He does a little jump off the stage, clicking his heels instead of taking the stairs. The people around him laugh and clap as he takes a deep bow.
“Who’s that?” I ask the group.
“That’s Maylo Villanox, Speaker Villanox for the Councilor of Envy. He’s theyoungest speaker for the Councilor. They say he’s extremely powerful, but I don’t know what his sin power is. He’s also a little… off his rocker, apparently?” Tabby whispers.
“He was at my trial… to vote on if I could attend SinVail,” I whisper to Holly. “He voted no.”
“Dick,” Holly mutters, and her quick loyalty almost chases away my panic. But this confirms that something is off. Two mages tied to my trial? Is the council testing me? Are they trying to sabotage me?
Atticus and Maylo are from different sin factions. Why would the council go to such lengths? Who has the power to tamper with the bond arch? It’s one of the most powerful relics in our nation, always protected by the Arch Guard. To mess with its power would be both dangerous and difficult. Why go through all this trouble when they could orchestrate an accident in the classroom to off me?
“Arwen, are you coming?”
I notice my friends have all stood and are moving past me towards their factions to line up.
“Yeah, sorry. Coming.” I follow Brixton, Holly, and Sly to where the rest of the freshman wrath faction is waiting.
Holly seems to be out of jokes as she hugs Sly tight behind me. I hope they make it through this together.
“Yes! Time for some drama,” a boy rubs his hands together in front of me. I’m stunned as a scream of joy punches the air. A freshman girl jumps off the stage and bounds up to a boy who is already standing and running her way. She jumps into his arms, and there’s a faint glow around them.
Gasps sound across the hall. “She’s so lucky,” a girl murmurs next to meand sighs.
I guess there goes my theory that the arch is broken. Others don’t seem confused or bewildered. What does this mean? What am I going to do?
I think I’m going to be sick… nope, not sick. Tingly. It’s happening. It’s happening again. A fourth time? A fourth bond?
I try to peek over the crowd to see the stage, but his back is to me.
“It’s just the Lusters, Arwen,” Holly says behind me.
The Lust faction? The Lusters don’t bond?
My mind goes on autopilot as I try to make sense of what this could mean.
By the time Wrath walks up to the stage, 14 couples have already come forward tethered. There have been plenty of public displays of affection, some tears from significant others, and even a very loud slap that has taken the drama to new heights.
Normally, violence is a Wrath specialty, but I guess love can make people do crazy things.
My mind is still stunned, but my chest is racing out of control. As soon as I step through that arch, my bonds will feel it; they’ll know they’re tethered to me.
There’s nothing good that can come from this. I have to get out of here with no one noticing that a bond has clicked.
We’re getting closer and closer. Time seems to blur, and before I know it, it’s my turn. I turn around and sidestep behind Holly and Sly. “You guys should go first.”
Holly gives me a puzzled look but steps in front of me. I grip her hand as Sly moves towards the arch. I’ve only known her for two days, but she’s been kinder to me than almost anyone back in Furycliff, and she deserves happiness.
“Everything’s going to be okay,” I manage a shaky smile at her, trying to mask my rising panic.
She shakes her head and turns just in time to see Sly walk through the arch. No jumps for joy, no joyful shouts… he just walks off stage and looks back at Holly, relief in his eyes. Holly takes a deep breath and walks forward.
I track her movements across the stage, forgetting my life-altering predicament. She steps through the arch, and although her back is to me, the release of her tight shoulders is obvious. She hurries down the stairs and grabs Sly’s hand.
Disaster averted.
Maybe everything will be okay.
I look at Brixton behind me. “You can go ahead—”
