A tear slipped down Tori’s cheek. “I don’t know how you can be so strong.”
“I’m really not.” She gazed back at the fire. “Why do you think I’m here praying instead of sleeping?”
“And I’ve disturbed you.” Tori started to rise, but Nyla held her back.
“No, I need the company. Tell me about Thomas. It was obvious from the looks you were giving each other that something is going on between you.”
Against her will, warmth spiraled through her. “That obvious, huh?” She sighed. “You know the story. I told you before.”
“Yes, but there seems to be a new chapter.”
Memories of their time together the past month pranced through Tori’s mind—the private conversations they’d had at night when everyone was asleep, the way he caressed her cheeks and was so gentle with her, how he took care of her, protected her, kissed her—all fond memories, despite their dire situation. “Yeah, we’ve grown close. Even though he’s an arrogant, pretentious, entitled jerk, he came through for us during our journey. Not sure I would have made it without him.”
Nyla tossed another log in the fire, shooting up sparks into the air. “Wow. Hard to believe, seeing as he was something like what, number three in the New World Faith?”
“Yeah. Pretty high up there. He interrogated me.” Tori laughed.
Nyla joined her. “ThatI would like to have seen.”
A sudden grief stole Tori’s joy. “But he’s gone now. Probably been executed. Or worse.”
“We don’t know that. We must keep up hope. So, he never…” Nyla hesitated. “Gave his life to Jesus?”
“No. He was so resistant, even after everything he saw, the miracles, the angels, the evil his NWU perpetrates.”
“He’s been brainwashed, like most people.”
Tori dropped her head in her hands. “I feel like such a failure. God tasked me with bringing five people to UnderHisWings. One took the mark and is now eternally damned. The other…”—she shook her head—“never saw the truth.” She swallowed down the burning in her throat.
“But you saved three.”
“Is it enough?”
“Enough? For what?”
“For God. I owe Him so much, Nyla. I owe Him everything after what I’ve done.”
Nyla stared at her strangely. “Oh, you mean your past. So, what? You got into drugs, fame, fortune. You slept around and you dabbled in the occult. So what?”
“What do you mean, so what? I hurt myself and tons of other people. I even had an abortion.” There. She’d said it. She’d told someone. Surely now Nyla would be disgusted.
Instead, Nyla put her hand on Tori’s arm. “I didn’t know that. I’m so sorry.”
“I murdered my child!” Tears poured down her cheeks and dropped onto her lap. “I deserve hell for that.”
“Yes, you do,” Nyla said.
Though Nyla’s words were not what she expected, Tori batted her tears away. At least someone understood.
“In fact,” Nyla added, “we all deserve hell for the bad things we’ve done. Don’t think you’re so special that your sin is worse than anyone else’s.”
Tori snorted. “I don’t think I’m special. I think I’m scum.”
“Welcome to the club.” Nyla raised her hand to shake Tori’s, but Tori only stared at her.
“Jesus paid our debts on the cross. He wiped away all our sins with His sacrifice. Once you believe in Him and follow Him, those things you did before? They are gone. God doesn’t even remember them.”
“Wish I didn’t,” Tori huffed.
