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“This is the proof we’ve been needing, Kain,” I whisper.

BLACKCASTLE ESTATE RULES

Any member of the Elders, Fellowship, or Church found disregarding these rules will be subject to a public beheading. The Lord’s Will.

1. Arranged Marriage - Residents are to be chosen the perfect partner for breeding. They are to raise their children to believe in the Lord.

The Westbrook Family are the only prophets fit for approval of matched residents.

2. Blackcastle residents are not to leave town under any circumstances - The Westbrook family have the permission to send residents to St Anton’s for correctional purposes.

3. All residents must be branded with the town sigil once ready to be accepted into the Fellowship.

4. All residents must attend Church.

5. No residents allowed out past midnight.

6. Residents must contribute money to the Church.

7. Branded residents cannot leave - Attempted escape is treason

8. Residents must confess to all sins every Sunday - Confessing your sins to the Lord cleanses you and makes the Church stronger.

9. -Drawing of the town sigil*

10. Donation of blood in any form must be voluntarily made for the Church - Any refusal is treason and will be treated as such.

31

Kain

Rapid knocking continues on the door as I scramble to get my clothes on, my shirt sticking to my freshly claimed chest.

“Guys? K? Little Jordie?” Asher’s muffled voice punches through the door and Jordie near enough slumps with relief, running to open the door.

“There you are! We’ve been—what the fuck happened to you?” Asher bursts into the room, fists at the ready. His head drops in disbelief when he takes me in.

We both probably look like we’ve been fighting beasts with the amount of blood we’re both covered in.

“Have you been trying to kill each other in here?”

Blake follows in after him, hands in his pockets and his eyes studying the scene. He lets out a low whistle. “You two are freaks.” Asher glances at Blake before shaking his head.

“Oh my god,” Jordan grumbles, stalking over to me and pulling the scroll out of her corset, an adorable blush creeping to her cheeks.

“Jordie, they’re looking for you,” Asher states, causing a tense silence to fall over the room.

“Cut right to the point, why don’t you?” I seethe. My heart stalls in my chest. What we found has just proved what I knew all along.

Jordie heads for the door, but I grip her wrist before she can get far. “Woah, woah, woah. Where are you going?” There’s no way I’m letting her go out there on her own, what if they want to sacrifice—no.

She spins looking like a glorious death angel—face covered in blood, smeared along her lips, knife peeking out from beneath her skirts, hair matted with more blood. I kneel in front of her, fixing the knife higher up her thigh to hide it.

“To end this,” she simply says and turns towards the door again.

“We’re coming,” Blake interjects, only managing one step before Jordie whirls again.

“No,” she barks, eyes bouncing between all of us. “This is mine alone to end. No one else's. I don’t want any of you to get hurt.”