31. Epilogue

It has taken two months to find this house and purchase it under a dummy corporation. The gothic look is a stark contrast to our home and I love that, but it still needs some work. It wasn’t as big as the manor that The Order was in, but I didn’t need it to be, I didn’t have an over inflated ego to house in this building.

But that isn’t why we’re here right now.

For the last two months we have also been planning and setting things in motion. Rebuilding something from the ashes of the old Order, and today was the first official step we will be taking on making it a reality.

Killian is sitting in a chair while a tattoo is being inked onto his skin. Zayn, the tattoo artist, was part of the old Order but was vouched for by Tavish. He had been forced to perform the initiation ceremonies for Owen, which he did reluctantly by all accounts. But if he was good in Tavish’s books then he was good in ours; that man could find any skeletons, including me.

Zayn wipes away the excess ink from Killian’s back before inspecting his work. It’s beautiful as far as I’m concerned, a skull with a crown and roses. The symbol of our new society.

Societas Exspiravit. The Ghost Society.

Because we are all ghosts legally. Among Owen’s documents were death certificates for all of The Order members, and one for me too. He could get away with killing whoever he wanted because he had officials in his pocket that provided all the documents he needed to metaphorically bury us all six feet under.

Those contacts aren’t around anymore, either killed or on the run. We have our own contacts now who stand behind our mission to save innocents and take down those who wish to do them harm. But in order to do that we need to fight fire with fire. We need to become just as ruthless and exacting as them, and we need to do it from the shadows like they do.

Which is why we are gathered in this house that is to become the new Society headquarters.

I hear a grunt from Damon as Rayth burns off the old Order tattoo, the scent of burnt flesh wafting through the space again as I wrinkle my nose. I’m thankful I don’t have a tattoo to burn off.

Tavish gags from the smell, fanning the air before trying to compose himself. It’s not working, and I refrain from laughing at his efforts.

As I watch them all getting their old tattoo burned off and the new society symbol tattooed on, I can”t help but feel a sense of pride in how far we”ve come. We”re not just rebuilding a society – we”re forging a home where we are bound together by a common purpose and a shared determination to make a difference in the world.

Once all the tattoos are done, including Zayn’s and mine, we sit to discuss and plan the initiation ceremonies moving forward. We should be ready to start initiating new members in a few short months, after Tavish screens them.

As much as we hated the way Owen did things, there was value in giving those who had the skills we look for who are facing death or prison the option to do the right thing and fight for the right cause. If he hadn’t done that, I wouldn’t have my men. But we drew the line on letting them live if they chose a path to hurt others instead of saving them.

Therefore, initiates had two options, join or die.

We also were starting to seek out those who aligned with our values, Tavish was chasing down rumors of others like us, who dealt out justice to those deserving of it. He was already on the trail of a potential member that made me excited, a female archer with a gift for persuasion. The Order was very big on being men only, so finding this woman and hopefully getting her to join us was something I was fighting hard for.

Holding up my drink to the others, they all raise their glasses. ”We are the Societas Exspiravit,” I say, my voice steady and resolute. ”In morte vivimus. We will stop at nothing to protect the innocent and bring justice to those who seek to harm them.”

There”s a chorus of agreement from everyone. We are the first official members in our fledgling society, ready to do our part in the fight against darkness. Together, we stand there, united in purpose and conviction. The road ahead may be long and fraught with danger, but with my men by my side, I know that we can overcome anything.

For we are not just ghosts – we are warriors, ready to fight for a better world. And as we embark on this journey together, I know that our legacy will be written not only in blood and darkness, but in justice and righteousness, to save and protect innocent life.

In morte vivimus

In death, we live.