“I, uh…” Atalee began.

The metaphorical cogs turned, and the young woman worked to put together her thoughts and articulate them in a way that would not make her seem[i]totally[/i] crazy. She knew that few people worshipped or even recognized the existence of the Goddess Vexa. In fact, she recalled that many dismissed religion altogether, many people opting to simply live their lives without worrying about where humans came from, what their purpose was, and what happened after any individual human died in spite of the insurmountable amount of freak occurrences and coincidences that Atalee believed to justify the existence of some greater power, or, as she knew it, the Goddess Vexa.

The woman could not figure out any other way to say this.

“Miss,” she stated outright, “I believe that the string of coincidences I have seen this afternoon is the work of the Goddess Vexa sending me divine instructions to accompany you on your quest.”

The sister awaited Celosia’s reaction, a look of total seriousness plastered on her face.

Partly out of how concentrated Atalee was on piecing together what she wanted to say but mostly out of sheer obliviousness, Atalee didn’t hear what was going on behind her, apparently a man hobbling into the street and promptly collapsing onto the ground.

Plus, the young woman faced the wrong way entirely, staring straight at Celosia rather than in the direction of the action.