Read Privilege 4 - Sweet Deceit for Free Online Page B

at Ariana as he rolled up onto his toes and back down to his heels again. There was something about his blatant stare that irked Ariana, and she looked away.

    "It's a little weird that they picked such a wide-open spot for this, isn't it?" Tahira said, lifting her shoulders as she shivered. "Anyone could look out a window and see us."

    "Ah, but it proves that Stone and Grave isn't afraid of anything," Jasper replied. "All part of their mystique."

    "Well, whatever we're doing, I hope it doesn't take too long," Adam said, his brown curls tossed by the breeze. There were dark circles under his eyes, and he had a scrape on his lower cheek where he'd clearly cut himself shaving. "I have to work first thing in the morning."

    One of a few scholarship students at Atherton-Pryce Hall, Adam was working off part of his tuition by acting as a student aide to the teachers in the history department.

    "Dude. Whatever this is, it's way more important than work,"

    Landon said, tossing his long bangs off his face. They fell right back where they'd been.

    "Says the guy with seven-figure royalty checks rolling in every other month," Adam said flatly, earning a round of laughter from the group.

    "Welcome, pledges."

    Ariana whirled around, the moment of levity interrupted by the staid tone of Conrad's voice. Lear and Miss Temple had appeared on the chapel steps as if from nowhere. They both wore long black coats over their clothes, and Conrad carried a few black cotton bags. Ariana's heart started to pound from nerves.

    "Tonight's test is a scavenger hunt," April explained as Conrad walked down the steps toward them. "Inside these bags is a list of things you are to find on campus, along with a camera so you can take a photo of each item."

    Conrad handed one bag to each of the pledges. Ariana clutched the straps of hers, itching to get started. She glanced inside and spied a tiny silver digital camera and a thick card, but she couldn't make out a word on the list.

    "Each list is different, and each of you must find every item on your list," April continued. "Once you've photographed all the items, you will bring the camera back here for inspection." Conrad handed out the last bag and rejoined her on the steps. "This task is to be completed in a timely fashion," he warned. "Miss Temple and I will be waiting here, and believe me when I say neither of us wants to be up all night."

    "And here's a little added motivation for you," April said. "Whoever returns last, loses."

    "And you don't want to know what happens if you lose," Conrad said, his voice sending waves of dread through Ariana. She glanced at Kaitlynn, who shot her the briefest of looks before retraining her eyes on Conrad. Tahira and Allison were clutching hands, knees bent, as if they were waiting for some sort of starting gun to go off.

    "Well? What are you waiting for?" April said. "Go!"

    Ariana shoved her hand into the bag and whipped out the white card. It wasn't a simple laundry list of items. Each one was a riddle that first needed to be solved.

    1. My sentries stand two feet tall.

    2. I sit where the angels weep.

    3. A rose by any other name.

    Ariana groaned. This was going to take forever.

    Tahira and Allison turned and started off across campus arm-in-arm, reading over each other's lists and starting to work out the clues. Clearly, they were going to complete this task together. Kaitlynn, meanwhile, was staring down at her card, her camera dangling from her wrist by its strap, one hand covering her mouth as her forehead wrinkled in concentration.

    "I don't know what half of this stuff even is," Kaitlynn said under her breath.

    Ariana walked over and glanced at her list. "I do."

    "You do?" Kaitlynn asked doubtfully. "How? You've only been here a week longer than I have."

    "But I spent the two weeks before I came here memorizing everything there is to know about this school," Ariana said, looping her arm around Kaitlynn's, mimicking Tahira and Allison. "Come