Leaving London, Losing Home

Skyla Parris, orphaned young and raised by her loving Aunt Steph in London, faces a painful uprooting as her distant, powerful father demands her return to Salem, Massachusetts. The move is not just a change of scenery but a wrenching loss of the only home and family she's truly known. Steph's refusal to follow, due to her own career, leaves Skyla feeling abandoned again. The emotional weight of leaving behind her memories, friends, and the warmth of her aunt's care sets the tone for Skyla's journey—a young woman thrust into a world where her choices are not her own, and her future is dictated by others.

Salem's Gilded Cage

Arriving in Salem, Skyla is immediately confronted by the cold, controlling presence of her father, Henry Parris, and the suffocating expectations of her family's legacy. She learns she will not only attend the exclusive Gallows Hill University but will also be living on campus, isolated from the comfort of her aunt and the familiarity of London. The Parris name is both a shield and a prison, and Skyla quickly realizes that her life in Salem will be defined by rules, surveillance, and the ever-present weight of her family's reputation.

Arranged Engagement Unveiled

On the flight to Salem, Skyla's father drops a bombshell: she is to marry Asher Putnam, the son of another powerful family, in a union arranged since her birth. The engagement is not a romantic promise but a business transaction, a consolidation of power between two dynasties. Skyla's protests are dismissed, her autonomy stripped away. The engagement is to be lived out in public at Gallows Hill, where every move will be watched, and her virginity is to be preserved for the ceremony. The gilded cage tightens, and Skyla's sense of self is threatened by the machinations of men who see her as a pawn.

Gallows Hill's Dark Welcome

Skyla's arrival at Gallows Hill is anything but welcoming. Her first encounter with Asher is humiliating—she walks in on him with another woman in what is to be her own dorm room. Asher is cold, arrogant, and dismissive, making it clear that their engagement is a burden to him. The campus itself is steeped in history and elitism, with traditions and secrets lurking beneath its gothic architecture. Skyla is subjected to invasive medical procedures, forced birth control, and a culture of surveillance and control. The message is clear: her body and future are not her own.

The King, The Princess

Skyla quickly learns that Gallows Hill is ruled by a rigid social order. Asher, the "king," wields power with cruelty, while Skyla is dubbed the "princess," a title that brings both privilege and isolation. She navigates a minefield of alliances, rivalries, and expectations, befriending Maggie, a rebellious outsider, and encountering Liam, the campus flirt, and Vincent, the brooding loner. The lines between friend and foe are blurred, and Skyla must learn to survive in a world where loyalty is currency and betrayal is deadly.

Medical Control and Secrets

Skyla's autonomy is further eroded by the university's draconian policies. She is subjected to mandatory STD testing and birth control, regardless of her sexual activity, under the guise of protecting the school's reputation. The medical intervention is a violation, a reminder that her body is not her own but a commodity to be preserved for her future husband. The secrecy and control extend to every aspect of her life, from her health to her relationships, reinforcing the sense of entrapment and powerlessness.

New Friends, Old Rivalries

As Skyla tries to find her footing, she is drawn into the complex web of relationships at Gallows Hill. Maggie becomes her confidante, while Liam's flirtation offers both comfort and complication. Vincent's hostility masks a deeper obsession, and Asher's cruelty is matched only by his own pain. The legacy of the Salem witch trials haunts the campus, with the Brethren—a secret society of powerful families—pulling the strings behind the scenes. Skyla's every move is scrutinized, and the sins of the past threaten to consume the present.

The Pool and the Coach

Skyla finds solace in the campus pool, a place that reminds her of happier times in London. There, she meets Coach Ronan, Asher's uncle, whose quiet strength and understanding offer her a rare sense of safety. Their connection is immediate and electric, but also dangerous—Ronan is off-limits, both by age and by blood. Their flirtation quickly escalates into a secret affair, providing Skyla with a taste of agency and desire in a world determined to control her. The pool becomes their sanctuary, a place where Skyla can reclaim a piece of herself.

The Fiancé's Cruelty

Asher's campaign of cruelty intensifies, culminating in a public humiliation that leaves Skyla shattered. He orchestrates a prank that results in a compromising photo of Skyla being circulated to the entire campus, reinforcing her status as an outsider and a target. The incident exposes the toxic masculinity and misogyny at the heart of Gallows Hill, where women are commodities and power is maintained through fear and degradation. Skyla's resilience is tested, but she refuses to be broken, finding strength in her friendships and her own sense of worth.

