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Edwin bends close, his lips near my ear.

“You’re being judged from the moment you step in front of the Order. Don’t show fear. Trust me.”

My throat tightens. “What do I have to do?”

There’s no answer.

The absence of his words makes my imagination run with horrible outcomes.

Then he lifts me into his arms. I cling to him without thinking, cheek pressed to his chest, holding on to the strength of him as if it could keep me alive. It feels like safety, and I know that won’t last.

His footsteps strike hollow wood. A dock.

He lowers me carefully, guiding me into a boat when my footing falters. Blind and off balance, I fumble until he settles me. The engine hums to life, and we glide across the water, the wind tearing at my hair.

Edwin’s hand settles possessively on my knee. I focus on that touch as the water rushes beneath us, carrying me somewhere I can’t turn back from.

When we stop, he still doesn’t let me see.

Instead, he lifts me again and carries me over uneven ground. Leaves crackle under his boots. The air smells damp and smoky.

When he sets me down and removes the blindfold, firelight slams into my eyes.

Figures stand in a circle around us, draped in dark green velvet cloaks, their faces hidden behind silver masks molded into stoic expressions that reveal nothing. They’re posed so motionless that they resemble statues carved directly from the trees.

My pulse thunders loudly in my ears.

Patrick stands nearby with his wife. Bridget looks composed, almost regal, with her chin lifted and her gaze steady on mine. She doesn’t seem to be afraid at all. Her blonde hair falls in perfect curls to her collarbones, and her tailored dress seems better suited for a business meeting than a ritual in the woods.

She knows this game. And I’m being measured against her.

A man steps forward.

I recognize Liam Hayes the moment he speaks.

“The Handbook lays out the Dominion Trials for a new Sovereign and Seraph of the Serpentium Order. We begin with The Shedding. A Trial of Trust, for there is no duo without the symbiotic weaving of mental synchronicity.”

I can hardly concentrate on what he’s saying, but the weight of his words sinks into my bones. Edwin and I are a team.

“All eyes will be on you as your brothers determine who they believe is more suited for the role. Before you can fully immerse yourself in the responsibilities of leadership, you must be reborn into the Order. A death of self and birth of duty.”

I look around at all the motionless men, wondering who is watching.

Liam continues. “An Aspirant must be willing to give her life to stand by your side as Seraph.”

My eyes fly up to Edwin. He doesn’t react. But he tips his head slightly, urging me to look behind us.

Two basic wooden coffins wait beside the open graves, surrounded by freshly disturbed dirt. Their lids lie next to them, waiting to be attached.

Fear rises into my throat, and I swallow it back down in a lump.

Liam lifts his arms outward, presenting us to the masked circle.

Edwin turns me away from them and gathers my wrists behind my back. A zip tie ratchets shut around them, plastic digging into my skin.

When I face him again, he presses gently on my shoulder.

I sink awkwardly to my knees.