"Sara! Breakfast's ready!"
Margaret Allen's voice came from downstairs. Sara hurried out of her room, still tying the white belt of her Saint robe as she rushed down the stairs. The smell of toast and eggs filled the air. Her stepdad, Robert Hayes, was already seated, reading something on his tablet. Her little brother, Josh, and sister, Emily, were in their matching school uniforms, arguing quietly over who got the bigger slice of bacon.
At the foot of the stairs, their golden retriever, Buddy, wagged his tail expectantly, hoping someone would drop food his way.
"Morning, everyone," Sara said, sliding into her chair.
"Morning, sweetheart," her mom said. "Slow down a bit, you're going to choke one of these days."
Sara smiled faintly, scooping food onto her plate. "I can't, Mom. I'm running late. Big day today."
"Big day?" Robert asked, looking up. "Is there an event at church today we didn't know about?"
Sara took a sip of juice before answering. "No dad… Well, there's an inspector from the Bureau of Spiritual Affairs coming to Maple Hills today. He's supposed to inspect Saint Daniel's exorcism activities."
Her mother frowned. "Inspect? Why? You've all been doing God's work."
Sara shrugged. "The Bureau claims there's been a rise in fake exorcisms across the country. They say some Saints have been sponsoring evil spirits themselves just to make money off the church donations."
"People really do that?" Robert asked.
"Apparently," Sara said. "And because of that, they're sending inspectors to every city. If they think St. Daniel's is involved in anything shady, they can shut down our exorcisms completely."
Magaret sighed. "Oh dear, that's very worrying."
Sara poked at her food, frowning. "It's insulting, honestly. We've been working for years helping people, and now they think we're frauds. It's disrespectful."
Robert gave a calm look. "Sweetheart, I understand how you feel, but you also have to see where the Bureau's coming from. If immoral things are happening elsewhere, they have to cross-check everyone. That's how order works."
Sara rolled her eyes slightly. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever."
She finished her breakfast quickly and stood up, grabbing her bag from the counter.
"Hold on," her mom said, getting up too. "Let's say a short prayer."
The family joined hands. Emily peeked at the toast while her brother Josh squeezed her hand too tight.
Her mom closed her eyes. "Lord, guide Sara today. Protect her steps and give her peace in her work. Amen."
Sara smiled faintly. "Amen." She leaned over, kissed her mom's cheek, then waved to the others. "I'll see you all later."
As she opened the front door, the cold morning air hit her face. Buddy barked once, as if saying goodbye. She smiled, adjusted her robe, and stepped out.
The morning air in Maple Hills was crisp, sunlight spilling softly through the trees that lined the quiet street. She walked briskly to the nearest bus stop and caught a bus bound for St. Daniels Cathedral.
By the time she arrived, the church's tall spires were glinting in the morning light.
Standing by the gate was Ben, already waiting, hands in his pockets and a knowing grin on his face. He wore a Saint's robe similar to Sara's, though his was shorter, paired with dark trousers underneath. The outfit had a more practical, masculine cut, unlike Sara's long robe and white socks that reached her knees.
"Sara!" he called out, waving.
She smiled and walked over, giving him a quick, friendly hug.
"What happened to your phone?" he asked, half-teasing. "I called last night but you didn't pick up."
"Sorry," Sara said, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Family stuff. Got a little busy."
Ben raised an eyebrow. "Just making sure you didn't forget what today is."
Sara rolled her eyes. "Why would I forget?"
He laughed, and together they walked through the cathedral gates, the sound of distant bells echoing above them.