Page 2 of In Darkness We Claim

“A Crow must be intelligent enough to calculate, manipulative enough to control the game, and unpredictable enough to keep every rival guessing. Control is essential, as failure is not an option.

“‘In Darkness, We Control’—this is the motto we live by, and we only accept Pledges who can take the shadows and own them. If I call your name, you will be given the chance to prove yourself. If you want to become a Crow, you will need to earn it.”

As he says the motto I grew up memorising, there’s a strange sense of pride that makes me puff out my chest. Although I looked into the other three Houses, there was no doubt in my mind that I’d be best placed in the Crows, and not just because it’s my family’s legacy. I am patient, cunning, and not afraid of playing the long game if it means getting what I want.

I don’t know why I expected my name to be called first, but when it isn’t, a strange sense of anxiety sets in, and I shuffle from one foot to the other. I have to force myself to hold still as the first guy steps forward to take an envelope from Xander.

He’s handing out our assignments, as every Pledge is given something different. We have to complete it on our own, and once we’ve provided the proof they require, it’ll cement our position within our House. We’ll earn our first ranking, setting the foundation for the rest of our time at Shadowmere.

Xander calls the next name, “Bram DeWitt.”

My best friend, with floppy brown hair, which seems to almost curl at the ends, practically bounces onto the stage. He’s got a cocky grin on his face as he takes the envelope from Xander, before winking at him like he’s got a death wish. The movement is more obvious because the silver piercing through his eyebrow glints in the candlelight.

When he turns back to face us, holding the envelope high in the air, it shows off the tattoos covering his entire arm. I’ve known Bram since we started high school together, and he’s not just my friend; he’s like a brother to me. He’s the only person in this world that I trust, and he feels the same about me.

It’s clear to everyone that Bram’s a rebel, but despite his seemingly carefree attitude, he’s more than earned his place here, and it’s got nothing to do with his family name or Legacy status.

I’m pulled away from looking at the newest Crow when Xander calls, “Ryan Sheenan.”

This guy is the total opposite of Bram, and he walks up to Xander like he’s got a stick up his arse. Not a single strand of his dirty-blond hair is out of place, and he’s wearing so much gel that it fucking shines. I can see the collar of his no-doubt perfectly pressed white shirt sticking out from underneath his Obsidian robes, and it doesn’t take a genius to work out that this guy is from a Legacy family, too. But unlike me, he clearly embraces the stuck-up behaviour that I can’t get far enough away from.

Two more names are called, and the certainty I had at the start of the ceremony has now dwindled, and fear is setting in. I’ve expected to be a Crow my whole life. Fuck knows what my father will say if I’m not.

The Council assesses all the potential Pledges and assigns them to the House they think suits them best, and it’s normally something my father has a say in. Unfortunately, his relationship to me prevented him from participating in this year’s sorting—much to his annoyance.

As the last guy walks off the dais, a deafening silence fills the room as we all wait to see if Xander is going to announce another Pledge, or hand over to the Head of Hawksmoor House. He shuffles from one foot to the other, his cold eyes looking out over the crowd, before he once again projects his voice loud enough for everyone to hear.

“Our final Crow Pledge will be…Lawson Radley.”

As soon as I hear my name, I breathe a sigh of relief. I hold my head high as I walk towards Xander, exuding the confidence I didn’t quite feel a moment ago.

With each step I take, I’m moving one step closer to the future I’ve been working towards my whole life. It starts with my initiation into the Crows, where I’ll graduate as High Crow. Then I’ll become the youngest ever member of the Obsidian Council, cementing my position of power for the rest of my life.

It may seem like a big dream, but once I set my sights on something, I always get what I want, and this will be no exception.

FIRST YEAR AT SHADOWMERE UNIVERSITY

As I slice the blade across my target’s throat, his blood spurts over my black glove-covered hand, and I breathe a sigh of relief. While he gurgles and gasps his last breath, I look at the enormous clock on the wall, smiling when I see I still have just over an hour left. It will be cutting it fine to get back in time, but I have no doubt it’s achievable.

Whilst this man isn’t the first I’ve killed, he is my first assignment for the Obsidian Order, and once I submit the required evidence, I will have passed my initiation into the Crows. I was never worried about completing my task. It was easy enough to get into his house without detection and end his life.

I don’t know who the man is, or why the Order has made him a target—what has he done that warrants ending his life? Honestly, I don’t care enough to ask.

As his body slumps in the seat, all signs of life fading away, I question for a fraction of a second whether I should care. I just ended this man’s life, yet I feel nothing. He could be someone’s husband, father, son… But that’s not my problem. He’s just a job to me, and I know that makes me seem heartless, but if I allow my feelings to get involved, I’d never be able to do what’s required of me.

This life is all I’ve ever known. The first thing my family taught me is that you must follow Order instructions without question. They give you a job; you complete it without hesitation. Because, at the end of the day, if you fail the Order, it will be your name that’s being handed to some poor Pledge, and your death will be their initiation.

It’s kill or be killed, and I know which fucking side I’d prefer to be on.

Since I was never given the opportunity to choose what sort of life I’d want for myself, I decided early on that if I have to be part of the Obsidian Order, I wasn’t going to be just any old replaceable soldier; I was going to rule.

I want to become the youngest ever member of the Obsidian Council—the group of men that run the Order—but that’s not a simple task.

The Order nominates and elects Council members based on their performance, and their position within the society. That my father is a member means nothing; I will need to earn my place, just like he did. I’ll have to do as I’m told, get my hands dirty, and prove I’m the best man for the job—and that starts now as a Crow Pledge.

Once I’ve downloaded the footage from the man’s security system, and wiped it clean, I gather up anything I brought with me, and leave the way I came. I’ve left behind nothing that would incriminate me, but even if I had, his death will be investigated by Order members, and the case will be closed by this time tomorrow.

There are Obsidian Order members everywhere, including within law enforcement, and they will have been made aware that this is a sanctioned kill, so it won’t be investigated properly. We may not know if the person standing next to us is a fellow Order member, but there will always be someone watching our back if needed.