This won’t end well. I can feel it.
You don’t spend generations as enemies only to arrive at something resembling a truce. In our world, the only truce that ever holds is marriage. Nothing else comes close.
Contracts fail, alliances fall apart. Blood ties are the only ones anyone truly respects—hence marriage, and children.
And there’s only one person reckless who would orchestrate something like this.
I grit my teeth.
That fucking…
The headmistress continues speaking, dragging me out of my thoughts, but her voice quickly dissolves into meaningless noise. Another teacher steps forward, droning on. I don’t hear a word of it.
Because on my right, I feel him watching me. Markev’s stare burns into my skin. A certain Markev’s stare, because there are two. There is Milo Markev, and Isaak Markev.
They’re cousins, their fathers brothers.
Isaak’s father is the Pakhan, which puts him next in line for the title.
I don’t know much about Milo’s father, only that he’s reckless and powerful, with his own hand in the business.
Milo, on the other hand, is said to be the loaded gun. The executioner. The one you send when things need to end. Hemight even become Isaak’s second in command one day—if he lives that long. And if I have any say in it, he won’t.
What matters right now is why they’re here at all.
They’re a bit old for university, aren’t they? I know for a fact thathe’stwenty five.
Maybe he keeps failing his courses. Or maybe this has nothing to do with a degree, because I’m not naïve to believe anyone switches academies this late in the game, third year, fourth, even a master’s, just for a diploma.
And then there’s Arlo Vass standing with them. No mafia blood. Just diamonds and old money, clean on paper.
Still, I don’t buy it. Not when he’s that close to the Bratva. People don’t end up that involved without something going on behind the scenes.
And if the three of them are here, then two more won’t be far behind.
Like the Thirteenth Circle, the Ferrum Syndicate has five heirs.
I lace my fingers together in my lap, my sparkly pink nails biting into my palms.
When the assembly finally ends, everyone gets to their feet, chairs scraping as bags are grabbed and the hall begins to move again.
I stay seated, letting the crowd thin. I need the space. Piper stands a moment later, withdrawn. Adelaide follows, her expression cold.
My eyes flick to the main doors, where my sister slipped out halfway through the assembly.
Vass followed her soon after, for whatever damn reason.
I don’t like it. Not one bit.
I’ll have to check on her. If something happened, I wouldn’t forgive myself. I need to know she’s alright.
Always.
Only when half the hall has emptied do I stand.
Footsteps fall into place beside me.
I know that stride… that audacity. I keep my eyes forward as the aisle narrows, already bracing myself for how hard it’s going to be not to put my fist through his face the moment he opens his damn mouth.
