"What are you — " He's vaguely aware they're talking at cross-purposes, and that she's not making sense. The Church is a big, ancient machine for gnawing up people and spitting them out appropriately holy. The Church is different from God. It's still not a cult, it's still the Church, it's still something like family. He shakes his head. "Not the point. Church or no Church, I'm telling you I know what I'm doing."

He catches the movement of her hand, looks back to her. "What's your explanation for how your neck feels right now, huh?"