Page 91 of Demise

“You good?”

I nod.

“Whatever you just did, whatever you’re thinking, keep thinking it. You’ll be alright, and tonight, we’ll go home and forget this fucking mess, yeah?”

“Yeah,” I say roughly as he opens his car door.

I do the same, and together, we make the trek through campus to the old church. I’ve been to the tunnels easily over a hundred times in my life, but for some reason, tonight I’m noticing things I never have before. The paintings hanging in the church, the cobblestone walkway, how several of them are broken or missing, and the ominous lighting as we open the passageway to the tunnels. A foreboding feeling like I’ve never felt before takes over, but I do my best to push it down.

When we reach the end of the walkway just before the first room, a man comes out holding a burgundy threaded robe like all of the other Elders possess. He bows his head, holding it out to me, and I nod my thanks as I begin stripping down. Once I’m naked, I slip the robe on, and the man takes my clothes, disappearing into the shadows while Ronan knocks on the door.

Slowly, it opens, and we slip inside, signing in and pressing our bloody fingerprint beside our entry. Once the second door opens, voices instantly carry through. It’s amazing to me how each room is virtually soundproof despite being built hundreds of years ago.

As soon as I step inside, all conversations die, and every pair of eyes focus on me. I walk towards the middle of the room, shoulders back and face impassive as Ronan takes his place on the side of the wall. There isn’t a table in here like there is for meetings, and there isn’t a stone slab like there was when they had Skyla in here. That’s a good sign, I suppose.

All the Elders are standing along the wall, each member beside their respective family and bond brother. My father steps up to me, all smiles as he reaches out to shake my hand before pulling me in for a hug that is so foreign to me, all I can do is freeze.

When he pulls away, he smiles towards the room.

“Brothers, what a joyous day, for not just me, but all of us. A new member, a new Elder and your future leader, my son,” he beams proudly, a look unlike anything I’ve ever seen before.

All heads bow in respect to me as I keep my face stoic and still.

“Asher Putnam, do you swear your allegiance to the Brethren? Do you swear to honor our ways, fulfill our practices, and protect our secrets?” my father asks.

“I swear,” I say hollowly.

“Do you swear to slay our enemy when given the chance and keep our people safe?” He continues.

“I swear.”

“Do you swear to enforce all law whenever deemed necessary, no matter the task?”

My stomach twists at this one, but still, dutiful as ever, I respond.

“I swear.”

My father nods approvingly before gesturing to the man at the door. I hear the door opening, but I stay facing my father, knowing all eyes are on me. Suddenly, the sound of muffled screams ring throughout the room. A woman’s screams.

Christ.

The door shuts before a woman with curly brunette hair is thrown at my feet, a white gag tied around her face and black mascara streaks running down her face. She’s wearing a white nightgown that is stained with red around her legs. I chance a quick glance to her before looking directly at my father once more.

“Thiswoman,” my father spits, “is a disgrace to the Brethren. She has failed to give the Ingersoll family an heir after three pregnancies, and thus, her husband has deemed her unworthy.”

My eyes move to Jackson Ingersoll, the scrawny bean pole of a man. He looks at his wife with such indignation, such disgust.The cold hate in his eyes chills me to the bone. They are kidding, right? She’s clearly having a miscarriage, apparently it being her third, and her husband deems her unworthy?

“Your task is simple. Release your brother from his bonds to this unfit woman. Set him free so that he may find a suitable wife to carry on the coveted bloodline,” my father says.

My eyes move to Jackson, back to my father, and down to this poor woman. His words are clear, and that fear I had inside me before is back tenfold, but I don’t let it show. I can’t.

I swallow roughly as I speak.

“Method of choice?”

Her sobs rip through the room, whimpering and groaning as she holds her stomach tightly.

An evil smile curves my father’s face as he looks at me.

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