Page 26 of Sinful

“Of course. I myself studied law. I cannot be the governor of this community without being educated in that regard, can I?” he replied. “Part of my duties involve interacting with the outside world and its lawmen, and I cannot go blindly into that.”

“I suppose not. But it never occurred to me that people were able to leave here.”

“It is a necessary evil, as you outsiders might put it. Our healers need to obtain the latest in medical knowledge to keep our citizens safe and healthy, and we also require a few engineers here and there to keep things running smoothly with construction and general infrastructure.”

“And lawyers, like yourself.”

“Yes. That’s actually where I met your father,” Augustus replied, brows rising. “At university, many decades ago. We shared several classes, and for a short period, we even shared a dorm room.”

“Wait… what?” My brows shot up. “You didn’t meet him after my mother died?”

“No. Long before that. In fact, your mother actually learned of our existence through your father, seeing as his family traces their origins back to Pinecrest Falls. I thought you knew that.”

I shook my head. “I had no idea.”

“Well, I suppose Adam doesn’t like to discuss me or my town after what happened to Miranda,” he said, lips thinning. “And Icannot blame him for that, as much as I despise him for it. After all, he genuinely believes in my culpability in the matter, as you mentioned earlier.”

I kept staring at him, still shocked by the revelation. “You two really studied together?”

“Yes. We got to know each other quite well. I met your uncles, too,” Augustus replied, turning his gaze to the large altar at the front of the church. “Your family has nearly just as much history in this area as mine, doesn’t it?”

“I guess so. We’ve been here for a while.”

“Since the late eighteenth century, I believe. Your ancestors owned the logging industry in these parts. After making their fortune with that enterprise, they branched out into pharmaceuticals and healthcare,” he said blithely, like he was reading straight from fucking Wikipedia. “From what I recall, each of the brothers in your father’s direct family line was to inherit a different hospital. Did that ever happen?”

I nodded. “My father owns the family hospital in New York. My uncle James has the one in Philadelphia, and Uncle Owen has the one in Boston.”

“I presume you were set to inherit the New York hospital until this recent feud with Adam?” Augustus said, lifting a brow.

I rubbed the back of my neck. “Yup.”

“Well. Let’s hope you get that sorted out.” He tilted his head and smiled thinly. “You’re surprised about how much I know, aren’t you?”

“About my family? Yeah. A bit.”

“I think you’d be shocked to learn just how much we know all the way up here in Alderwood,” he said, smile fading. “Outsiders often think we are uneducated and ignorant. But that is simply not true.”

“Right,” I muttered. I frowned as something occurred to me. “You were saying something about people leaving for college. I was wondering—has anyone ever left Alderwood permanently?”

“No. Never.”

“Not a single one?”

Augustus shook his head. “I know the outside world has its temptations. I enjoyed the moving pictures and Italian restaurants while I was there, for instance. But none of that is enough to sway us from our mission. We are protecting the whole world with all the work we do here.”

“Ah, that’s right. From the Darkness.”

“Yes. Not only that, we have our very own paradise here. Just look around and you’ll see. No one wants for anything. Ever. If someone cannot work, they are taken care of. And we aren’t a brutal people, as some outsiders will have you believe. Only those who deserve punishment will receive it, and no one is forced into anything.”

“Not even your belief system?”

Augustus gave me a hard look. “If a member ever decided that they no longer believed in the Covenant doctrines, they would not be punished or forced to go along with it. They would be free to leave. But no one ever has.”

“Right.” I nodded slowly. “Could someone join you if they wanted to?”

“No. Only those of the founding bloodlines are permitted to be in the Covenant.”

“You said that distant relatives are allowed to visit occasionally. As they’re presumably related to the founding bloodlines, could they join?”

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