Read Privilege 4 - Sweet Deceit for Free Online

journey that can reap for you the greatest rewards. Membership in Stone and Grave means power. It means prestige. It means success in anything and everything you wish to achieve. Y brothers and sisters in Stone and Grave will be there for you to celebrate your

    our greatest triumphs, but even more important, they will be there to lift you up if ever you should fall." He paused, back at the center of the line, standing directly across from Ariana. "Membership in Stone and Grave means you will never want for a thing."

    The rest of the Stone and Grave membership stood as still as statues, but Ariana couldn't help shifting from one foot to the other as a skitter of excitement went through her. She was so close she could taste it. Princeton, here I come.

    "But it is not guaranteed," April added, ducking her chin as she gazed at them. "As you know, we have four open spots for female members, three for male . . . but that does not mean that we have to take all four women, or all three men."

    Ariana's heart plummeted. She felt Kaitlynn tense up next to her. Not guaranteed. Not guaranteed.

    Even with Brigit's death, their membership was not guaranteed. "This is an exclusive society," Conrad said. "We are not about quantity, we are about quality. If you don't measure up, you don't get in. It's as simple as that. We'll take all of you . . . or some . . . or none."

    A lump as hard as a rock formed in Ariana's throat and she suddenly felt the extreme heat coming off the candles. Kaitlynn had murdered Brigit to ensure herself a spot in Stone and Grave, but her spot was not ensured by Brigit's absence. No one's was.

    Ariana's hand automatically gripped her forearm, her fingers cutting off all circulation as she squeezed. Brigit was dead for no reason. No reason. No reason at all. Ariana's vision started to prickle over with tiny gray dots. She was going to faint. Or worse. She had to get control. Now.

    Just breathe, Ariana.

    In, one . . . two . . . three . . .

    Out, one . . . two . . . three . . .

    Thick, waxy air filled Ariana's lungs and her vision slowly began to clear. She had to concentrate on her current purpose. She had to concentrate on Kaitlynn. Kaitlynn, who had to be freaking out right about now. Because Kaitlynn needed Stone and Grave even more than Ariana did. While Ariana had Briana Leigh Covington's past to build on, Kaitlynn had nothing. No money, no family, nothing. Her very identity was a complete fabrication. Ariana knew that Kaitlynn was hoping that Stone and Grave would offer her stability, a sort of de facto family--a network to rely on for money, places to stay, college recommendations--her whole future. Which was why she'd gone so far as to kill to get in.

    Slowly, Ariana turned her head so that she could see Kaitlynn from the corner of her eye. Kaitlynn's skin looked sickly pale in the candlelight, like she was about to throw up. For a split second, Ariana's heart almost went out to her.

    "Over the next two weeks you will be led through a series of tasks," April said, shaking her red curls back from her face. She pushed her glasses up on her nose and gave the pledges a no-nonsense glare. "And I want to be perfectly clear on this. When it comes to these tasks, failure is not an option."

    Behind April and Conrad, the members of Stone and Grave stood still and hushed. This was a serious directive. If ever the pledges wanted to be standing on the other side of this ceremony, they had better not screw up.

    "We will meet tomorrow night at midnight, on the steps of the chapel," Conrad said. "Don't be late."

    With that, a hood was yanked over Ariana's head again, and she was unceremoniously dragged up the stairs with the rest of the pledges. PROVE IT

    Ariana was the first to arrive at the foot of the chapel steps on Wednesday night. There was no sign of Conrad or April. Tahira and Allison were on their way--she'd heard them gabbing in their room about what to wear as she'd left the dorm. The guys would