Valentina's head jerks backward.
A ripple of whispers cascades through the room.
The judge bangs the gavel and waits.
Valentina releases a slow breath, then stands next to me.
"What's going on?" I ask.
"Quiet!" another judge shouts, banging his gavel.
I wait for her to give me some indication, but she looks forward at the judges, not blinking.
One of the judges leans forward slightly. "Guardian Valentina Abruzzo. Initiate Brax O'Malley."
Our names echo through the chamber, ricocheting off stone and flame.
Valentina stiffens.
My heart slams hard, and a drop of sweat forms under the skull mask.
He continues, "You will complete the Ritual of the Scarlet Hour."
Gasps, sharp breaths, and people stepping forward as if they're trying to get a better view create chaos in the crowd. Even the women on the pedestals tilt their heads, their expressions sharpening with interest.
Valentina takes a step forward, unable to contain her fury. "No," she says, her voice cutting through the air like steel striking stone. "I've not had any marks against me to partake in that ritual."
Marks?
So fucking cryptic.
The judge in the center rises to his feet, and the entire room drops into complete silence. His voice cuts low and deadly. "Did your security fail and this man is now before us due to your lack of oversight?"
Valentina's eyes widen. Her jaw locks.
"Well?"
She answers, "I was not given the proper intel."
"You didn't look for it, did you?" he prods.
"Hey, it's my fault I followed Sean. Not hers," I interject.
"Silence!" the judge shouts, banging the gavel. Then he adds, "And your mentee can't seem to keep his mouth shut."
Shit.
Valentina swallows hard.
The judge declares, "The ritual stands."
Her voice turns desperate. "This violates tier protocol. He is not marked or trained. He cannot comply or compete. He?—"
"You may either proceed or you may offer your seat to another," he calmly insists.
Her body goes rigid except for her lower lip. It shakes with anger while her fingers curl tight at her sides.
What the fuck is going on?
