VII
SILAS
The night air is sharp, a cool, biting wind.
Silence cloaks the campus; almost everyone is asleep at this hour. The scent of pine and the glow of the lanterns lining the walkway cast shadows on the cobblestones. I shove my hands into my pockets, ascending the stone steps into my dorm.
My mind has settled a bit. Because my instincts weren’t wrong. Eden is easy to sway, easy to convince, easy to believe. She wants to believe. It’s in her nature, ingrained in her as a devout worshipper. If she hadn’t shown up, then I would have had to resort to more drastic action.
But she did—and melted into me like I was the only thing keeping her tethered to this reality. She’s definitely been saving herself, because I could feel every sliver of arousal, every deep breath that she took to commit me to memory. She accepted my domination, so I gave her exactly what she wanted.
I spoke empty words to her like a prayer.
And she held on to every single one of them like a good Catholic should. I smirk to myself—now that I’ve tested her limits, and found that she has none , I know that she won’t walk away. Her mind won’t allow her.
My plan is still intact.
The way she trembled after such a simple touch? If I focus on guiding her emotions in the right direction, this relationship will go exactly where I want it to go—and before long, her piece of the Lockhart fortune will belong to me.
A strange, unnerving warmth lingers in the pit of my stomach. Partly because, in that moment the world had briefly narrowed to just the two of us. Perhaps it’s some kind of endearment? Or an emotion somewhere between indifference and endearment.
Whatever it was, it was probably because I missed dinner.
I push the door open to find my dorm room dimly lit. The glow of a desk lamp casts a warm arc of light across Cedric’s side of the room. He’s stretched out on his bed, an arm behind his head while he’s scrolling through his phone. The faint scent of marijuana lingers in the air.
He’s careful not to get caught with anything in here, so like Max, he’s turned to vaping—not nicotine though, dried marijuana.
He gives me a heavy-lidded look and a wolfish grin.
Oh, he’s definitely high.
“Well?” Cedric asks, sitting up slightly. “Judging by the look on your face, the sky isn’t falling anymore. Crisis averted?
I sink onto my bed and start taking off my shoes. “There was never a crisis.” I untie the laces. “But things are back on track.”
It’s hard to keep things from Cedric especially—he’s my roommate after all. Fortunately, he’s the most discreet of the three.
He whistles low. “She must be something special, then. For you to want to fix things with her. What’s your deal?”
I glance at him, keeping my expression neutral. “What do you mean?”
Cedric raises an eyebrow. “Silas. You’re not the type to go chasing girls around in the dead of night without a reason.”
I pause, leaning forward to rest my forearms on my knees. My shoes are now neatly placed on the shoe stand at the end of my bed. The truth hovers on the tip of my tongue—she’s from one of the wealthiest families in the UK. I need her to save the Peregrine-Ashford name.
That’s why she matters so much, and I can’t let her slip through my fingers. None of the three know the extent of my intentions. What would I look like, telling them that I’ve made up my mind to marry her already ?
It would raise alarm bells in their minds.
They don’t know what a spendthrift my father is, how many times I tried to avert this disaster, how he still managed to screw things up. We’ve had to sell antiques on the black market. My uniforms aren’t even new—just well-tailored refreshes of what I wore last semester. I sold two Patek Phillipes to pay my tuition, keep myself afloat for the next two semesters, and squirrel away some money in case things do collapse.
All of this looms over my head like a guillotine that may sever my head at any moment. I have nothing to inherit—just a name and land. Even though marrying Eden will fix the problem, the foundation of my pristine facade is cracking fast.
The power I’ve spent my life cultivating is at risk. I know better than most that wealth isn’t the only thing that makes you powerful—it’s all about perception. And right now, people still see me as the untouchable golden boy, poised to take over one of the UK’s largest fortunes. The future Duke of Surrey.
That illusion has to remain.
I lean back slightly, forcing a small, casual smile. “She’s different, that’s all.”
Cedric seems to mull over my thoughts, but he’s probably spaced out.
“Didn’t think anyone could crack your armor.”
“She hasn’t,” I reply smoothly. “I’m just curious.”
It’s the truth.
Well, part of it.
Eden does fascinate me.
She’s easy to read, easy to push.
She’s malleable, doesn’t pry or dig too deep.
I’m certain she’d look the other way and I could live my life however I please, so long as she gets what every Catholic woman wants—status, a huge ring, and the perfect life to show off. Eden probably dreams of being a dutiful wife—focused on philanthropy, the church and raising our kids—blissfully ignorant of what’s happening beneath the surface.
