Page 56 of Ruthless Prince

I said that because I wanted to sound brave, but the truth was I could barely stand fromgiddiness.

“You’re the fifth to make it out. It only took you fifty-two minutes,” another member said. “Are you ready to move on to the nextstage?”

“There’s more?” My chest heaved as Ispoke.

“Yes. One of our helpers will guide you,” he replied. “Don’t worry. The hardest part isover.”

A staff member in a black cat-eye mask hurried over and took my arm. “Please come with me, Miss Rhoades,” she said in a soft, kindly voice. “Congratulations on making it thisfar.”

As she led me away from the area, I realized that the council and most of the other regular members had gone. Only a few remained alongside thehelpers.

“Where’s everyone else?” Iasked.

The helper smiled at me. “You’ll find outlater.”

She directed me along a path on the other side of the hill. It led to another plateau with a small Grecian-style building in thecenter.

A pavilion with carved arches and columns stood on one side of the building. In the middle of that was a narrow pool. Intricate stone gargoyles lined either side of it, ejecting streams of fresh water from theirmouths.

On the end farthest from me, two masked members stood with their hands claspedtogether.

“Shed your old skin and find yourself cleansed and reborn,” one of them said in a sombervoice.

“Sorry…what?”

The helper whispered to me. “You need to take your clothes off and wash yourself in the pool. Don’t worry, the water iswarm.”

She politely lowered her eyes as the members ahead of me turned around to face the otherway.

I quickly stripped off my outfit, which was streaked with dirt from the coffin trial. Now I knew why my Secret Service agents told me to give up my scarf. They knew it was my favorite, and it probably would’ve been wrecked if I kept it on during theburial.

Goosebumps broke out all over my skin as I lowered myself into the water, but they vanished as I sank all the way into the luxurious warmth. I used my hands to scrub at myself, and then I tipped my head up toward one of the gargoyle fountains, letting the stream cover my face andhair.

When I was done, I stepped out of the pool and into a crimson terrycloth robe and matching slippers that were offered to me. The helper smiled and held out one arm. “This way,please.”

She led me away from the pavilion and down the side of thebuilding.

“Here we are,” she said, motioning toward a door. “The initiate who escaped the burial trial before you is still completing the final ritual. That means you have about ten minutes before you face the council. Take the time to get dressed. You’ll find everything you need inthere.”

I opened the door and stepped into a small room. There was a rack on one side with two fluffy white towels, and next to that was a marble bench with a clean outfit laid out on its smooth surface. The clothes and shoes were my own, which meant someone had gone into my room and picked through my suitcase. I didn’t mind that much. I was just glad to have some warm, familiarclothes.

I quickly dried and dressed myself before stepping over to a vanity on the far side of the room. A brush and hairdryer sat on it, along with a few cosmetics. Figuring I still had several minutes left, I gave myself a quick blow-dry and added some color to my lips andcheeks.

The helper knocked a moment later. “This is for you,” she said, holding out a thick black robe. She helped me wrap myself in it, leaving the hood down, and then she turned around to grab something else. “This is for youtoo.”

She held up a red sugared rose. After carefully plucking one petal, she handed it tome.

“Am I supposed to eat this?” I asked, wrinkling myforehead.

She smiled. “Yes. The sugar is laced with a little something. It’ll help with thepain.”

“Pain?” My brows shot up. “Whatpain?”

“You really have nothing to worry about,” she said serenely. For a so-called helper, she was starting to be somewhat unhelpful. “Please follow meagain.”

I gingerly put the petal in my mouth and chewed it up. By the time I’d finished swallowing every sweet morsel, we were on yet another path, leading up a newhill.

When we reached the top, the helper stopped. “Approach the high council,” shesaid.