It was because she recognized him from behind.


    That silhouette had once upied a significant seven years of her thirty-year life. For all those seven years, she had followed that very back. She remembered every inch of it, every line.


    So, even with the view obscured by the mist, Noreen recognized the man''s figure instantly.


    "Ma''am? Ma''am?"


    The monk had to call out to her when he noticed she had stopped walking.


    Noreen snapped back to reality. "I''m sorry."


    "This way," the monk said, continuing to lead her forward.


    The offerings were managed by one of the sanctuary''s priests. A prayer had to be recited before the offering could be made.


    "May I ask who sought this charm?" the priest asked Noreen. It was a routine question, as the name of the original petitioner was included in the prayer.


    "Sophia," Noreen answered truthfully.


    The priest checked hisputer, then shook his head. "I don''t see anyone by that name in our records."


    "How can that be? She gave it to me herself," Noreen said, confused.


    "Do you remember the approximate date?" the priest asked.


    Noreen gave him a time frame.


    The priest searched the records for that period but still found no mention of Sophia''s name. The charm, however, was undeniably from their sanctuary.


    With no other choice, Noreen had to call Sophia.


    At first, Sophia tried to brush it off, but when Noreen exined that the sanctuary kept records and her name wasn''t in them, she finally stammered, "Noreen... I''m sorry. I... I wasn''t the one who got that lucky charm for you."


    "Then who was?"


    Sophia was too scared to say.


    Only after Noreen pressed her repeatedly did she finally whisper the name, her voice trembling. "It was Mr. Harcourt."


    "Mr. Harcourt gave it to me."


    "He told me not to tell you. He said you''d never ept it if you knew it was from him."


    "Noreen, I know I was wrong."


    Sophia''s apologies faded into a buzzing in Noreen''s ears. It was as if she couldn''t hear anything else.


    She couldn''t understand.


    Why? Why would Seth do something like that?


    Didn''t he love Bianca Lowell?


    Why would he do these meaningless things behind her back?


    In that moment, she realized she had never truly understood Seth at all.


    As Noreen left the sanctuary, she


    passed by the grove of trees again. And once more, she saw the figure, still kneeling and bowing devotedly in the rain


    The downpour was even heavier now. He waspletely soaked.


    ret


    Even under her umbre, Noreen shivered as a gust of wind carried the rain''s chill She could only imagine how cold the man drenched to the bone must be.


    After returning from the sanctuary Noreen went to Glenhaven City for a


    business trip where she also apanied Castle Joyner to a public g.


    Meanwhile, Seth was lying in a hospital bed, burning up with a relentless fever.


    Jude Wilder stayed by his side, not daring to rx even through the night.


    It wasn''t until the third day that Seth''s fever finally broke.


    Exhausted, Jude heard the doctor''s news and copsed into a chair. "I was worried


    you were going to fry your brain!"


    Seth''s gaze drifted to the television in the room. It was broadcasting a news


    segment about the g in Glenhaven City.


    Jude cursed inwardly. He''d forgotten to turn the TV off!


    It was a littlete now, but he shut it off anyway.


    The room plunged into a dead silence. Jude racked his brain for something to say


    but came uppletely empty.


    It was Seth who finally broke the stillness.


    "Frying my brain might not be a bad thing," he said softly.


    Then he wouldn''t have to think so much.