Before you stands the challenge!
All Rebecca wants is the Cardinal to leave her in peace, but he's made it clear that's never going to happen. She finally understands that no one is safe from his wrath.
Before you stands the fight!
Rebecca knows she can't bring the Cardinal down by herself. Finding people willing to stand up to him is harder than she thought, but doing nothing is no longer an option.
Before you stands the future!
The Machine predicted Rebecca would become the Cardinal's enemy. It may have gotten that one right.
In the conclusion to the Acceptance series, enemies become allies and old friends emerge, but in the end, sacrifice may be the price of freedom.
This final installment has 4.8 stars of 5 on Amazon
This is what the Cardinal promises every Candidate right before the Machine pretends to sort out the criminals. It’s what I told everyone here in Allmore when I convinced them that we have no choice but to fight back against the Cardinal. For all of us standing around the huge unlit pile of wood, tomorrow could hold anything. But not for Patrice.
Eric eases her body onto the hard platform, taking care to fold her hands together and smooth back the little bit of black hair that had grown in since her cut in the PIT. Patrice could be sleeping, but I know better. I held her bleeding body in my lap and watched her take her last breath. I still see her dark eyes staring up into mine when I close my eyes to sleep at night. I hear her final words—love him—every time I look at Daniel. No, she is not sleeping. Patrice is dead, and there’ll be no more tomorrows for her.
Eric’s face is free of tears, but dark purple bruises stand out under his blue eyes. Elizabeth stands with her arm around his shoulder, the closest I’ve seen them in ages. Sadly, she knows all too well how he’s feeling. The gut-wrenching pain of losing the person who holds your heart. Even thinking about losing Daniel that way turns my blood to ice water and gags the breath already struggling to flow through my lungs. Eric and Patrice had so little time together, not nearly long enough. But he loves her. Even now, as she lies on her funeral pyre, cold and gone. His eyes may be red from days of crying, but the love he has for Patrice shines through the layers of pain.
Beside me, Daniel grabs my hand. Where Eric’s pain is on full display, Daniel is almost stoic as we prepare to say goodbye to his sister. He stands as straight as a pine tree, using his crutches only for balance. He should still be in bed.
