Her face twisted as though the smell was putrid and her eyes shot open. She blinked a few times, her brow furrowing with confusion. Duke Northcott leaned over her, stroking her cheek. “Celine, darling, how are you? Here, take a drink of this, it will steady you.” He offered her a chalice. She sipped it. “Can you sit up?” he asked, helping her to sit up. She was dazed, as though she was drugged, unable to comprehend what was happening.
“Should we be doing something? What is he giving her?” Damien asked.
“I don’t know, I don’t think there’s anything we can do,” Michael whispered back.
“Where… where am I?” she mumbled, her words slurred. She placed her hand on the Duke’s arm as she swayed, coming close to falling off the altar.
“You are at your initiation ceremony, my darling,” he answered her.
“What?” she said, shaking her head.
“Your initiation ceremony. Tonight you will join our ranks, my ranks. You become one of us, sign your name in the Book of the Dead and you will stand beside me as we conquer the world. All these people are here for you, Celine,” he said, waving his hand to encompass those in the cavern. “Your sister, your brother-in-law, even your new friends, the Carlyles.”
“Okay, that was low,” Michael said, “he’s trying to make her think we’re here for whatever sick game he’s playing with her.”
Celine’s breath quickened, she put a hand to her chest. “My heart is racing,” she said.
“Yes, that’s just the drink taking effect. It will make you more alert. Can you stand now?”
She slid down off of the altar to her feet. She swayed a bit as though drunk, grasping at Duke Northcott to stay upright. Within a few moments, she gained her footing, seeming to become hyper alert. Her eyes darted around the cavern frantically. “Celeste?” she asked, seeing her sister.
“She’s in a trance, she cannot communicate with you. Now, Celine, it is time, time for you to become one of us. Your powers are impressive, but you need guidance. I can provide that for you, but you must join us.”
Celine looked at him, questioning. “Join us, Celine. You know I offer you eternal life, eternal youth. Your power joined with mine will bring the world to its knees. But first you must be initiated.” He nodded toward a black-robed figure standing near a tunnel. The man disappeared and reappeared, pulling another hooded figure into the cavern. He removed the man’s hood and shoved him forward. Duke Northcott removed a dagger from within his robe, placing it in Celine’s hand. He grasped her hand in his and raised the dagger to point toward the man. “You must kill him, Celine.”
Celine swiveled to face him. “I will not!” she said, incredulous.
“Celine, you must draw blood to become one of us. I order you to kill him, now kill him.”
“I do not wish to become one of you. You and your… your cult, it’s evil.”
“No, Celine. This man is evil, we are ridding the world of evil, kill him.” The man looked pleadingly at Celine, his eyes silently begging her not to kill him. “This man has committed many crimes, he must be punished. Kill him.”
Celine pulled her hand from his. “Only God shall judge,” she said, stepping away from him.
Duke Northcott sighed. “Your stubbornness will be your undoing, Celine. I did not want to show you this but you leave me no choice.” He nodded again toward the man who had retrieved the accused criminal. The man disappeared again into one of the tunnels, returning slowly this time, dragging something. “Look, Celine, behold one of this man’s many crimes.”
Celine turned to identify what the robed man was bringing. Her eyes grew wide as it became clear he was dragging a body. He flung it into the middle of the cavern. The body rolled, landing face up. Michael and Damien gasped as they recognized the face. “NO! PAPA!” Celine shouted, racing to the body. She lifted his head in her arms as she wept over him. She cried out toward the heavens in an agonizing pitch.
Damien made a move to go to her but Michael held him back. “Don’t, we can’t risk it yet, we all need to make it out of here alive.” Damien reluctantly agreed, remaining visibly bothered by the scene unfolding in front of him.
Duke Northcott approached her, caressing her hair. “There, there, my darling, Celine. We are your new family. We will take care of you now.” He pulled her to her feet. She clung to him, still wailing with heartbreak. He walked her away from the body, back to the prisoner. “Now, my darling,” he said, brushing her hair from her face and holding her face in his hands, “kill this man.”
Tears continued to stream down her face. She looked like a frightened child as she stared up at him, in complete and utter shock. He placed the knife in her hands again. “This is the man responsible for your father’s death. When your father departed, he robbed him on his way to the ship and then killed him. He killed your father for a few pieces of gold, Celine. Now, I want you to make him pay for his crimes. Kill him, Celine.” He pointed the knife toward him, holding her hand in his again.
“No,” she sobbed, “no, I cannot.”
“Celine, listen to me, kill him. You can and you must. I will guide your hand, I will provide you with the strength you do not have, but you must kill him.” Pulling her closer, he pressed the knife forward until it was touching the man’s chest.
Celine sobbed, tears rolling down her cheeks. “Please,” the man said to her, his lip quivering.
Celine squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. Duke Northcott moved around so he was behind Celine. “Celine,
