“It’s not a cult. The Obsidian Order is a secret society. By revealing its secrets, I’m breaking my vow of silence.” Ben averts his gaze and blows out a breath. “It’s punishable by death.”
“Maybe I don’t want to know.”
That’s a lie. I want to know everything.
Regardless of what Ben thinks, I already believe the Order is a looming threat over my life. The second I found out about their power and reach into society, I knew I couldn’t run from them. The only choice left is to learn about them and find a way to survive the duration of my contract.
I won't let myself speculate about what’ll happen afterwards.
“I trust you,” Ben says. “I always have, and I always will.”
“I’m not going to say anything to anyone. I just want to understand what I’m dealing with.”
“It’s an assassin’s guild, Lilah.”
My mouth falls open and no words come out. I gape at him for several seconds before snapping my jaw closed, hard enough for my teeth to click together. “Like as in… killing people?”
Ben gives me a wry smile. “Is there a different type of assassin?”
“No, but… Seriously?” When he nods, I blink several times, trying to wrap my mind around this. “Well, fuck me sideways. This is worse than I thought.”
“What did you think was happening?”
I throw up my hands. “I don’t know. After the bride ceremony, I thought you guys were a group of demented perverts, but I never thought you murdered people. That’s just…”
“It’s insane. I’m aware.”
“Have you ever… you know?”
Ben’s expression turns stony. “Yes. I’ve been summoned by the Order.”
“Is that what a ‘summons’ means?”
“Yes.”
“So right now Xavier is?—”
I slap a hand over my mouth. Whatever I say about Xavier also applies to Ben, and I don’t want to hurt him with my judgmental thoughts. And they’re judgy as fuck. Given the way his mouth pulls into a frown, I don’t think I’m successful in hiding the fact.
“Yes, he’s on assignment somewhere,” Ben says. “We’re discouraged from contacting anyone during that time. That’s why I didn’t text you. I swear the Order tracks our phones and reads our messages, and I didn’t want to put you at risk.”
“How did you get caught in this shit?”
“I’m the bastard son of a founding family member,” he says. “Apparently, my mother didn’t want me, but she didn’t want my father to have me either. She thought it would hurt his legacy ifhe couldn’t find me. It’s hard to say because they’re both dead. Who knows why the rich do anything, unless it’s to gain more power?”
“The rich include you now.”
“Don’t say that,” he snaps. “I’m still the same person. I won’t let them change me.”
I don’t have the heart to point out that they already have. The Ben I know only talked about killing someone, but never would’ve done it. Now, he’s taken a life—or more than one—and he’s able to tell me without hesitation.
I walk up to Ben and place a tentative hand on his forearm. “I’m sorry.”
He covers my hand with his. “It’s not your fault. Sometimes I think you’re in this mess because of me. Maybe if we hadn’t grown up together, the Order wouldn’t have targeted you.”
“My contract?”
“It’s legit, but the reason behind it is bullshit. From what I understand, they choose brides who have no money to fight the Order, and no family to miss them if they were to disappear.”
