Page 179 of Rite of Unity

She’d come out of nowhere.

One moment, the hall was empty, and the next, Sera had me by the shoulders, slamming me back against the wall hard enough that white cracked across my vision.Her eyes were red-rimmed.Not wild like Lydia’s had been.

“Your boyfriend is in custody.”Her breath was sour.“You’ll never see him again.”

I had been frozen.The wall was solid against my spine, my head was screaming, and all I could do was stand there while she looked at me like she already knew she’d won.

Then she walked away.

I’d made it back to my room before my legs went.

“Maryn.Hold still.”

I blinked.Vera was watching me in the mirror, wand suspended mid-air.

The vial Vera had given me sat untouched on the counter.

She hadn’t commented on it.She worked in silence, the wand moving through my hair in steady sections.I was glad for it; conversation required a part of me I hadn’t had access to in days.

I touched the yellow skin at my temple.

Vera slapped my hand away, continuing her work.

I frowned, staring down at the thin gown she’d dressed me in.“I don’t want Elias to be reminded of what happened.”

She reached for the next strand of hair and met my stare in the mirror.“Men love to be needed.This is the best thing that could have happened to you.”

“You’ll never see him again.”The words had played on repeat for days.I picked at the corner of my nail.

“Stop that,” Vera said, without looking up.

I flattened my hands on my thighs.

Two days I’d been sitting with it.Two days with no way to check on him.No one I could ask, even if I’d known how.

I looked up.Could I ask Vera?Would she help me?

“Are we becoming friends, Vera?”

She snorted.“If I didn’t like you, I would have been rooting for Lydia.”

A small laugh escaped me, and I winced.

Vera slid the vial across the counter toward me.“Take it.It will minimize the pain for twenty-four hours.”

My fingers curled around it, and I looked up again.“Could I ask you a favor?”

She tightened the wand around a curl, tugging harder than was necessary.

“No.”

I shook my head.Of course not.Why had I even thought about it?It would be dangerous for her.Instead, I asked, “Why do you have so many drugs?”

She looked at the vial in my hand.

“Life is very different for women who aren’t eligible for marriage anymore.”

Something tightened behind my ribs, and I searched her face.“Will you tell me what happened to you?After the Cannon Rite.”