Page 86 of Bride By Initiation

More gasps fill the arena.

She nods over to the side of the stage, and another man walks over.

He hands her a knife.

She steps up to me and holds it out. "Take it."

My hand shakes, but I obey.

She points to the other man, who looks like Sean, the one I studied for too many hours. She orders, "Slit his throat."

My knees almost buckle, but Sean holds me tight to him.

He says, "Give me the knife, and I'll do it."

Valentina spouts, "No, you will not pay for her sins. You will not pay for the debt that she owes us."

"Her debt? She doesn't owe you anything," Sean claims.

My hand continues to shake.

She declares, "It's a debt. You both made a contract you had no business making."

Sean scoffs. "How were we supposed to know about this?"

"You were supposed to marry the redhead," she seethes.

He tugs me closer to him. "No, I'm supposed to marry Zara," he tells her, then turns to me. "Give me the knife."

"If you kill that man, Sean, Zara's next," Valentina warns. She slowly meets my eye. "Decide. Choose your man. If you want the blood contract to be over, then slit Sean's throat. It's your choice at this point."

My insides quiver harder. A chill runs through my blood. I can't seem to make my feet move.

"Let me do it," Sean pleads with her in a confident voice.

Valentina won't have it. She doesn't tear her gaze off mine. "I won't tell you again. You have a choice to make. Who's it going to be?"

I slowly push away from Sean.

"Zara," he says under his breath.

I don't look at him. I go right up to the man whose picture I studied and felt so many things for because he reminded me of Sean. A tear falls down my cheek. I mutter, "I'm sorry."

He looks at me in horror, then begs, "Choose me instead. I'll give you a better life."

I can't. I don't know where it comes from, but in a quick move, I take my hand with the knife and slash it against his throat.

A look of surprise fills his eyes. He places his hand over his throat, and blood seeps all over it.

Valentina orders, "Now, stab him in the heart."

I don't think about it. I jam the blade into his chest and then let go, not having any more strength to pull it out. I step back with tears streaming down my cheeks, staring as he falls to his knees.

Sean steps behind me, wraps his arm around my waist, and tugs me into him. He spins so we're facing Valentina. "You got what you wanted. The debt is paid."

She arches her eyebrows. "You think the problem you created by breaking your father's promise frees you?"

The air turns stale.

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