Father Thomas returns home a hero after enduring a lifetime of trials, only to find his hard-won glory threatened by a young, impossibly perfect rival. As whispers of favoritism and corruption swirl, Thomas must confront the painful truth: in a world obsessed with shortcuts, is there still room for real sacrifice? His faith, legacy, and self-worth hang in the balance.
Disguised as a man to survive, the narrator risks everything to rescue a legendary war heroine shattered by betrayal and violence. Hunted across the Southwest, she hides in a church where a second fallen woman waits, her own secrets locked behind suspicion and scars. If trust fails tonight, both women—and the narrator’s last hope—will be lost forever.