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Soaking wet and mentally absent, I sat in my robe in an armchair, while six women – the High Council – gathered around me, along with Amara and Gloria.

Gloria glared at Amara, who hadn't taken her eyes off me since they had taken me into this room.

“Take care of the Circle. Calm the sisterhood.”

Amara just nodded, tore her gaze away from me, and hurried out of the study.

I knew she was afraid. Afraid of me.

Everything inside me had hoped she wouldn’t leave me alone with the High Council. But what worse could happen than me freezing someone else?

I had frozen Silvar. I had killed her...

“One of our sisters is dead! We cannot continue these rituals!”

I couldn't identify the voices, didn't manage to look at their faces to know which of them was speaking.

I pulled my legs as close to my stomach as I could under my robe and let the first tear fall.

“Nicodemus witnessed it! Even if he were to perform the fire purification, the High Council will not allow the existence of one of the last two Fire Quatra to be jeopardized! Especially not his!”

They wanted a man to touch me. Just like...

Someone instantly pulled me out of the chair, grabbed me firmly by the throat, and pulled me to my feet.

My eyes widened.

“What have you done?!”

Gloria's saliva hit me on the cheek, but I was no longer able to flinch.

Ever since they had taken off my robe in that hall, I was no longer here. I was gone.

“Do you think you can get away with your silence?”

She let go of me and pushed me into two of her personal Air Quatura Servus, two Councillors who were immediately supporting me, but only one dared to touch me for more than two seconds until I regained my balance and could move my hand to my throat.

“The ceremony couldn't be completed,” remarked a woman at the other end of the room, clearing her throat as if she wasn't at all shocked that someone had just died. Because of me...

“Next time it will,” Gloria growled and began pacing back and forth. “I will make sure of that!”

“We should report the incident to the Councils Associations in London and Mumbai,” came a voice from behind me, but I couldn't tear my gaze away from the floor.

I could lose myself forever in the intricate patterns of the dark renaissance carpet in Gloria's dimly lit temple office.

“No!” Gloria exclaimed. “It's enough that the representatives from Chicago and New York had to witness this slip-up!”

“But...” began the woman at the other end of the room, and I raised my head to see who was so tired of life that they dared to contradict the Head of the Councils.

I didn't recognize the young dark-skinned woman in the gray robe. She had to be an ambassador from New York. And I hoped she would make it back there safely.

“No!” Gloria blurted out. “I have this girl under control!” She stepped toward the woman, whose body stiffened noticeably. “Or do you doubt that?”

“No, of course not...”

I looked down at the floor again, trying to trace the pattern with my eyes, to analyze it, to find a beginning and an end.

“Gloria,” the ambassador began. “We should at least have your Domini determine the sex of the child. The Supreme Domini advises against an ultrasound. Nevertheless, the Councils want an answer. Domini Adjani has consented that the Ritus Revelationis may be performed and has offered to assist Domini Blair in conducting it.”