Saint-Michael. A narrow single-laned, paved road wound a path up the mountain through stands of old-growth oaks, the cool midday disturbed only by a distant solitary church bell. The sole way to get up there was to walk. The idea, as had been explained in the nearby town, was for the arduous trek to allow the visitor to gradually leave the world below behind. There was a vehicular road, a bit wider and paved also, but it was on the other side of the mountain and sealed off, used only by the convent to bring up supplies.
It bothered him that he hadn抰 been able to speak with Kelsey. But he had to remind himself that she was part of another world now, one with its own ways and rules. Both of which he had to respect. At least she was safe, out of harm抯 way.
He抎 contacted Reynaldo after Sister Claire had fled and explained the situation, accepting full responsibility for his own gullibility.
揟his is turning ridiculous,?Reynaldo had said. 揚erhaps we should end this now.?