Page 6 of The Order: Rise of the New Empire

"Thank you for the key," I mutter, giving the man a gentle smile.

Saying nothing else, I excuse myself from the man's study, letting out a sigh of relief once I have made it to the other side of the door.

Xavier.

The thought of him was in my mind.

Or perhaps it was nothing more than my own delusions bred by the reflection in the mirror.

Chapter one

Fallan- New Haven- Months Prior

Pep rallies.

The bane of my existence.

Walking and talking like one of these Untouchable fucks is one thing.

Having to blend into the crowd, feeding into their egotistical hierarchy is another.

Tolerating Valerie's obsession with being near me, hiding the true nature of what her heart yearns for, has grown close to unbearable. The feeling of her hands on my body is something I know Dove would have broken her neck for.

But there's no way to know now what Dove would think of the current situation I have found myself in.

Forest Evermoore ensured I may never find peace with the woman I love.

If it weren't for the Prophet and their hatred for Xavier and Forest, perhaps I would have no opportunity whatsoever to get the justice she so rightfully deserves.

Sweeping through the crowd, a face all too similar to Andrew kisses ass to the Upper Leadership. He speaks and dictates with a tone he thinks he gets to use, given his position with the Student Advocates. Clung to his side, the excessively annoying blonde twin, Max, goggles at the Officials, ready to take every ounce of power the uniform will one day give him.

Dirty, ungrateful, vile Untouchables.

Yet, nothing is worse than the Marked.

Nothing is worse than my own kind.

Who knew Forest could be both?

"You're doing it again," Valerie utters from next to me. Her legs are draped across my lap, giving little care to my stringent stare plastered on the student body.

"You're staring everyone down as if you expect them to know what you're thinking," she whispers, keeping her focus on me.

Given how long I have known her and her cousin and their relation to Hunter, keeping Dove away from the trio was near impossible, making it unusually hard to stomach my lies once the Prophet altered their memories as well. The Prophet forced my grief over Dove to look like loss over Forest, a woman who they think I am choosing to keep a watchful eye on out of admiration rather than hate.

Regardless, Valerie still seems to have no issue holding a cold demeanor toward the woman.

"I'm keeping my eyes out," I snap. "You know how the Untouchables can be," I whisper, keeping my focus on the wave of perfectly ironed uniforms before us.

"Keeping your eyes out for our peers? Or her?" she questions, the accusation in her tone enough to make anyone livid.

There are not enough words to describe the anger that comes over me anytime I see that Blackburn bitch's face. Stealing her Cure-All was only a fraction of what I am going to do to her. The torment has to start small. She has to question my hate forher and the connection she feels toward me. I need Xavier to see what is happening. I need him to feel as helpless as I have been ever since Forest killed Dove.

They both deserve to suffer, eternally punished for allowing themselves to feed into the devils they are.

New Haven's devils.

"My fascination with Forest Blackburn has nothing to do with you. I asked you to be my distraction, nothing more, nothing less," I hiss.

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