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As my vision briefly cleared, I saw that he was gripping his flesh so hard there were deep gouges in his arms. His eyes blazed at me. Was he angry?

Get upI screamed at myself.

Lurching hard, I finally staggered to my feet, and I stuffed my hands in the pockets of my baggy dress to hid how they trembled.

Generosity looked at me, her eyes glittering, and slapped me once more across the face, the blow splitting my lip again.

This wouldn’t end here

Maybe not today, maybe not the next time

But they wouldn’t stop until they killed me

“You may go back to your place,” she said, her voice echoing in the silence.

Without looking at my brother, I went back to my place beside him, trying to walk slowly, one foot in front of the other, so I wouldn’t stumble.

“This week’s discipline has been concluded,” Eli said, and there was low triumph in his voice, the way his long yellow teeth met as he smiled.

“Not yet,” Rhyder said.

There was a sudden stillness, a wary awareness in the Congregation.

“I claim the right to a Testing,” Rhyder said.

I felt my skin vibrate, awareness of Rhyder’s rage slid along my skin like a deadly serpent. Fast and deadly.

Eli glanced over at the Prophet uneasily.

Testing was a way to settle disagreements between men in the Congregation. Any Congregant could claim the right to test another to see what the Allfather’s will was.

To refuse a Testing was a source of great shame.

A Testing meant 12 minutes in the center of a circle with Rhyder.

12 minutes for each of the 12 warriors the Allfather killed the moment he came of age.

12 minutes during which no one was supposed to intervene.

12 minutes for the Allfather to show his will.

“What is the issue, Rhyder?” the Prophet asked, stroking his beard.

“I do not want Temperance punished like that.”

The Prophet seemed to be waiting for something else, but there was nothing else.

Never had been for Rhyder.

“Punishment is necessary for all women,” the Prophet said, and the bitter bile rose in my throat again.

“She has done nothing wrong, Holy One,” Rhyder said through gritted teeth. “This was a mistake and the Testing will show that. I did not see any pride in her eyes.”

The breeze ruffled the sparse hairs on the Prophet’s head as he fixed his gaze on Rhyder.

“Brother Rhyder, she has been living in the cities. Sin clings to her like a foul miasma. She is unclean,” Eli put in.

But I saw how his eyes darted to the Prophet again.