Page 255 of Master of My Life

Sabrina.” His gray eyes searched hers and she sensed his unease.

“What’s going to happen?”

“I can’t tell you. But you must trust me and not try to protect Ethan.”

She opened her mouth to protest, but a door at the side of the room opened and Ethan was led out

by Alex. Ethan’s shoulders were slumped, head hung, and Sabrina would have sworn there was a

bruise on his cheek.

“If you do anything but sit here, I will have to remove you,” Chase said quietly before

straightening and going to Ethan.

He would remove her? How could he do that? She was part of the ritual!

Chase stood before Ethan, who looked up at him with a clenched jaw, but he played with the hem

of his tunic, twisting it around his fingers.

Sabrina’s chest went cold. What had happened? Why was Ethan afraid?

Alex moved to stand by his father, leaving Chase and Ethan alone. They spoke softly and Ethan

nodded and closed his eyes and hung his head again. Sabrina bit her lip and clenched her fists. What

had they done to him?

Chase turned and looked up at the men standing in a semi-circle. The mood grew solemn.

“I wish to make this man the guardian of my wife,” Chase said. He took Ethan’s elbow and guided

him to the center of the platform.

Richard, Tom, and Wilhelm stepped forward and Chase moved to the side. Ethan lifted his chin

and stood erect, like a soldier, staring at the eagle that rose above the platform. He didn’t move as the

three men circled him.

“Undress,” Richard said in a commanding tone.

Ethan blinked and slowly pulled off his tunic and pants and tossed them aside, then resumed

standing at attention.

Richard reached out to touch a scar on his chest and Ethan recoiled. “He is not ready to be a

guardian.”

Sabrina’s mouth dropped open. What was Richard talking about?

Tom touched Ethan’s shoulder and Ethan gritted his teeth. When Wilhelm ran his hand over the

back of Ethan’s head, Ethan trembled.

Sabrina stared open-mouthed. What happened to Ethan to make him afraid? This was not the

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