Page 9 of Ceremony of Lust

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I enterthe snow-white temple dressed all in black, following a sea of eligible men into the main hall. Their eyes all slide in my direction.

That’s right, fuckers. I’m your competition.

“Zev, it’s good to see you,” Anders greets me. While my darkness stands out against the youth of the men here tonight, his age makes him just as visible. He was elected to serve the community as an Elder at a relatively young age and has been the Chief Elder for quite some time. His hair is mostly snow-white now, and his eyes are a cold, glacial shade of blue, but he still looks quite young with few wrinkles around his eyes and mouth.

“Hello, sir,” I reply, firmly shaking his hand.

“Are you nervous, son?”

I shake my head. “No, sir. It’s been ten years. I’ve been through too many of these things to be nervous.” I glance around at all of the men younger than me, fresh out of college. Sweat drips from their brows, and their faces are practically green. “But I do feel sorry for some of these guys.”

Anders chuckles as he glances around the room. “They have no idea.”

“How about you, sir? Are you nervous?”

He picks imaginary lint from his crisp white suit. “Not particularly. I’ve already been blessed once.”

I clear my throat because I know this is my one shot to begin bargaining for my freedom. “Sir, what if Hadassah picks me tonight?”

He smiles, but it’s not genuine. “Then consider yourself lucky. Yael is a beautiful girl. Looks just like her mother.”

His mentioning her mother strikes me as odd, but I brush it aside. “That’s not what I meant.”

His smile fades and is replaced with a grimmer expression. “You have done the Elders a great service these last few years, Zev. We are not exactly in a hurry to end our arrangement.”

I nod with understanding. “You and the other Elders helped me, and for that, I am forever grateful. For ten years, I’ve done whatever you asked of me, but if I’m chosen tonight, then my commitment to this community is final. If you still want me to shake down your tenants for rent, I’ll be happy to do that. No charge. But the othererrands? I’d say we’re even.”

Anders takes a step forward and places his hand firmly on my shoulder to pull me closer. His breath is hot against my ear. “If you think we’re even close to being even, you’re mistaken.” He backs up and looks around, giving a smile to all those watching. “Good luck, Zev.”

He walks forward, taking a seat in the front row, and begins chatting with someone I don’t recognize. I find a spot in the very back, where I usually sit. All eyes are on me because in ten years, I haven’t been picked. Some in the community might consider that unlucky, and some might find it pathetic.

I don’t think anything about it at all. If this ceremony is truly left to fate, then I will be chosen when the time is right. And the heavy pit deep in my stomach tells me tonight is the night.

I look down at the flyer in my hand. Yael’s picture is front and center with a short biography. It’s laughable the lengths this community goes through when nothing like this exists in the outside world.

Yael is a beautiful girl with long brown hair and big brown eyes. It’s a pity what happened to her mother, forcing Harold and his wife to raise their granddaughter. The subsequent rumors that followed Aviva Blum’s untimely death tarnished one of Ripley’s founding families’ reputation.

This Match Ceremony is really the best thing for Yael’s family, especially if someone of great prominence is chosen.

My mother’s words replay in my mind as I stare down at Yael’s picture. If I am chosen, will she be my redemption? Or will I only drag her into my darkness and ruin both of our families?

5

Yael

There’sa firm knock on the door of the room where I’ve been sequestered for the last few hours. When it opens, my grandmother is ushered into the room, her arms heavy with bags. Immediately, I rush to help her, taking things from her and placing them on the bed.

“I’m so happy to see you,” I say, rushing toward her. My arms wrap around her tightly, and I breathe in the familiar soft floral scent of her perfume.

“Yael? Did something happen today?” She hugs me back, kisses my cheek, and then steps back to study me with concerned eyes. “Tell me.”

I shake my head. “Nothing happened, Grandmother. It’s just been lonely going through all of this by myself.”

This is partially true. What I don’t tell her is that during my interview with the Elders, they asked me questions I do not wish to repeat. I don’t tell her that Anders Huxley kept his eyes trained on me, letting them roam over my body because once the door closed, I was told to take off my robe and sit in front of them completely naked. Thinking about the expression on his face sends shivers up and down my spine.

For the past few hours, I have been praying not to be matched with the Chief Elder.