She shifted her gaze and spoke. “Gentlemen,” she said, “we have something special planned for this evening.” Evan jumped. Her lips remained still though her voice was clear and concise. Without yelling, her words reached the farthest man, seeming to come from every direction at once. “Today,” she continued, “we have an initiation.” The men roared, clanging together objects and making a loud racket. The woman grinned, letting them get worked up. Tilting her head, she looked up at Evan and grinned even more. Still looking at him, she raised a hand for silence and continued. “Who will volunteer to take to the pit and educate our new recruit in our ways?”
Several men yelled out, fighting over each other to be selected. Evan took a step back. Her eyes continued to follow him. Turning, he stumb
