Page 74 of The Honor Society

Betrayal.

Death.

Salvation.

I climb the final step and look up. The towers fade into the night behind me. For a building dedicated to God, it decidedly feels like one meant to swallow feeble men whole. It’s a perfect place for our Convocation. For the reminder of why we do what we do and why blood must almost always be spilled to prevent greater losses.

A heavy sigh escapes me before I can stop it.

“Are they ready for me?” I ask Jenner, who’s standing slightly behind me to my right. Mask in place, ready to peel off and take his spot as War.

“Yes.”

“Welcome to Church.” I whisper and make a cross over my chest and take my first step inside. The auditorium is quiet except for my footsteps. I pass the pews, the altar, and go to the very back and push through the hidden door near the candles.

I take the stairs to the right down into the alcove which leads way to the burial grounds of the saints, long forgotten and exhumed years ago. When I finally make it into the ancient cave I see the table first. White, circular. The Chancellor sits directly in the middle, two Horsemen to the right, two to the left.

Charlie stands in the line for Famine, her face covered, I memorized her body earlier so I would be able to tell who she was, I marked every inch of her so if it came to this, I would not only remember, I would notice every inch of her and punish myself for the rest of my life for only ever marking her and only ever belonging to the one women I loved and now, must kill. She’s made her choice. I must make mine. The current War sits at his spot, the idiot doesn’t deserve it, and in the end, I know I have one final card to play against him. There was a reason I wanted him to see his predecessor die and note that the debt had not been forgiven. He was and is my only hope right now. And I know how this is going to end before I even open my mouth.

My footsteps are quiet as The Horsemen all turn to me.

Death, Lilah, with a small black veil covering half her face.

Conquest with a small silver crown wrapped around his head.

War, with his own blood smeared down his face in a bloody handprint.

And the notorious Famine, that we have not heard of in years, sitting with their face completely covered in a white silk cloth.

It seems.

Famine. Is alive. And Charlie has not taken her place.

Already I know what this means.

Rhodes has a diamond crusted pin in his black suit coat, stretched in a chain across the front, exhibiting royalty.

I keep walking until I’m in front of them all.

Each of their men and women, ten total allowed in, stand behind them in lines, wearing black emotionless masks and white suits. They don’t get to show their faces, behind The Horsemen they are nothing but a tool.

“Proctor.” The Chancellor stands. “We are honored with your presence here tonight.”

The Horsemen all reach for a goblet of wine and lift towards me.

I nod. “I accept your acknowledgement. Shall we begin?”

Famine stands. I hold my breath. She lifts up both The Dean’s List and The Ledger. “I move to unmask The Proctor.”

I grin behind my mask. And so it begins.

The Chancellor raises a black gloved hand. “A motion concerning The Proctor and later on the un-seating of The Chancellor must be voted upon.” He looks to each of them. “How do the houses vote?”

Famine speaks first. “Unmask.”

Conquest next: “Protect.”

Death: “Protect.”