Rite of Rejection (Acceptance Book 1) Read Online Free

While his piercing eyes are concentrated on undoing my tiny pearl buttons, I take the opportunity to study him up close. His suit is cut to fit him perfectly, the black material shimmering in the rays of the early morning sun. I don’t know much about men’s fashion, or any fashion really, but even I can tell his suit must have cost a fortune. No one back home wears anything this nice, even someone with wealth like Cheryl’s father.
    Eric removes one glove and hands it to me. Cheryl takes it for me and closes her eyes, the edges of her mouth lifted in a slight smile. No doubt she’s already planning our engagement party.
    He bends his head to work on my other glove and a few strands of hair fall down in front of his eyes. His blond locks are slightly longer than what my mother would consider appropriate, but I don’t mind. I have a strong desire to sweep them back off his forehead, but manage to keep my hands to myself.
    A booming voice from the speakers cuts over the chatter of a thousand excited teenagers. “Everyone in line, please.”
    Eric hands me my second glove and brushes his lips against the knuckles of my right hand. “Until this evening, then.” Cheryl and I follow his movements toward the back of the line.
    “Oh, Rebecca, he is absolutely divine. Promise to introduce me to his friends when he takes a break from wooing you.”
    I tuck the gloves into my pocketbook and fight to control the butterflies conducting aerial maneuvers in the pit of my stomach. “I’ll introduce you to everyone he knows if you’ll teach me how to not act like a bumbling fool every time he comes within five feet of me.”
    A hush settles over the crowd, silencing Cheryl’s response. The Cardinal and his council advisors parade on to the stage, and the spectators break out into applause. The Cardinal looks nicer than I pictured; plenty of wide smiles and energetic nods to the crowd and his faithful citizens. His height and wide girth only add to his larger-than-life presence as he clomps across the platform. Stepping to the podium, he waves to the crowd, and they show appreciation for the man who has done so much to bring peace to the Territories.
    This is the Cardinal I think about when good things happen back home. The Cardinal watching over us, guiding our futures to the path we’re best suited, protecting us from those who would do us harm. He’s never smiling in any of the photographs I’ve seen of him. In his weekly radio address he’s all business, and his stern, clipped words leave me in awe of his power.
    The Cardinal brings up his hands for silence. The last cheers disappear into the crowd and the band cuts off its peppy tune as every countdown on the square hits zero.
    “Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to this year’s Acceptance ceremony. Cardinal City always comes alive when the citizens of the Territories come to visit for this special occasion. As you can see, we made a slight modification to this year’s ceremony. The cameras here will broadcast back to the Territories so your friends and family at home can join in the celebration of welcoming new citizens into our fold.”
    The crowd bursts into another smattering of applause, though I can’t tell if it’s for those of us waiting for our Acceptance or for the Cardinal’s decision to broadcast the ceremony. It doesn’t really matter.
    “Yes. We are all so proud of our young people and it’s only right that we share our joy across the Territories.” The Cardinal leans into the podium and his broad smile is replaced by a serious look, the one from his pictures that makes me nervous. “But, in addition to sharing in our celebration, all citizens of the Territories will be a witness. Everyone will be able to see that while our world is safer today, we can never falter in our diligence to protect our way of life.
    “We don’t have to look far into our past to see what happens when rule and order break down. But together we worked to a common goal of