“Curious? Sure. So, what’s her name again? Ellen? Alizé?”
“Eden,” I correct him. Soon to be Eden Peregrine-Ashford.
He repeats her name, drawing it out, like he’s tasting it. That pisses me off. I don’t need him interested in anything about her. I can’t afford for him to realize the gem I’ve found—she’s my possession.
“Eden Lockhart, right? The daughter of Viscount Lockhart.”
I keep my face impassive. What is his angle?
Cedric studies me. “Ah, I get it. ”
“You don’t get anything,” I say flatly, but he just laughs.
“Right,” he says, waving me off. “How is she different?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
Cedric groans. “You’re the worst.
“I’ve been told.” I let my voice drop into a more serious tone. “Forget Eden for now. Let’s talk about tomorrow.”
Cedric’s playful demeanor fades.
“The Order,” he murmurs.
The room seems to grow quieter at the mention of it.
A dark silence settles upon my shoulders that feels like home.
The Order of the Holy Sacrament—a secret society as old as the Academy itself. Our fathers, their fathers before them…all bound by tradition. The Order is how I even became friends with Cedric, Alistair and Max.
But it’s not a game, not something trivial like the secret clubs the other boys whisper about in hushed tones. Our families have passed the torch from father to son like a sacred duty. The esoteric knowledge we’ve been tasked with safeguarding contains truth about this place.
There are no saints, only sinners.
The Order of the Holy Sacrament is a rite.
And it’s ours to carry out.
Cedric shifts, the lamplight glinting off his watch. “We’ll carry out the Black Mass after sundown, as usual.” He pauses, a small curious smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “You’d think by now that they’d pick up the pattern.”
I chuckle. “Our Lord always provides.”
Cedric is silent, considering. “What if our Lord provides Eden?”
The question hangs in the air between us, heavier than it should be. I glance away, toward the window. The night sky stretches out, endless and cold.
“He won’t,” I say quietly.
Cedric laughs, clicking his tongue in disbelief. “You sound so sure. What are you going to do if it is? Step in and save her?” I can feel his gaze on me. “You’re not allowed to do that.”
My jaw tightens. Why is he so insistent on this? My patience is wearing thin with each passing second. It must be because he’s high, so he can’t tell I’m this close to losing my temper and it won’t end well for him if that happens.
“It won’t be her,” I repeat, slowly enunciating every syllable.
He keeps watching me, then shakes his head—still smiling. I want to slap that smile off his face so badly, but I focus the restless energy on my hands instead, kneading them together, wishing it was his face. He leans back against his pillows.
“I never thought I’d see the day. Silas Peregrine-Ashford IV is settling down?”
“Who said anything about settling down?” I mutter.
I pin him with a venomous glare but it doesn’t bother him.
“You obviously care about this girl a lot. You’re usually the one who offers up your flavor of the month to the Order.” He’s staring at the ceiling now. “But you’re protecting this girl like she’s the last drink of water in the desert.”
I sit with his words.
He’s right—I’ve never had stipulations on who we choose. But Eden means more to me, and not for the reasons Cedric—or anyone else—would think. It’s not about settling down. I’ve never liked that idea.
Settling down always made it seem like I belonged to someone. It’s a foreign concept to me. I’ve spent so long building walls, cultivating my image, inspiring fear and awe in everyone I meet, that the thought of letting someone in seems ridiculous.
Eden will only get a peek over those walls because I intend to make her my wife, and she’s desperately in need of something to worship. She looked at me tonight like I was akin to a god, something to believe in.
“Go to sleep, Cedric. We have a long day tomorrow.”
He laughs again, tossing his phone onto the nightstand. “Whatever you say, mate.”
Cedric stretches, yawning as he pulls the blankets over himself. “Wake me up if the world ends—or if Eden texts you again.”
When the room is finally quiet, I walk toward the window and stare out into the darkness. Right now my only goal is to get Eden to love me enough to say yes to accepting my ring.
I watch the shadows dance in the night. Eden Lockhart is a solution, a means to an end for me. Once I have sex with her, I’ll have her wrapped around my finger—trapped. She will acquiesce to me. That’s the advantage of power. She won’t be chosen tomorrow, because she’s vital to my plan.
As I fall asleep, an unsettling thought crosses my mind. By pursuing Eden, I’m playing a game with no way out—it can only end one way. And for the first time ever, it’s possible for me to overplay my hand.