God's Lions - House of Acerbi (56 page)

“No, actually it involves one of the changes coming to the Church.”

Leo was immediately curious. “I was wondering about those. Please tell me we’re going to resume saying mass in Latin.”

“That’s one of the changes we’re making. Another involves the marriage of priests.”

The pope maintained a neutral expression as he swirled the wine in his glass.
This man would make an excellent poker player
, Leo thought, his heart beginning to beat faster in anticipation.

“After the First Lateran Council in 1123, priests have been forbidden to marry and have children, something that’s always struck me as being hopelessly out of touch with reality. Since the Middle Ages, we’ve clung to an antiquated custom that has done nothing but bring great harm to our religion, but after tomorrow I plan on changing all of that. Catholic priests will be free to marry and have families. We will be striking back at evil where evil has struck at us. Had this practice been banned years ago, we might not have suffered the sins of those who infiltrated our ranks and preyed on those who trusted them. I want our priests to be proud to walk down the street wearing their Roman collars again. Men need balance in their lives, and the love of a good woman and the ability to father children is a God-given right that should never have been taken away in the first place, especially when you consider the fact that those who made that decision also believed in things like self-flagellation and burning innocents at the stake for joining a different church.”

“The Cathars?”

“Yes, the Cathars were viciously persecuted, among others. Which brings me to another point, Cardinal. Before you start your new job I need you well rested. You are my senior general now, and we must find out what Eduardo is up to in Iraq. That will be your first order of business when you return.”

“Return from where, Your Holiness?”

“From the sabbatical I’m sending you on, only this time you’re not allowed back for a month.”

Leo stood by the window and looked down upon Saint Peter’s Square. “Now is hardly the time for me to be going on vacation, Marcus. You’ll need me here for Midnight Mass at Christmas.”

“I’m afraid I must insist. The Church has purchased some property in France ... in the mountains along the Spanish border. I believe that’s an area you are very familiar with. Your plane leaves tonight.”

It was late in the afternoon on Christmas Eve, and the sun was already beginning to dip on the horizon when Leo drove the rented Nissan SUV through the village of Foix and headed up the steep mountain road. Even though he had just left this place, he had already started dreaming of the day when he would return. To him, this was as close to the mythical land of Shangri-La as any real place on earth. The time he had spent there in isolation with his friends, hiding out among the giant trees of the forest, had been some of the most peaceful days of his life, and unlike the others, he had felt no relief the day they had all learned they would be leaving their forest retreat to return to their former lives.

Looking through the windshield at the winter storm outside, he was now thankful that he had rented a vehicle with four-wheel drive as he continued up the mountain road to the three rustic cabins that had just been suspiciously purchased by the Church. There, in a peaceful glen away from the world, he would finally be able to take long solitary walks through the forest, thinking and writing in blissful isolation as he planned for the spiritual tribulation he knew was coming. There had to be answers to his questions about God’s plan for the future, and something told him that it would be here in the mountains that those answers would come to him.

The steep dirt road to the cabins had disappeared beneath a foot of snow, and Leo could feel the tires grab for traction as he turned off the highway and began to climb past tall, white-dusted pines. He pushed down on the gas and continued up, peering ahead through the blowing snow, until finally he spotted a yellow light streaming from a front window of the cabin on the far left, a shining beacon marking the way for a wayward traveler on a cold winter’s night.

Sliding to a stop, Leo noticed a small blue jeep covered in snow. Puzzled, he grabbed his suitcase from the backseat and braced himself against the frigid wind as he opened the door and tramped his way through the building snowdrifts to the weathered front door.

Under the protection of a Swiss-style eave, he began to fumble in his pocket for a key when he felt a current of warm air brush against his face. Looking up, he saw that the front door had swung open, and standing before him was Evita Vargas.

Her long black hair flowed down over her shoulders, contrasting sharply with a long, white silk gown. Her eyes glistened with hope as she gazed out at the tall figure standing motionless in the doorway. Behind her, a fire crackled in a rock fireplace, its flames casting wavering images of golden light against the dark log walls of the living room, and as an added touch to an already perfect holiday greeting, a fully-decorated Christmas tree stood in a corner of the room, its twinkling colored lights illuminating a small pile of presents that had been placed beneath its branches.

Enveloped in the cold swirling snow, Leo was speechless as he stared at the vision inside. Evita’s brown eyes crinkled at the edges, her smile growing as she watched his reaction, and for a long moment, both were oblivious to the chill of the wind as their eyes met in perfect silence.

Reaching out, she took him by the hand and slowly pulled him through the front door into the warmth of the cabin.

“Come in, my love.”