Page 110 of Rite of Unity

“Almost finished,” he said gently.

I pushed air through my nose, trying to still the shakes racking my body.

“Who do you think of when you’re alone?”

I opened my mouth to say Mother.Or Father.

“Calden Charles.”

Chapter 26

Maryn

Veraturnedmearound,yanking my stays.

“I can’t breathe.”

“If you can talk, you can breathe.”Vera eyed me in the vanity mirror.“I have something that will help.”

I pressed my palms into the wall as the trial resurfaced in my mind.The doctor’s pen scratching.Calden Charles.I exhaled hard and blamed the stays.

She gave another sharp tug and tied a massive white bow behind my back.Sliding my unbound hair over a shoulder, she wrapped a slip of blue silk around my throat, tying it.

“Vera.”I shook my head.

She came around to stand in front of me.

“I had to do something to distract from your nails.”

“I’m wearing gloves.”

“We’re in the Center.These sharks smell blood.They don’t need to see it.”

She reached into the V in her dress, pulling out a small glass vial and dipping a long, manicured nail into it.Lifting the powder to her nose, she inhaled sharply.

I frowned when she held out a fingernail full of the substance to me.

“Take it.All the Elite girls did tonight.”

“I’ve had enough drugs in my system.”I held up a hand.

Her raven eyebrow shot up.“You think you can get through tonight without something to help?”

I swallowed.

“You know what.Fuck it.”She tipped her nose to her nail, snorting the powder again.“I don’t care what you do with your life.But don’t cry to me about those purple circles next week when the nation watches the Monday recap.”

I blew out a breath.“Okay.”

A rare grin tipped her lips, and she dug her nail into the vial.

***

I stepped out of the car and stared up.In front of me, endless steel stretched up, obscuring a black sky.

The inner wall loomed above us, and at its base, Covenant Security Headquarters.

Each inhale strained against my tight bodice.The drug Vera had given me worked wonders for my senses.Every sour odor and sweet perfume sat heavy on my tongue.Tiny specks of dust on coats and stray hairs snagged my focus.Voices reverberated off my eardrums, pounding in time with my pulse.