Sin shrugged as he pulled the ring from its protections, tilting it in the light. "A copy? This is the real thing, Trent. The back of the stone is marked."
"Wait. Maybe he wore the other in public, just in case it was lost?"
Carefully placing the ring back in its box, Sin sighed. "He knew it would be. Trent, he told me not to accept the position. He all but told me the Legion is headed down the wrong path."
"Yeah. Me too." Trent rubbed at his head. "Ok. What else?"
Sin tossed over a bag. When it hit Trent's hands, it jingled softly. Pulling open the drawstring, he looked inside and lifted out a tangle of chains. "What the fuck is this?"
"Pendants." Sin pulled the one he always wore over his shirt. "They have the Legion's symbol, but the eye is open and the wings are broken. There's seven of them, and those are real gold, Trent. They're made from the same metal as the eye in the cathedral, but the eye is open instead of closed, and the wings are broken instead of raised."
"He was trying to tell us something," Trent mumbled.
"But what? And how did he know to make seven? The five of us, sure. I can even see him guessing about Rissa, but Zan?"
"Maybe it's one for each virtue?" Trent guessed.
"Or vice." Sin gestured to the bag. "Keep one. They were clearly made for us. He knew about our group. He'd asked me about it, so I have no doubts those were made for us."
Trent carefully unwound one chain from the tangle of the rest. "I get why he made one for his priests. But why Rissa? She doesn't believe, does she? Why would he give her a symbol of our God?"
"I don't know," Sin admitted. "She doesn't believe, but she's the angel? Benedict told me she was important, though. Over and over he told me that, and he said my first duty is to protect her." He licked his lips, trying to find the right words. "He said she has the answers."
"Sounds like something out of the Third Exodus." Trent stood and shoved the necklace into his pocket. "Ok. But that's not why I came by. Look, I've been hearing things. Benedict was right. There's a whole lot of upset about enhancements. Heard some talk about extremists."
"In the Legion?" Sin asked.
Trent just shrugged. "No clue. Just priests talking about the fringe wanting to eradicate anyone who's gone against God's word. Some comments on social media about blowing 'them' up. Not sure who they mean, but figured you'd want to know."
"Heard anything in the Legion?" Sin asked carefully.
The stout priest leaned forward and pressed his head into his hands. "Yeah," Trent said. "It isn't good, Sin."
"Just tell me."
"Well, you got a little too much attention with that trial. Media's running rampant with your response, and there's been a lot of speculation."
"Because I killed a priest," Sin muttered.
"No, because you had good points," Trent countered. "Because you're enhanced and so high up in our hierarchy, but still killed an unenhanced priest."
"But I was found to be justified! Besides, Rissa's the one who took his life."
Trent's eyes met his. "And you'rebothenhanced."
Unconsciously Sin massaged the last two fingers on his right hand. They felt real, at least on the inside. The skin was a little too smooth and soft on the outside. Fauxskin never callused, and it didn't scar. Of course, the color of it was a dead giveaway, but his arm and hand weren't visible beneath his armor.
"It wasn't my choice," Sin muttered.
A large hand pressed on his shoulder. "I know," Trent assured him. "I was the one who carried your ass into the hospital, Brother. Benedict approved the repairs before you'd even made it there. He said God would not punish His own hands for a job well done, so your modifications were not a breach of the first precept."
Sin held up his arm and bent the last two fingers. "Respect life," he said, staring at his hand. "Even I don't know what to think. I mean, I was raised to believe frivolous enhancement is wrong, but what about medical repairs? Is it truly frivolous?"
"Are antibiotics?" Trent asked back. "Half of our medications are made from killed bacteria. Is that respecting life? What about eating meat? The Good Book does not say where we should draw the line. It only says we should have respect."
"Yeah," Sin agreed, the answer not helping at all. "So, if a modified priest can't even figure out the answer, what about you normals?"
Trent chuckled at that. "Hell, Sin, I think I'm more accepting of it than you are. Doesn't mean all of us are, though." He sighed. "Thing is, they want you to resign as Imperator."
