Samantha's knees pressed into the cobblestones, her heart beating unevenly as the weight of realization sank in. 'The Lord himself had offered to help me… and I doubted him.'
Shame flickered across her face, but it was quickly drowned by relief as she clutched Pascal close.
The boy, however, didn't share his mother's turmoil. His small hands fidgeted with the fabric of his cloth, his wide eyes locked downward, too shy to look up. 'The Lord… held me. Spoke to me. Could this really be real?' The thought alone was enough to make him wonder if he had drifted into a dream.
Leon broke the silence, his voice firm yet calm. "You may rise."
One by one, the citizens lifted themselves from the ground. Their gazes lingered on him, reverent and cautious. Leon offered a faint smile, steady as ever. "You can continue with your activities."
He turned his attention to James. "Let's go."
