Warmth seeped from the top of her head to her fingertips, then overflowed from her pores. She had only ever felt this sensation of soaking in warm water during evening prayers at the Sisterhood convent in the City of Immortals, or when she stood directly before the Emperor and accepted His touch. Yet no evening prayer had ever felt as vivid and abundant as this.
Tita had every reason to believe that the Emperor was touching her body and soul at this very moment, granting her strength and helping her defeat the powerful enemy before her. This was a secret of the Sisterhood, one she announced only through the Sisterhood's dedicated Communication Channel: the Emperor was watching His chosen. The Artificial Humans and the girls who joined the Sisterhood believed that the Emperor's eyes constantly examined every soul, regardless of good or evil, nobility or depravity. Only the most devout could accept His gaze.
At this moment, Tita was undoubtedly proud.
She was the Sisterhood's chief, its most devout servant, yet she had never believed herself qualified to demand grace from her creator—just as she required all Sisterhood members to remain devout and humble, waiting for the day they would receive His gaze. That day had finally come. She believed she was finally worthy of holding her head high and fighting in the Emperor's name without guilt. She had no doubt that the Emperor's voice had become clearer when she killed that xenos.
"I can feel Him, sisters! I can hear His voice!"
Tita picked up the shield discarded by a Kree guard and used it to block the bullets fired at her. She took several steps forward, but the impact she had expected against her wrist never came. The Kree guards were less than a hundred meters away, yet