One Day in a Small-Town Desert, chapter 18, page 9

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Vata’s heart raced with a combination of exertion and excitement as she guided the cow through the secret door. With a quick glance back, she pushed the door shut. She’d seen no police.

“Thank you, Névazhíno,” she whispered between gulps of air.

As the cow wandered down the short hallway to the chapel, Vata leaned against the door, her throat rasping with every breath. She hadn’t spotted anybody outside, but she couldn’t look every direction. Someone might have seen her--or the door closing shut. Or heard the door closing.

Her pulse and breathing slowed slightly, but she felt a bit jittery. If the police had spotted her, there was nothing she could do now. She had to start the ceremony and complete it before anyone arrived. She needed Névazhíno’s help getting Pí‘oro back.

She pushed away from the door and hurried after the cow, who was already circling the chapel in exploration. As the cow sniffed her slippers by the inside door, Vata reached the shelves and opened the lid to the plastic box of medicine. With her wiry hands, she plucked out a vial of maximum-concentration tranquilizer and a new syringe.

Vata had helped Fírí and Zhíno, and this was how the young couple repaid her kindness. Most people were grateful and gracious, but not those two. They’d shown their gratitude by kidnapping her husband. With Névazhíno’s help, though, Vata would get him back.

She removed the cap from the needle and jabbed the needle through the rubber seal on the vial. As she pulled the tranquilizer into the syringe, Vata turned to face the cow.

“Come here, dear,” she cooed.

The cow turned at the sound of her voice, inquisitiveness cast in the cow’s huge brown eyes.

“That’s right. Come here.” Vata set the empty vial on a shelf and held out her hand to the cow.

The large animal started forward. Vata entered the circle of flaming braziers, enticing the cow to the altar. Vata knew she’d never get the cow on the stone slab, but she had to hope a sacrifice adjacent to the altar would still gain the attention of the Love of the Universe.

Once He saw her sacrifice, Névazhíno would surely assist His loyal priestess. He’d helped her with smaller tasks before, certainly. Like Judge Ríko’s infection or little Séara’s broken leg. Or Zhíno’s gunshot wounds, for that matter. The God of Animals would definitely rescue Pí‘oro’s stolen body and entrapped soul from the squabbling betrayers, definitely.

When the cow reached the altar, Vata stabbed her in the neck with the syringe. The cow bleated weakly, but Vata stroked her nose, murmuring, “It’s all right, my dear. You’ll be with Névazhíno soon.”

The cow’s eyelids drooped, changing the huge eyes to narrow slits. Her front legs buckled and she slammed to the dirt floor.

Vata hurried back to the shelves for her ceremonial knife. The time was now.

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