Bellini hesitates. Then, in a whisper:

—Benítez is not who he says he is.

A chill runs through Lomeli.

—What do you know?

Bellini meets his gaze gravely.

—Enough to be afraid of what will happen if he is elected.

Lomeli recalls the Pope’s letter. He begins to suspect that the message and Benítez’s sudden rise are connected.

But he doesn’t yet know how.

Tomorrow, another vote awaits. And time is running out to uncover the truth.

Part Five: The Final Candidate

Dawn over Rome bathes the dome of St. Peter’s in golden hues. But inside the Vatican, the shadows have never been deeper.

Vincent Benítez has emerged as the strongest candidate. A cardinal with no faction, no declared enemies, no past to threaten him—or so everyone believes.

Lomeli cannot ignore the gnawing sense of dread. The Pope’s letter. Bellini’s warning. Something doesn’t fit.

If he doesn’t act now, Benítez will become the next Vicar of Christ. And it could be the greatest mistake in the Church’s history.