Page 37 of Sacrifice

“It’s her decision. Not mine.”

He nodded slowly and turned his attention to Rose. “Do you really intend to leave us, darling?”

She swallowed hard and nodded. “Yes, Papa. I want to go.”

“But you know what this will do to your people. Not just them. The whole world. If the Tetrad ritual isn’t complete—”

“Papa.” Rose cut him off with a raised hand. “I don’t believe in that anymore. I don’t think the Darkness lives in the forbidden cave, and I don’t think the eclipse sacrifices make any difference. I know you truly believe in it all, but… I don’t. I’m sorry. I’m not willing to give my life for something I don’t believe in.”

“But how can you notseeit, darling?” Augustus shook his head as he spoke. “Look what happened when Miranda found the cave and ventured inside. That sinful action allowed some of the Darkness to seep into the world, just as our founders predicted would happen if an outsider ever went into the cave. We can see its effects everywhere.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.

“The outside world has grown worse and worse every year since it happened. More disease outbreaks. More pestilence. More war. More famine,” he said. “To be clear, I do not blame your mother for any of this. She wasn’t a believer, so she genuinely didn’t know what her actions would result in when she went into that cave. I blame myself, for falling for her and allowing her to reside in our community for so long, which in turn allowed her the means to locate the cave. It ismyfault. Nevertheless... the world is slowly falling to the Darkness, which has been seeping outward ever since, and the Tetrad ritual is our only hope at containing it once and for all.”

“Papa, all these diseases and wars in the outside world—I think they were going to happen regardless of anything that goes on in Alderwood,” Rose said, lifting her chin high. “I don’t think it’s fair to put it all on me, or yourself, or the rest of the Covenant. It’s not fair to make us believe that we alone are responsible for the entire world.”

“But weare,” Augustus insisted. “That is the whole point of our existence and the work we do here. We are keeping the world safe.”

Rose bit her bottom lip in contemplation. I was ready to step in and argue for her if she needed it, but right now, she seemed to be doing fine on her own. I was so damn proud of her for that—for seeing past decades of extreme mental programming and finally getting to the truth.

“Papa, I believe that the founders were wrong when they gave us this responsibility. I believe the doctrine they laid out is false. That is why I must leave,” she finally said, raising her voice slightly. “You told me it was my choice, and you told me you wouldn’t stop me. Is that still true?”

Tears were shimmering in her father’s eyes now. “Yes. The sacrifices are a personal choice, and we would never force anyone to do it. We are not complete savages. You know that. But—” His voice cracked, and he scrubbed a hand across his face. “Darling… please don’t abandon us. Please don’t give up on us. Our work is so important. Without you, the whole world is at risk.”

“Papa…” Rose sniffed loudly, clearly on the verge of tears as well. I stepped forward and placed a protective hand on her upper back. She sucked in a deep breath and spoke up again. “I love you, and I love Alderwood. But if I stay here, I know I must be sacrificed, and I don’t want that.”

“I told you; it is a personal choice. You wouldn’t be forced.”

“But it’snota personal choice, is it? Not really,” Rose said, shaking her head. “There are over a thousand people here in Alderwood, and every single one of them is expecting to watch me meet the Entity on the Red Rocks in two days. If I refuse to do it… I know I will be guilted and pressured by all those people. The people I’ve grown up with and shared my life with until now. All of them begging and pleading with me, just like you’re doing right now. It will be too hard. Maybe even too hard for me to say no in the end, even though that’s what Iwantto say. So, I must go.”

Augustus wiped his face again and coughed loudly to clear his throat. “Please, Rosamund. Don’t do this,” he choked out. “Please.”

“I’m sorry, Papa. I have to leave.” Rose sniffed back more tears and lowered her gaze to the ground. “I hope you can forgive me one day.”

Augustus closed his eyes for a moment, head tipped slightly downward as if in prayer. Then he cleared his throat again and opened his eyes. “May I have one last hug before you leave me?” he asked gruffly.

“Of course, Papa,” Rose murmured, stepping forward.

“Wait.” I held an arm out in front of her, eyes narrowed on her father.

He might’ve told me the truth about my own father tonight, along with many other things, but that didn’t mean I trusted the man. He was a true believer in his religion, and that meant he might be willing to do anything it took to make Rose stay tonight. He might’ve lied about the sacrifice being her choice, and he might be planning to grab her during this hug in an attempt to force her to stay with him.

“Sebastian,” he said softly, looking right into my eyes. “It’s just a hug. I swear. I am aware of the gun in your hand, and if I try anything, you are more than welcome to use it.”

I dipped my chin in a curt nod and lowered my free arm, allowing Rose to move again. “All right,” I muttered. “Go ahead, baby.”

I remained a few steps back, watching as she wrapped her arms around her father. He did the same, holding her like he never wanted to let go, his eyes closed as if he were memorizing the moment, every breath, every heartbeat. It was like time had briefly stopped for them. Just father and daughter, saying a goodbye neither of them wanted to say but both knowing it had to be done. I felt the heaviness of the moment in the air, the finality of it all, and my heart twisted painfully, knowing how long and how badly this would affect Rose. She didn’t deserve that sort of pain.

Finally, she broke away from the hug, wiping her tearstained face with one hand. “Bye, Papa,” she choked out.

“Goodbye, Rosamund,” he said, dropping his arms back to his sides. He glanced up at the dark sky. “If you change your mind, well… you still have two and a half days.”

“I know, Papa.”

I cleared my throat and took a step forward. “Will anyone try to stop us from leaving right now?”

Augustus nodded. “The watchmen at the gate will probably stop you at first, just to ask what is happening. But you can tell them that it is my wish for the two of you to leave. That the Entity has willed it. If they don’t believe you, tell them to come and find me. I will be right here. Thinking and praying.”

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