JANAYAH

I got up immediately—too quickly—and walked toward the omega with my head lowered, heart racing so loudly I was sure every girl in the room heard it.

She didn’t wait for me.

She simply turned and walked away, expecting me to follow.

And I did.

Because I always had.

Because fear had trained me well.

She led me outside, around the far corner of the house where no windows faced, where no one passed, where even the wind felt like it avoided touching the walls.

The moment we stopped—

She slammed me against the wall.

My skull cracked against the stone so sharply that stars burst behind my eyes....