The ceremony was held at sunset, in the great hall where the glass ceiling opened up to the bruised purple sky.
Elena stood on a raised dais, dressed in a white robe the acolytes had given her. It was made of silk, sheer enough to reveal the shadow of her body underneath, but heavy enough to drape elegantly. She felt exposed, humiliated.
The room was filled with the cult members. They sat in rows on the floor, their heads bowed, chanting in a low, rhythmic hum that vibrated in the soles of her feet.
And then Caleb entered.
He wore a black robe, open at the front to reveal his bare chest and the loose black trousers that hung low on his hips. He looked like a dark god walking among mortals. His hair was wet from a ritual bath, slicked back to reveal the harsh, beautiful angles of his fa
