Page 84 of Spark of the Everflame

My eyes snapped to him. “Blood rite?”

He stared ahead blankly and nodded. “In a minute, you’ll be called up to confess the worst things you’ve ever done so the group has leverage on you if you try to quit. Then we’ll all strip naked and put a drop of blood in a chalice, and you have to drink it. It’s the second test of loyalty.”

“Are youout of your Flaming mind?” I hissed. “I am not doing anyof that.”

“It’s too late. Once you come in the meeting, you can’t leave without taking the blood rite. You’ve already seen too much.”

Anger and panic flooded my veins. Henri hadn’t warned me about this.Anyof this.

“This was a mistake. I’m getting out of here.” My hand shot down to my boot, sliding Brecke’s knife from its sheath. “I’ll fight my way out, if I have to.”

I moved to creep past Henri’s chair. His arms wrapped around my waist and dragged me back to my seat. “You can’t go.”

“Oh yes I can,” I ground out, struggling against his grasp. “Get your hands off me.”

“D, wait—”

“Let go, Henri.”

“Diem, stop.”

“I swear on the Everflame, if you think I won’t stab you—”

“I’mjoking!”

I jerked my blade at him. His lips were pursed to hold back a smile, and his shoulders quaked with barely suppressed laughter. Several faces had turned at the commotion, earning me a number of disapproving stares.

“I was teasing you,” he whispered. “I couldn’t tell you the secret words until Vance let you in. There are no rites or confessions.” He rolled his eyes and grinned. “We’re not a cult.”

My glare only made him laugh harder.

My cheeks flushed bright red, and I slumped back against my chair.

“That was incredible,” he said, biting his knuckle. “You should have seen your face.”

“Keep laughing. I want to remember every second of this the next time you ask for a little nighttimefunout in the woods.”

His laughter abruptly stopped.

Vance’s announcements continued on, though I could hardly focus, his words nearly drowned out by my now-pounding heartbeat.

“...several successful recent missions. Sister Samyra completed a high-risk delivery in Lumnos City.”

Near the front, a petite brunette looked around and smiled shyly at the smattering of applause.

“And our newest member, Sister Diem, obtained some very valuable documents from the home of a prominent Descended target.”

A round of eyes turned toward me, accompanied by clapping and a few appreciative nods. My cheeks burned even hotter.

Without meaning to, my eyes met Lana’s, and I saw the same judgment I had felt toward her now reflected in her own expression. She knew about my visit to House Benette, as did all the healers at the center. Any hope I might have had at hiding my decision to betray my vows was officially, unavoidably gone.

It didn’t matter that I could likely say the same of her. She was only a trainee. I was her mentor, her guide, meant to lead by shining example. Now we both knew I was a fraud.

The desire to melt into my chair and fade away was overwhelming.

Vance started up again, his voice taking on a graver tone. “With the arrival of a new member, I want to remind everyone of our oldest and most important rule. The names of your fellow Guardians are to be protected at all costs. Am I understood?”

“Yes, Father,” the voices echoed.

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