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“That’s irrelevant right now. Once you’re a member, you can ask me whatever you want and I’ll answer. I think you’d be surprised how much there is.” He shifts on his feet. “But you won’t get any of it unless you join.”

Of course. The more he wants me to join, the less I want to do it, which he’d know if he’d bothered talking to me instead of sending people to make my life miserable.

“And if I don’t want to?” I ask.

He inches toward me. “That would be a bad idea.”

“I don’t know about that.” I don’t move, even though my heart is pounding in my chest. “I was told that the society asks and people either agree or they don’t, and the only real rule for the ones who refuse is that they never talk about you afterward. I haven’t said anything to anyone.”

“It would be in your best interest to agree. And why wouldn’t you? You’d find out who your grandaunt really was, and you’d have everything we have at your disposal to help you do it. You’d enjoy it.”

“Don’t tell me what I’d enjoy.” I press my lips into a tight line, because none of what he said is actually making me consider the society.

But as he keeps getting closer, I back away, and when I glance behind me, the low wall is only a few strides away, with a whole lot of nothing past it. Fuck. Wonderful. As I slide my hand into my jacket pocket, my fingers close around the pocketknife, and I slowly and carefully get the blade open.

Fine. If he doesn’t want to give up, then let’s see how he reacts when I mention something he doesn’t expect.

“If I do this for you,” I say, eyeing him carefully, “will you tell me what happened to Elsie?”

He goes perfectly still, and only his shoulders flinch back a little. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Mmm-hmm.” If he didn’t, he wouldn’t have reacted at all.

Sure, Elsie was a member of the society and she died the way she did, but judging by his reaction, he was probably close to her or knew her well. If he wasn’t, he’d probably need a moment to remember who I was talking about.

“There was a girl here who had problems. She was... troubled. I don’t see what she has to do with any of this,” he finally says, but there’s something about his voice... like an edge that wasn’t there before.

“Troubled how?”

“If you become a member, I’ll tell you everything about her too.”

“So she was one of yours.”

“I’m not discussing a member with someone who isn’t.”

Oh for fuck’s sake. But I’m pretty sure he knows something about Elsie and what happened to her. The only problem is that he won’t tell me, probably not even if I become a member.

“I’ve been very nice to you.” He steps forward, and there’s barely any space left between us now. “I want you to understand that, because it ends right now. Agree, and everything at Blackerville will go back to normal for you tomorrow, and no one will bother you again. Ever. Refuse, and your life here will become hell. A missing exam will be the tiniest thing that’s ever happened to you.”

I scoff. “Are you seriously threatening me right now?”

“I saw potential in you, and it would’ve been easier that way for both of us.” His hand lifts toward my arm. “But you’re being difficult, and I don’t like it. No one’s going to miss a freak like you. I’ll just write a letter in your name saying you want to give your best friend access to write a paper about your—”

Suddenly, he grabs my arm, and I pull the knife out of my pocket and swing it at him. The blade catches the back of his hand and cuts through his glove, making him scream as he grabs his hand.

I bolt toward the stairwell, and the door bangs open before I reach it. Jayden appears in the doorway. There’s blood under his nose and a cut on his cheek, his jacket torn at the shoulder.

“What the hell happened to you?” I gape at him.

“I’ll explain later.” He takes my hand. “Are you hurt?”

“No.” As I glance back, Supreme is still holding his hand, and past him, people in robes are rushing out from somewhere around the far end of the roof. There must be another exit then and they were probably there for protection. Would he have lied to them that I jumped or would they all be in on it? I don’t have time to think about that right now.

“They’re coming,” I say, and his grip tightens.

“Run!” He tugs me with him toward the door.

We race through it together, and I quickly stuff the pocketknife back into my pocket. Jayden swears under his breath as we dash down the stairs as fast as we can. Just as I’m about to ask about the guard that was at the door, I spot him slumped at the bottom of the stairs, his mask pushed halfway up his face. As we run past him, I wonder if Jayden did that to him.