"Hmmm."
Chiara's reply made me look up at her as I ate. I watched the woman till the food in my mouth was chewed and swallowed, then I shovelled in another spoonful.
Ninja Momma had been thorough in instilling in all of us the knowledge we would or might need for this mission. I hadn't become some guru on the faith of the Church, but I understood the basics of their system.
In ascending order, there was the Deacon, the Priest, the Bishop, the Archbishop, the Cardinal, and the Pope. Of these six ranks, three were acquired through ordination, the rest through appointments or selections.
My mind was churning, and Chiara knew that, so she silently watched.
"Don't you have to be an Archbishop to become a Cardinal?" I asked after swallowing, wanting to be clear on what the redhead had said.
"No. Becoming an Archbishop and then a Cardinal is the normal route. However, in writing, anyone already ordained a priest can become a Cardinal.
