“Go through it all. I mean, what if I can give more clarity on what you have on them?”
“Doubt it. You were so locked away in your own little bubble in the Donovan household that you didn’t even realize what they were doing.”
I huff out a breath in my annoyance. I know he’s right, but I can’t help but think about what if there’s something that will click into place, a clue, a moment I’ll remember. If I go throughall of this, maybe I could help. Ineedto help. I can’t just sit here like I did in Everton. I have to do something.
Or maybe you’re just trying to find a way to curb that guilt you feel about being naive to everything your whole life?
“Look Elliott, I get it. You want to help make it right. You do that by letting me do my job.”
“Your job?”
“Yeah, you let me make a plan, and my men and I go in and take them down.” I stare at him, not impressed, “The smart way.” He adds, like it’ll help his case.
“And what do you plan to do once you get in?” I cross my arms awkwardly with the mug still in my hand.
“I plan to kill the bastards. Every last one of them, each one that allowed this to happen. Every individual that helped the Donovans, andespeciallyyour brother.” His eyes flash with a fire in them I’ve never seen before.
“That’s your job?”
“Part of it.” He shrugs.
Garbagè meows and Marcus places her at his feet. I get one last peak at the monitor and a familiar face pops out at me in the collage of pictures on one of the screens.
“That girl.” I point and Marcus looks over. “She–she was brought into Everton just before Kameron showed up.”
“And?”
“And she was the first in a long time to join the community. The members were so excited. We haven’t had a new member since Mr. Donovan fell ill. There was no one to–”
Realization smacks me in the face.
The cleansing ceremonies.
I’ve been so wrapped up in what happened to me. I mean, I thought about it. I thought about what all the other girls were going through. How they were trapped in Everton like me. But I never let my mind wander to–this.
Fucking shit.The hallway seems to sway, or maybe it's me.
My stomach turns in on itself, making me gag.
“Hey, woah!” Marcus grabs my shoulder, taking the mug from my hand. “What’s going on?”
I hear the faint sound of a meow again and my feet are moving, following where Marcus is pulling me. An oaky scent surrounds me and I am motioned to sit on the bed.
“The cleansing ceremonies. All the girls that join have to go through it.” I try to gulp through my words, bile rising with each memory, the acknowledgement settling in that they had to do the same.
All those women. All thosegirls.
“That little girl…” I break into a sob, “Lianne!” I drop my face into my hands.
“Elliott, I–”
“No, I’m sorry.” I lift off the bed in a haste, “I–” I stare at the monitor again. “I knew after that night that this is what theyhad to go through, just like me,” I ball my fists at my sides, “It’s just–seeing her face again made it real in a way. I don’t know how to word it–”
“Elliott, I get it.” He stands, stepping in front of me.
He nudges my chin to look at me but I don’t budge, my eyes transfixed on the members’ faces.
Samuel was the Divine’s Vessel…he took on that role knowing what he would have to do. He watched while Mr. Donovan–
