Page 62 of Wicked Salvation

She was always meant to bleed for something bigger than herself.

And The Spirit is thirsty again.

Eden can’t hidefrom me, as much as she likes to think she can.

I’ve given her space to see what she would do—if in my absence she’d be brazen enough to turn to him. And if what Anastazya says is true, then she did.

Because unlike Eden, Lucian walked right past the Boys’ Dormitory on his way to the graveyard. There’s nothing discreet about him, especially now that he’s driven fear into nearly everyone on campus.

But me?

I see him for what he truly is.

A brat who can’t get what he wants.

The one thing he wants more than air itself wearsmyring on her finger, she’ll be walking down the aisleto mein six weeks. No matter how much havoc he wreaks, he can’t change that.

I know Eden better than she knows herself.

She wants the approval of her parents, to finally make them proud.

To finally be useful to them. When she finds out that my family is broke and I’m using her to restore our stature, she’ll keep quiet because of the shame. She’ll never let her parents—or anyone for that matter—know the truth. Then everything will be fixed.

You will sit with me at breakfast tomorrow. This isn’t an offer, it’s a command. I’m certain Viscountess Lockhart would be pleased to hear how you’ve treated your fiancé, your only chance of redeeming yourself in her eyes. I’m not above involving your parents.

Just as expected, she replies almost instantly.

Eden:

Okay.

And to finish it off:

Perhaps I have been too kind to you.

No response.

Good.

After our time away from campus, I’ve learned two things. First, Lucian has been filling Eden’s head with nonsense, specifically that she can somehow make choices about her life that I don’t approve of, that we’re on equal footing, that she canstand up to me.

I need Eden’s wealth, but more than that, I need her. The Spirit gave her to me. She may have botched the ritual, but our souls are partially bound together already. I just need her submission—and if she won’tgiveit to me. I am going to take it.

The second thing I’ve learned?

Being nice to Eden will get me nowhere. The gloves are off and I’m taking off the mask. If she wants to fight back, if she wants to turn herself into a stone cold bitch—the kind of womanI would never date, much less choose to marry—then I will become the fire to thaw her.

But first, I need power.

I send a text in The Order’s group chat.

Tonight.

Alistair reacts to my message with a thumbs up, and so does Max. Three dots pop up under Cedric’s name.

Cedric:

Why?