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A man stepped into their path then. Tall and broad-shouldered, he carried himself with a military bearing and assessed them with an unmistakable wariness. He was the only one they’d seen so far not wearing a robe. Instead, he wore tactical pants and a tight black shirt that showed off his heavily muscled arms.
“Vigil,” he grunted by way of introduction, extending a firm hand towards Cal. “Head of security.”
Cal shook the offered hand, clamping down on the urge to grimace at the vice-like grip. If this guy thought he could be bullied, he was dumber than he looked.
“Calvin,” he answered with an easy smile. “Friends call me Cal.”
Vigil didn’t seem to like that he wasn’t intimidated. His lips thinned into a hard line, his dark brown eyes flitting to Ellie, then back to Cal.“A pleasure,” he said, voice just this side of polite. “If you have any cell phones or other recording devices, you need to leave them with me.”
“Our phones?” Ellie’s eyebrows shot up, and her hand twitched toward the pocket of her jeans, where her phone was tucked away.
They’d expected this. Had planned for it, bringing along phones that matched their cover stories. No way they were going to hand over their real phones for someone to snoop through.
Stay the course, Elle.
Cal squeezed her hand again, but his gaze never left Vigil’s. Something about the man had all of his internal alarm bells clanging.
“No problem,” he replied smoothly, reaching into his pocket to retrieve his phone.
Ellie still didn’t move.
He nudged her. “Sweetheart? I know you’re glued to that thing, but that’s part of our problem, isn’t it? We already decided no phones this week.”
“But I didn’t know we had to actually give them up! What if?—”
“Honey…” He made sure to inject a bit of exasperation into his tone. “We discussed this. Give the man your phone. You can live without it for a few days.”
Reluctantly, Ellie withdrew her phone from her pocket and handed it over.
Vigil inspected each phone once over before putting them inside a metal box that he carried. “Thank you for your cooperation,” he said flatly, sliding the box shut with a clunk. His gaze lingered on Ellie a moment longer before he turned and disappeared into one of the yellow buildings.
“We do things a little differently here.” Serenity’s voice was soft, her blue eyes full of what seemed to be genuine sympathy. “We believe in connection and presence, not virtual distractions. Our community is based on transparency, trust, and understanding. We believe that by disconnecting from the technology of the world, you grow as a person and as a couple. And that’s why you’re here, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” Ellie admitted grumpily and glanced at Cal. “I guess so. This was his idea.” Her words had a slight accusatory tone that was hard to miss.
Okay, so she was going for a good cop, bad cop approach and painting herself as the skeptic. He could play the part of the eager potential convert.
“I’ve done some reading about this place. About how it helps people communicate again. To feel again.” He rubbed Ellie’s back soothingly even as he met Serenity’s gaze like they shared a secret. “We’re here to find a way forward. To reconnect with each other.”
Serenity nodded, a smile playing on her lips. “That is precisely what we aim to achieve. We hope you will find the experience transformative.”
As they moved further into the compound, Cal’s eyes swept the area, taking in every detail—the layout, the people. He noticed one building in the center of the compound that wasn’t dusty yellow like all the others but painted a bright white with gold trim. It reminded him of a smaller version of the ornate Mormon temples he’d seen while visiting a law school friend in Salt Lake City last year. “What’s that over there? Looks fancy.”
Serenity’s gaze followed his pointing finger. “That’s our sacred space. It’s off-limits except to a select few.”
In the communal garden, they passed another woman in a blue robe. With round cheeks and loose, gray-streaked hair falling over her shoulders, she gave off cozy grandma vibes—not really what Cal pictured when he thought of a cult member. She was tending to a cluster of herbs, and the scent of rosemary and thyme drifted on the breeze, mingling with the rich aroma of freshly turned earth.
“This is Remedy,” Serenity introduced. “Our healer.”
At his side, Ellie sneezed.
“Sorry,” she apologized. “Must be allergies.”
With a gesture that was at once gracious and soothing, Remedy lifted her stained hands from their work and approached them. “Perhaps a cup of nettle tea might help? It has wonderful anti-allergic properties.”
“Oh. Um… I’ve never had nettle tea.”
“You’re in luck. I happen to have some brewing now.” She wiped her hands on her apron and crossed to a kettle hanging over the small fire pit. She poured steaming liquid into two small, handmade cups and handed one to Cal and one to Ellie. “Just one sip, and I promise you’ll feel better.”
