"So you sought assistance from the Order.”

She closed her eyes briefly in pained remembrance and nodded. It had been the hardest decision of her life. "I did. Sol didn't want me to, but I insisted. They came to our house with their prayer books and needles ... It was awful, what they did to her. She screamed and screamed.” She could still see little Ellie's face contorted in agony, hear her shrieking and crying out for her mama and papa to save her, to make the pain go away.

"I know the rites can seem brutal," Father Bellamy said softly, "but they are necessary. Demons do not easily release their prey.”

"But the exorcism wasn't completed," Greatfather Tivrest prompted.

She shook her head. "Sol couldn't bear it. He stopped it and threw the priests out. We left Hartslea. We prayed and prayed, and eventually the episodes stopped on their own”

"Did they?”

She couldn't hold his too-knowing gaze. "For the most part. It's been more than five years since she last had a seizure. She only gets an occasional nightmare now and again-at least until the Tairen Soul came to town.”

"Her nightmares have increased?" Father Nivane asked suddenly.

She cast a wary glance his way. "Yes.”

He exchanged glances with Father Bellamy. The older priest nodded. "Madame Baristani," Father Bellamy said gently, "once a demon claims a soul, it does not leave until it's driven out. It may lie dormant for a while, but it is still there." He laid a hand on her shoulder. "You must authorize the completion of the exorcism.”

She lurched back, yanking her hand from the archbishop's, then leapt to her feet and turned to face them. "No." Her heart pounded against her ribs, and her lungs felt starved of breath. She began to back away, towards the stairs.

"My dear lady, your concern and deep love for your daughter is obvious. And it is obvious that your own love and dedication to the Bright Lord has been of invaluable assistance in keeping her on the Bright Path, but you cannot abandon her now, in her time of deepest need.”

"You don't understand. My husband made me swear on the Book of Light that I would never turn Ellie back over to the exorcists. I can't betray my solemn oath.”

"The Bright Lord would never ask you to keep an oath to surrender your child to evil," the archbishop replied. "Your husband was wrong to demand you make such a vow. I grant you dispensation to do the right thing.”

Lauriana shook her head with frantic emphasis. "Sol would never forgive me. It would destroy our family." Mild-mannered and loving though he was, Sol had a spine of tempered steel and an unswerving sense of honor and loyalty. He could forgive many things, but not a personal betrayal of the sort they were proposing. "Even if Sol did understand, the Fey wouldn't. They'd kill anyone who touched her. The Tairen Soul won't even let the queen's Master of Graces hold her hand in dance lessons, for the Haven's sake! They'd slaughter us all ... these exorcists ... you ... me .. . maybe even my entire family." She ran trembling fingers through her hair. "No, it's madness even to contemplate such a thing.”

"Madame Baristani," Father Nivane interjected, "would you change your mind if you knew we could conduct the exorcism without anyone knowing it ever happened?”

"How on earth could you promise that? She shares a bond with the Tairen Soul. He ... senses things. And all the Fey can read minds. They'd know the instant you touched her.”

"No, they wouldn't." Eagerness lit the younger priest's pale eyes. "We recently discovered a forgotten text in the Church archives that proves we can conduct the exorcism without the Fey's knowledge. They could be standing right outside the door and not sense it.”

"Most victims of demon possession have no memory of the exorcism once it is complete," Father Bellamy added. "The Fey would never know. Your family would be safe.”

The archbishop stood, adding his voice to theirs. "Madame Baristani ... daughter ... I know this is a difficult decision, but it's the right thing to do for your child.”

She backed away, shaking her head. It was too dangerous. No matter what they said, she didn't dare risk it. "I appreciate your concern, Greatfather-more than you'll ever know-and I know I was the one to come to you asking for help, but this isn't he help I was looking for. I was hoping you could simply convince the king to dissolve the betrothal. Once I can get her away from the Fey, things will go back to normal and she'll be fine.”

"There's no possible way I could break your daughter's betrothal. Not only was it decided by the Supreme Council, but between the king and the Tairen Soul, they've made it a matter of state. Even if I had such authority-which I don't-haven't you been listening to Father Bellamy? Your daughter isn't fine, and never will be until the exorcism is complete.”

"And I've told you I can't authorize an exorcism. I just can't." Lauriana turned and rushed towards the stairs, but before she could set foot on the first step, a hand caught her wrist in a steely grip. Father Nivane held her fast.

"Think of your daughter, woman. Think of her soul. How can you make such a self-serving, cowardly decision and call yourself her beacon?”

"Nivane!" Father Bellamy rapped out. "You forget yourself. Unhand Madame Baristani at once." Turning a conciliatory face to Lauriana, the chief exorcist approached, hands outstretched in a gesture of peace and entreaty. "Madam, forgive my young Brother. He has long fought the agents of the Dark, and such work requires a certain fervor. It is easy, sometimes, to forget that others are not so acquainted with the perils of evil as we.”