Page 27 of Rite of Unity

Vera and Paul had traded barbs all the way out the door, and I didn’t relax until I couldn’t hear footsteps any longer.

I stared at my new tablet.

I’d never had one.What did I do with it?Paul had seemed to know exactly how they worked.I touched it, and an image blurred to life.A red logo: the Covenant States, followed by a quick message:Welcome to the Rite of Unity.Please complete all induction forms within four hours of receiving your device.

I clicked acknowledge and waited as a new screen loaded.

A quick explanation as to why the Rite was enacted fifty years ago.

A reminder that there would be eleven trials.

A waiver holding the Covenant States harmless in case of pain, dismemberment, or death.

A message from our president.

“Angel?”

I looked up.“Dad.”

He sat beside me on the couch.“Want me to look these over for you?”

I frowned.“You have work.”

“I took the day off.They understood.”

I nodded, swiping the next screen.

Elias’s grinning face stared back at me.

“He’s handsome.”

I looked up again.“Dad.”

“I wasn’t going to say he’s Elite.But I will if that makes you feel better.”

“I don’t care about his status.”

Dad’s hand came down on top of mine, and he squeezed.“Angel.”He met my eyes.“Every girl cares about his status.”

***

“Six,” the announcer prompted, and the girls moved forward, shaking me from the thought.I stared down at my screen again.Everyone else had days, if not weeks, to memorize their speech.To practice it in front of the mirror.I had less than twenty-four hours.

Vera had taken one look at me this morning and rolled her eyes into the back of her head.“You couldn’t have tried to sleep?”

“I—”

“Just let me in.”Her sigh was loud, but when my mom came forward to greet her, she froze.A look I’d never seen fell over her features, and she bowed at the waist.“Okaasama.”

My mom rushed forward, lifting Vera’s chin.“No.”

A look passed between them, and I rubbed my eyes, but in moments, Vera was dragging me to the bathroom, and Mom had disappeared into her room again.

Vera had tugged my hair harder than necessary today, even though this time she left it down, covering my neck.

“Seven.”

In front of me, Phoebe, number eleven, whispered the words to her speech over and over.The woman in front of her turned around, and whatever she'd eaten for breakfast splattered dark across Phoebe's white gown.