The Blessed - By Tonya Hurley Page 0,111

for us.”

Agnes rejoined Lucy and Cecilia and headed toward the vestibule. Grief emptied from their hearts and they were filled with a sense of purpose. The black smoke inside was turning a grayish white. A decision had been made. The threat was over. But their fire inside was still burning.

They walked toward the church doors.

Jesse stood as they passed.

The unruly crowd was waiting outside. Restlessly. Whether to absolve or condemn them, what others would think of them, they didn’t know. And didn’t care. Perhaps for the first time in their lives.

Cecilia lifted her hoodie onto her head, sheltering her straight bangs and choppy bob.

Lucy veiled her head in a designer silk scarf, fixing it loosely over her blond locks.

Agnes placed the cowl of her lamb poncho over her long, auburn hair.

Heads covered, they joined hands and stood in the doorway.

Shouts and cheers rang out, cameras flashed, camcorders rolled, microphones were thrust toward them as they silently descended the church steps, humbly victorious. The lights from the cameras illuminated them, causing auras around them. The sea of law enforcement, media, and onlookers parted reverently before them as they were ushered into a waiting police cruiser.

A few reached out. Some to touch them. Others to rebuke them. Praised, cursed, and everything in between.

They marched forward, unlikely icons, their purpose clear, as Cecilia said to Agnes and Lucy flanking her:

“Thy will be done.”

THE WORD ACCORDING TO SEBASTIAN

Seekers of Hope.

Seekers of Faith.

Seekers of Love.

Come to Me

And to These Three

Who Hold My Heart

And You Will See

All You Want and Wish to Do

Is Already There

Inside of You

Fear Not

For I Am With You

Always

Even to

The End.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

THANKS to my husband, Michael Pagnotta, for his undying love and support. This book would not have been possible without you.

Heartfelt thanks to the extraordinary team at Simon & Schuster: Jon Anderson, Justin Chanda—for believing, Anne Zafian, Zareen Jaffery, Julia Maguire, Elke Villa, Chrissy Noh, Lizzy Bromley, Lucille Rettino, Paul Crichton, Lydia Finn, Mary Marotta, Christina Pecorale, Jim Conlin, Mary Faria, and Teresa Brumm.

Special thanks to the people I have been blessed with in my life: Isabelle Rose Pagnotta, Beverly Hurley, Tracy Hurley Martin, Oscar Martin, Angela and Tony DiTerlizzi, Vince Clarke, Martha and Anthony Kolencik, Mary and Salvatore Pagnotta, Mary Nemchik, Clementina and Bill Morton, Thomas J. Hurley, Thomas A. Hurley, Denise DeCarlo, Heidi Holmes, Lauren Nemchik, Tamara Pajic Lang, Mary-Jo Pane, Abbey Watkins, Paul Sych, Adriana Beltrán, Natalie Shau, Andy McNicol, Laura Bonner, Alicia Gordon, Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, all at Aflaguara and William Morris Endeavor, and especially to my amazing publishers and readers around the world.

TONYA HURLEY

is the author of the New York Times bestselling ghostgirl series. She has worked in nearly every aspect of teen entertainment: creating, writing, and producing two hit TV series; and writing and directing several acclaimed independent films. Tonya lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband and daughter. The Blessed is the first in a trilogy of novels. Visit Tonya at theblessed.com.

ALSO BY

ghostgirl

ghostgirl: Homecoming

ghostgirl: Lovesick

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Endnotes

1 Thou hast proved my heart, and visited it by night; thou hast tried me by fire: and iniquity hath not been found in me.

2 Put to death that which is earthly in you.

3 My heart is become like wax melting in the midst of my bowels.

They have looked and stared upon me.

The council of the malignant hath besieged me.

I am poured out like water and all my bones are scattered.

4 My enemies have surrounded my soul.

5 They have numbered all my bones.

6 Ask, and it shall be given to you: seek, and you shall find: knock, and it shall be open to you.

For every one that asketh, receiveth: and he that seeketh, findeth: and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.

7 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in the clothing of sheep, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division • 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10020 www.SimonandSchuster.com • This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. • Text copyright © 2012 by Tonya Hurley • Illustrations copyright © 2012 by Abbey Watkins • All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. • is a trademark of Simon & Schuster, Inc. • The Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau can bring authors to your live event. For more information or to book an event, contact the Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau at 1-866-248-3049 or visit our website at www.simonspeakers.com. • Book design by Lizzy Bromley • Jacket design by Lizzy Bromley • Jacket photograph copyright © 2012 by Natalie Shau • Handlettering copyright © 2012 by Paul Sych • The text for this book is set in Goudy Old Style. • Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data • Hurley, Tonya. • The blessed / Tonya Hurley. — 1st ed. • p. cm. • Summary: “Three girls who have lost their way are brought together by a mysterious young man.”—Provided by publisher. • ISBN 978-1-4424-2951-2 (hardback) • [1. Good and evil—Fiction. 2. Identity—Fiction. 3. Conduct of life—Fiction. 4. Saints—Fiction. 5. Catholic Church—Fiction. 6. Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.)—Fiction.] I. Title. • PZ7.H95667Ble 2012 • [Fic]—dc23 • 2012000654 • ISBN 978-1-4424-2953-6 (eBook)

Summer Lies” • Written by Stephin Merritt

Performed by The Magnetic Fields • Published by Gay and Loud (ASCAP)

“Whippin’ Post” a.k.a. “Whipping Post” • Words and Music by Gregg Allman

The Blessed - By Tonya Hurley Page 0,111

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