At a certain point, it’s easier to stop fighting.
“Alistair Crownley, our lord and savior, left directions for the top-most tier of the Brotherhood. It has been passed on from generation to generation of Directors, uttered into ears, never recorded. For over a hundred years, we have met here. Directors from each branch, together, once a year. For most, this bloodletting may seem barbaric. But to Alistair Crownley, it’s protective—life giving. It promises longevity. It creates a new beginning.” He looks at the woman. Sophie—that’s her name. I can’t remember her last name. “The spilling of blood is purifying, and tonight, we honor the gods and goddesses that have come before us.” He raises his hands, in much the same way Benedict did at Blackfriars. “Now, we make the first cut.”
I want to scream—to yell. My eyes widen and my feet twitch, wanting to move, to save her. De Wallen takes a knife from his pocket and holds it out. The hilt is identical to the skulls on our rings—shiny, silver, foreboding. He lowers the knife.
“Stop,” Benedict says, and a few people murmur around us. He takes a step forward. “I will take her place.”
“No,” I whisper, my blood running cold. I shake my head as the room tilts slightly.
“You can’t take her place,” De Wallen says, his accent thick. “We chose her specifically to be the first sacrifice.”
Benedict removes his cloak, and then he removes his mask—and the camera. I see him snap the wire as he tosses it to the floor, and I want to scream. No one seems to notice. A few people shift uncomfortably.
“Alistair Crownley viewed death as a purifying, regenerative agent. He never specifiedwhohad to die. And I’d rather you killed me instead. Let’s cut the bullshit here. You didn’t randomly pick someone from the street this time.” He glances at Sophie. “You chose someone with notoriety. You wanted to fuck around with the rules, wanted to toe the line of acceptability. So, take me instead. I would be honored. I have served the Brotherhood for nearly three years, and while that’s a drop in the bucket compared to other people, a good death such as this would be honorable. I could not choose my birth, so I will choose my death. Crownley promises an afterlife rich in sensual experiences. It is a death to ensure life. Take me,” he repeats, falling to his knees.
There’s a hushed commotion as the Directors deliberate. A flurry of voices fills the church. As I’m about to step forward, a hand comes around my mouth and a hard body presses against my back.
“Don’t react,” Hayes commands, his voice so quiet that I hardly hear him. As everyone stares up ahead at Benedict, Hayes tugs me backwards out of the circle. No one notices the extra body behind me, or the fact that I am slinking away, completely unnoticed. The dim lighting helps to ensure we can slip into the shadows.
“When are the authorities going to come?” I ask, my voice breaking as I look back at Benedict. His head is dipped, his shirt still on. If they find the wires before he’s rescued… they will kill him on the spot.
“Come with me, Evelyn,” he growls, pulling me through a small side door—where he must’ve come in. He pulls me quickly into the darkness, but I stop and tug against him, halting.
“No. I’m not leaving him,” I declare.
“He’s a big boy,” Hayes sneers, picking me up and throwing me over his shoulder. I pound against his back, kicking my legs.
“Let me go! We need to save him!”
Hayes slaps my ass, and I pommel him harder. “Be quiet until we get to the van.”
I want to scream, but Benedict’s words from earlier run through my mind.
You can trust him, Evelyn. I promise.
I quiet, letting Hayes drag me through the tunnel, and eventually, onto the street with the van. He sets me down, and I punch his arm.
“Fuck you,” I mutter, my throat constricting. “You better fucking save him. Also, the next time you touch my ass, I will murder you.”
Hayes laughs. “I’d like to see you try.”
We quickly stagger up the street to the white van, and I pull the door open before Hayes can—eager to hear everything.
“He took his mask off,” I say quickly, kneeling next to Edward.
“All part of the plan,” Hayes assures.
“Let me listen to what’s happening,” I say quickly, looking around.
Edward hands a pair of headphones, and I see Hayes pick up a set on the other side of the van.
Please,I beg.Let him be okay.
“Who else is here?” I ask as I place the headphones around my neck. “Do you guys have a team or something?”
Edward nods. “Three vans up the street. We’re waiting for the signal.”
I look between him and Hayes. “What’s the signal?”
