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Charlie chuckles, but there’s no humour in his eyes. “Come on, love. You give us too much credit.”
“Or not enough,” Damien adds quietly, his expression impassive yet intense at the same time, further confusing me.
Their non-answers twist in my gut, igniting a fire I can’t contain. But as I glare at them, determined to break through their united front, I know they won’t budge, they won’t crack—not here, not now.
Not until I have evidence.
Fine.
I will get it, and we will try this again.
“Fuck you all,” I snarl and walk out, wishing to God I’d never kissed any of them or let Alistair get his hands on me.
They probably think they’ve won this, but hell, no. I will dig until there is nothing left but molten lava lapping at my feet.
Heading out and straight for the library, the scent of old books is like a punch of determination to my senses. I’m going to dig up whatever dirt they’re buried in, even if it means poring over every cursed page in this place.
“Come out, come out, wherever you are,” I mutter, heading straight for the history of KnightsGate section and grabbing a book at random. If these books hold the secrets to taking back my life, I’ll find them. I’ve lost my house, my friends, my dignity, nearly my virginity, all since I got involved with these Four Cardinals.
It ends now.
Hunching over the ancient text sprawled in front of me, where I first saw mention of a religious sect, my eyes dart from symbol to cryptic letter. Each word is a puzzle piece, and I’m slamming them together, forcing them to make sense. Sweat beads on my forehead, but I barely notice, too caught up in the urgency that’s got my heart racing.
“Damn it,” I grumble as another dead end mocks me from the parchment. This isn’t just some casual reading; this is a full-blown siege of their secrets.Alltheir secrets.
I shuffle through the pages, my mind piecing together snippets of legends and half-whispered lore that cling to the edges of each line. There’s something here, something they’re desperate to keep hidden, and I can almost taste it.
A chill runs down my spine when a fragment jumps out at me—a seal, sinister in its simplicity, etched into the bottom corner of a page. My pulse quickens.
Tracing the outline with my finger, I frown. It’s the same emblem I’ve seen branded above the front door at KnightsGate Manor. The Duke of KnightsGate coatof arms. The pieces click together in my head, a picture forming that’s as clear as it is chilling.
This sect—they’re not just a campus legend, not just royal boys playing at secret societies. They’re older, darker, and woven into the fabric of KnightsGate and the university itself. If these books are correct, then their influence stretches way beyond ivy-covered walls and hushed hallways.
“Shit,” I hiss under my breath, sitting back in my chair. My brain is firing on all cylinders now, fear and adrenaline mixing into a dangerous cocktail that has me both terrified and thrilled. I’m onto something big—bigger than I ever imagined. “Who are you people?”
I flip another page, my eyes devouring the text in Latin. It’s difficult and clumsy, but I’m not a book nerd for nothing. I get the gist of most of it. This sect, going by the wholly different title of ‘group’ to be nice and bland to blend in when you aren’t desperately searching for answers, isn’t playing at power; they are power. Centuries of manipulation and control threaded through history like a toxic vein. KnightsGate University wasfoundedto be the beating black heart of this Order. My ancestors created this sect along with Alistair’s. “What does that mean?” The words come out louder than I’d intended, catching the attention of the student at the next table. I smile lamely and hunch down further.
The library’s silence is suffocating, the weight of what I’ve uncovered presses down on me with an almost physical force. These guys, these students whowalk the same halls as I do—they’re part of something vast. Something dangerous. But is it just them, or are there others? If so, how many? The Four Cardinals are the leaders? So where are all the followers?
Casting a sideways glance at the student next to me, he watches me intently until he sees me notice him and drops his eyes.
Is he one of them?
As it grows darker, the library lamp casts long shadows across the pages, making the ancient symbols dance before my eyes. I should stop, shouldn’t I? This is way over my head, but I need to know where,if,I fit into this somewhere.
“Fuck.” If I dig deeper, if I poke the beast, there’s no telling what might happen. They’ve already shown they can reach into every corner of campus. Every direction, every...cardinal point.
“The Four Cardinals... North, South, East, West. Is that what it means?”
With shaking hands, I pick up another old book, fingers stained with dust and the guilt of knowing too much. The fear is there, gnawing at my insides, but so is the anger. Anger that my autonomy is being stripped away, piece by piece, by these men and their games.
You’re playing with fire, Ever.
But the fire is already lit, and I’m the one holding the match. That thought alone makes my decision for me. I can’t unsee what I’ve seen, can’t unknow what I know.
Fire.
I take a deep breath, letting the chill of the room fill my lungs. It steadies me and sharpens my intention to get answers. I’ll confront them, I have to. With each secret I uncover, their hold tightens, and mine loosens. It’s time to tighten my grip.
