Page 42 of Dig Your Grave

But at least we’d made it through.That had to count for something.

I sank onto my bed afterward, exhaustion crashing in.A wave of memory threatened to swallow me, my confession to Anubis about my trauma, the puzzle, Sophie’s triumphant grin, the crypt’s ominous vow.But in the swirl of it all, I recalled his arms around me, his murmured comfort, how we’d chosen each other in more than one way.And I saw the hooded figure on the ground, bleeding, dagger protruding from his chest.

I drifted off into a dreamless sleep, praying that our fragile alliance would be enough to survive the Skulls’ next demands.

When I finally awoke, it was afternoon.My phone displayed a few messages:

Harry (The Howler):“We’re running a piece on the suicides next week.Need your draft.”

Unknown number:“Congratulations.–S.M.”

Seeing Sophie’s message made my heart pound.She had my phone number, of course.She had access to everything.This was her little victory note, reminding me that I was nowhersin some warped sense.

I suppressed a shudder and texted back a single word to Harry:“Soon.”

My body still ached, and my palm stung beneath its bandage.But I needed to see Anubis.After grabbing a quick bite in the cafeteria, my appetite nonexistent, I made my way to the caretaker’s cottage.The autumn sun was low on the horizon, painting the sky with streaks of orange and purple.

I slipped into the cottage and found him there, perched on the edge of the old desk, reviewing a ledger by the light of a single lamp.He looked up, relief washing over his features when he saw me.

“How are you feeling?”he asked, setting the ledger aside.

“Sore.Exhausted.”I managed a small smile.“But I’m here.”

He opened his arms, and I stepped into his embrace, letting the tension in my shoulders melt.For a moment, we just held each other in the hush of that secret space.

Finally, I pulled back, eyeing the ledger.“What did you find?”

He ran a hand over the old pages.“Documentation on past novices who passed the Trials.Some were assigned tasks that escalated into extortion or sabotage.Others were given high power jobs and blackmailed for the rest of their days.All of it orchestrated by the Skull’s leadership.Toccara’s name is here in a side note.She was approached for a brand deal connected to a shell company under the Skulls.She must have discovered the link and threatened to expose them.”

My mouth went dry.“Which might explain her death.They labeled it a suicide, but maybe they pushed her or cornered her until…she had no escape.Maybe they asked a recruit to kill her.Thad said killing me was his trial.”

He nodded darkly.“This is the pattern.Now we’re part of them, at least outwardly.Which gives us the vantage point Toccara lacked.”

I stared at the page, the swirling old script detailing each novice’s tasks.Some had infiltration missions, like forging official documents.Others had more personal manipulations, seducing a wealthy sponsor, entrapping a professor.Reading it made my stomach turn.

“They’ll give us tasks soon,” Anubis murmured.“We have to appear cooperative while gathering proof to eventually blow this open.”

I swallowed, glancing up at him.“So, we become traitors.Double agents?”

His jaw tensed.“Better that than letting them keep doing this.People are dying… I was Thad’s captain.”

My eyes stung with tears.I reached out and squeezed his uninjured hand.“I’m in,” I whispered, voice shaking with determination.“We’ll do it carefully.For Toccara, and for whoever’s next on their list.”

His gaze softened, and in that moment, the heaviness in my chest eased.I didn’t feel alone anymore, maybe for the first time in my life.

We shared an embrace that grew more feverish with each exchanged breath.Pressed close, I found solace in the curve of Anubis’ arms.I tangled my fingers in his hair as the desperate tension of the Trials melted into something warm, alive, and tethered to hope as our lips met.Like the last time in my dorm room, there was no coercion, no punishment, just the comfort of each other's arms, each others’ bodies coming together.As the rest of Edenvane slept, we tangled together in front of the fire, losing ourselves in one another.

When the tender moment receded into a hush, the world snapped back into focus.The candle on the desk flickered, illuminating the ledger’s damning words.

I sighed, smoothing my rumpled clothes.“We should get some air.I’ll suffocate if I stay buried in secrets all night.”

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