Page 48 of Rite of Unity

“It’s rare,” he began, turning us in a circle.My throat went dry as the room blurred at the edges.“That an Elite man chooses a wife from the Middle.”He chuckled.“There are risks.”

I dragged in shallow breaths, trying to make sense of his words through the fog in my brain.

We stopped, his hand pressing firmly against my spine.“But it’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

I looked up sucking in another painful breath as our eyes met.

“Ladies and gentlemen, Maryn’s father was Elite.”

Chapter 14

Elias

Iknewitwascoming,and still I wasn’t prepared.

One of my matches would go home this week, and for the first time, I had no say in who it would be.Not true, a voice in the back of my head reminded me.A chill ran down my spine at the memory of Adah being dragged away.

I stood, pacing my room.

The free week had been a nice break.The Rite lasted thirteen weeks.Eleven trials, but number four and nine were always two weeks.Trial Four gave the nation a week to watch the girls teach and cast their votes.Trial Nine, the public dates.

Monday, the nation had watched and voted.I didn’t have to watch their videos.The decision wasn't mine.And sitting beside my father while he judged and commented on each of my matches wasn't an option.

I threw my door open, marching down the long hall to our foyer.

“Sir?”

“We’re going to the studio, Micah.”

He nodded, dashing ahead of me to the garage.

Icould sit back and be as surprised as my matches when the results were reported.Fuck that.

We arrived at Gideon Charles’s Centrum office in record time, and I slid out of the back seat.“I’ll message when I’m ready.”

Micah nodded as I shut the door, pulling the car around the drive.

Why Charles needed offices in both major cities, I didn’t know; it wasn’t as though we filmed a Rite here every day.Once a quarter at most.Sometimes simultaneously.

Silva’s Rite would begin soon.Even though I’d cautioned him to wait until mine was complete.More air time meant better judging in Trial Four, but he was a man in love.

Still, it wasn’t as though Gideon oversaw every Rite.His son was here for that.Always skulking about.Filming everyone.

I rolled my shoulders, stepping through black glass and into a dimly lit waiting room.

A man stood.“Mr.Hale.”

I smiled, trying to remember his name.“I’m here for the footage.”

He nodded.“It’s not quite ready yet.Let me—”

“Don’t worry about it.I’ll go up.”

He nodded, pressing a button under his desk, and the elevator doors slid open.

I stepped inside, running a hand through my hair.

The nerves hadn’t settled since the last ball.To think that a rebel from outside the wall had not only gotten inside, but faked her documents.How had the file ended up in my office?Had they been in my home?Impossible.Rebels existed within the outer wall—the signs were everywhere if you bothered to look—but they had never breached the inner one.