Chapter 17: Ashes to Ashes
It was Ella who stood before the Senate hearing.
Wearing the same white blouse she wore the day she first walked into the parish office as a sophomore.
“I’m not here to destroy the Church,” she began.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjoaUKIJpOC
“I’m here because I was destroyed by it, and I will not be quiet anymore.”
They tried to corner her.
Why now?12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhdZELMa5u8
What if you’re lying?12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ86kWG1dG8y
Don’t you fear God?
But she didn't shake.
Because sitting quietly in the crowd, under a cap and hoodie, was Clark—filming every word, streaming it to thousands.
Because Ely had given her one final message, buried in the footnotes of his last confession:
“If they silence me, let the ashes fall on their robes. Truth is fire. It will not die.”
By the next morning, a Church-owned university had been set ablaze.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡESoYVjjzU1
No casualties.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeLi1PznkYJ
Only the chapel.
Burned to its skeleton.
Inside the altar was a note written in Latin:
ns216.73.216.169da2“Et Veritas liberabit vos.”12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmQBgVIJZda
(And the truth shall set you free.)
