Chapter 16

There was almost nothing underneath the beige gown she had on, except for the knife strapped to her right upper thigh. With a subtle tug, she let the thin fabric caress her skin, the light colour accentuating her golden tan. The straps of the dress crossed across her chest and fell down her shoulders to drape over her back like a cape. With her crimson hair in a neat ponytail, her neck and arms were on full display.

Taking in the surrounding forest around the castle walls, she licked her lips and tasted the strawberry gloss Sabine had stained them with. With her bare feet digging into the sand, she observed the flock of women clad in red hooded robes and golden slashes around her and Sabine.

“Did Dante explain how the ceremony works?” Sabine asked her.

Emory looked up at the full moon shining brightly in the sky, casting a silvery glow over the forest, then at the group of women again.

“What’s there to tell? At least it’s not