Rain's POV
I dragged myself to the door, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, and swung it open. One of Seraphina's sisters stood there, pale and sharp as a blade.
"It's time," she said.
"At last." I stretched my arms with an exaggerated yawn. "Let's go get this over with."
She didn't laugh. Of course she didn't. None of them ever laughed.
She turned on her heel, and I followed her out into the night. The woods loomed ahead, shadows stretched long under the full moon. My feet crunched against the dirt as we walked deeper, the air heavy with smoke and pine.
And then I saw it.
Torches. Dozens of them, burning low and steady, held by the witches who stood in two lines like soldiers. Their flames painted their faces gold and black, eyes shining with reverence—or maybe hunger. A shiver ran down my spine.
