Chapter 46 #3
I caught a glimpse of the other Selection girls scattered throughout the thinning crowd. Madeline looked tired but relieved. Another girl was still deep in conversation with an older woman, her smile looking slightly strained.
We'd all survived. Well, all except Jana.
Finally, the last of the guests were gone, and Mrs. Astor appeared at the center of the ballroom and raised her hands for attention.
“Ladies,” she said, her voice carrying easily. “If you would please follow me.”
We fell into step behind her and moved through familiar corridors, but instead of going toward our suites, we headed down stone steps, into the depths of the estate. To the ritual chamber.
The room was exactly as I remembered from the Eleusinian ritual; ancient stone walls, flickering torchlight, the sense of stepping back in time to something primal and unchanging.
We were instructed to line up, and I stood between Madeline and another girl named Emilia. Mrs. Astor stood before us, flanked by two other instructors. Behind them, I could just make out the senior Council members in the shadows, silently observing.
“For the past four hours, you have been observed by members of our community, by trusted associates, and by individuals specifically placed to test your discretion and judgment,” Mrs. Astor began.
My heart hammered against my ribs.
“Most of you managed to avoid catastrophic failure,” she continued. “However, performance among you varied significantly. Some of you made minor errors. Using incorrect forms of address, revealing slightly too much about your personal circumstances, appearing uncertain or overeager.”
I tried to remember everything I'd said tonight. Had I tried too hard during any of my conversations and come across as overeager or disingenuous? Had I revealed too much to someone?
She paused, and the silence in the chamber was absolute.
“I’m going to call out three names, and I’d like those girls to step forward,” she finally went on. “Miss Ashworth.”
A girl three positions down from me stepped forward, her face carefully neutral.
“Miss Birch.”
Madeline stepped forward beside me, and I felt the space where she'd been standing like a missing tooth.
“Miss Calloway.”
For a moment, I couldn't move. Couldn't breathe.
Oh, god…
Had I failed after all? Were the three of us about to be reprimanded and thrown off the estate?
My legs felt like lead as I finally stepped forward, joining Madeline and the other girl.
“These three,” Mrs. Astor said, turning to address the full line of girls, “distinguished themselves beyond expectation tonight. They represent the standard you should all aspire to. They were poised, appropriate, and utterly unflappable even when tested with personally difficult subjects.”
Relief crashed over me so hard my knees almost buckled. We hadn't failed. We'd excelled.
Mrs. Astor’s gaze swept over the remaining girls in line. “The rest of you performed adequately. Your errors were minor and did not result in failure,” she said. “Congratulations, ladies. You may return to your suites now.”
The line broke apart, girls hugging and congratulating each other with obvious relief. Madeline grabbed my hand and squeezed it.
“We fucking did it,” she whispered, grinning. She took a deep breath, head shaking slightly. “God… I wish we could leave the estate, go to a dive bar, and have some celebratory shots. But I guess that part of our lives is over, huh?”
I nodded, squeezing her hand back. “I think so. But that would’ve been fun.”
Truthfully, all I could think about was getting back to Julian and collapsing into his arms.
When I reached my suite and opened the door, he was there. He turned when I entered, forehead creasing. “How was the party?”
“I passed, and I got a commendation from the instructor too,” I said, the words tumbling out. “Special recognition for exceptional performance, along with two other girls, because—”
Julian kissed me, cutting off my rambling, his hands framing my face as he pulled me close. When we finally broke apart, I was breathless, and my carefully applied lipstick was definitely ruined.
“I knew you’d pass,” he murmured, forehead pressing against mine. “I fucking knew it.”
“You did,” I whispered back. The adrenaline was finally crashing, and exhaustion was creeping in. “God… I’m so tired now.”
Julian reached up and carefully unfastened the emerald necklace, setting it gently on the dresser. “Come on,” he said. “Let's get you out of this gown and into bed. You've earned it.”
Once I was finally out of the gown, hair unpinned and flowing freely, Julian grinned and hoisted me into his arms. “Ready?”
“Definitely.” I let out a sigh, relaxing as he carried me across the room. “I can’t believe there’s more training tomorrow. No break to recover from the trial at all.”
“It’s all right,” he replied. I could hear amusement in his voice. “I think you’ll like the training tomorrow.”
“Oh?” My forehead wrinkled with curiosity. “Why?”
“You’ll see.”
I turned in his arms to pout up at him. “Tell me. Please.”
“No can do. Sorry.” He carefully deposited me on the bed, eyes gleaming with mischief. “Although… I can tell you one thing.”
“What?”
His grin widened. “You’re going to have a lot of fun.”