4. The Ravens
The Ravens
Welcome to the Ravens! Here’s your cheat sheet for the rules and lingo for secret society that ties everything—and everyone—in my world together. If you’d rather go in blind and let things reveal themselves as you read…Now’s your chance to leave this page and get to reading!
Still here? You’re about to learn base info about this ruthless secret society.
Ravens: Official male members of the society. Branded with a Raven on their wrist when they are twenty-one unless they are required to serve as a Talon. Talons are branded as Ravens after they complete year five of their service.
Doves: The women in the Ravens. Depending on their family's tenure in the society, some serve as a Talon’s Dove, and ALL are ultimately married off to a Raven.
Talons: Future Ravens who do the Society's dirty work to earn their brand. They serve five years before they are branded as a Raven.
Years 1–4: They take an oath of celibacy, broken only once a year during the annual ceremony. They fight to the death—surviving earns them a single fuck and another dick piercing.
Year 5: They hunt in the woods for a Dove who is theirs to fuck for the year before their respective marriages are arranged by their parents (not usually to their Dove).
The Council: The governing body made up of the oldest living male heir from twenty founding families who control everything within the society.
Velum: Popular club where Ravens go to dance, drink, fuck, and do business without questions.
Graves U: University run by the Ravens with a mixture of Raven families and other elite families sending their children there. Named after one of the founding families.
Headquarters: Outside of Boston in New England, USA.
Established: Early 1800s
Rules:
Marriages are arranged, with the fathers and/or elder male guardian doing the negotiations. The Council can override and make decisions about marriages.
Marriages are sealed with public claimings. The man fucks the woman the way he wants in front of the Society to claim her as his. Talons must also publicly claim their Doves.
Widows are auctioned… or possibly killed if their late husbands’ wills say so.
Doves who are required to serve must either go directly to auction or serve as a Talon’s Dove. The Talon who brings her out of the woods claims her and gets to keep her for a year.
Families who have been Ravens for three generations or less must have their children serve: either as a Talon or a Talon’s Dove (or they go straight to auction). If the Talon fails their service, the family may be excommunicated or killed.
Once you’re in, you don’t leave. Ever. Talons will drag back those who try and ensure they face punishment.
The police don’t interfere and are in the Ravens' pocket. The Talons handle punishment and enforcement. (Talons are controlled by the Sinclairs)