The Bonfire Betrayal

Skyla is subjected to a brutal hazing ritual at a campus bonfire, orchestrated by Asher and his clique. She is lured to an abandoned grave and left alone, injured and terrified, as a test of loyalty and submission. The experience is a turning point, exposing the darkness at the heart of Gallows Hill and the lengths to which the Brethren will go to maintain control. Skyla is rescued by Vincent, whose motives remain unclear, but the trauma lingers, deepening her resolve to fight for her own agency.

The Grave and the Savior

Vincent's unexpected rescue of Skyla from the grave marks a shift in their relationship. His hostility gives way to a possessive protectiveness, revealing a complexity beneath his cold exterior. Skyla's world becomes even more complicated as she navigates her feelings for Ronan, Liam, and now Vincent, each offering her something different—safety, passion, and understanding. The lines between love and obsession blur, and Skyla must decide who she can trust in a world where everyone has secrets.

Forbidden Attraction Ignites

Skyla's relationships with Ronan and Liam deepen, evolving from flirtation to genuine love. The three form a secret polyamorous bond, defying the rules of the Brethren and the expectations of their families. Their love is a rebellion, a claim to agency in a world that denies it. Asher's feelings for Skyla become more complicated, shifting from hatred to longing, while Vincent's obsession grows more intense. The danger of discovery looms, and the stakes are raised as the Brethren's control tightens.

The Uncle's Temptation

Ronan's love for Skyla puts him at odds with his family and the Brethren. He is torn between his duty and his desire, knowing that their relationship could mean death for both of them. The secrecy and risk only heighten their passion, but also their fear. Ronan's attempts to protect Skyla are complicated by his own trauma and the weight of his family's expectations. Their love becomes both a refuge and a battleground, as they fight for a future that may never be allowed.

The Brethren's Blood Oath

The true nature of Gallows Hill and the Brethren is revealed—a secret society born from the ashes of the Salem witch trials, dedicated to preserving power and eradicating threats. The students are legacies, bound by blood and tradition, and the rituals of the past are alive and well. Skyla learns that her engagement to Asher is not just a marriage but a ritual of power, designed to strengthen the Brethren and protect them from their enemies. The ceremony will require her virginity, her submission, and her public humiliation.

Stalker in the Shadows

As Skyla navigates the dangers of love and power, a new threat emerges—a stalker who leaves her gifts, poems, and evidence of surveillance. The stalker's obsession is both romantic and menacing, escalating from notes to stolen underwear and photographs. The men in Skyla's life rally to protect her, but the sense of vulnerability and violation is overwhelming. The stalker's identity remains a mystery, and the danger grows as the ceremony approaches.

Three Lovers, One Heart

Skyla's relationships with Ronan, Liam, and Vincent become a source of strength and comfort, but also of jealousy and conflict. The four navigate the complexities of polyamory, balancing love, desire, and loyalty in a world that condemns them. Asher's feelings for Skyla come to the surface, and he is reluctantly drawn into their orbit. The group becomes a chosen family, united by love and defiance, but the threat of exposure and punishment hangs over them all.

Ceremony of Control

As the date of the ceremony approaches, the pressure on Skyla intensifies. She is subjected to invasive examinations, forced to wear a ceremonial gown, and prepared for a public deflowering that will be witnessed by the Brethren. The men in her life are powerless to stop it, forced to watch as Skyla is sacrificed to tradition and control. The ceremony is a spectacle of misogyny and violence, designed to break her spirit and reinforce the power of the Brethren.

The Ritual's True Cost

The ceremony is as brutal and humiliating as Skyla feared. Asher, under the watchful eyes of the Brethren, is forced to take her virginity on a stone altar, her pain and tears ignored by the men who claim to protect her. In a final, devastating twist, Asher turns on Skyla, publicly rejecting her love and humiliating her before the entire society. The betrayal is complete, and Skyla is left shattered, her body and spirit violated in the name of tradition. The true cost of power is revealed, and the promise of freedom is exposed as a lie.

Characters

Skyla Parris

Skyla is the daughter of a powerful Salem family, orphaned young and raised in London by her aunt. Her return to Salem marks the loss of her autonomy, as she is forced into an arranged marriage and subjected to the control of the Brethren. Skyla is intelligent, compassionate, and fiercely resilient, refusing to be broken by the cruelty and misogyny of her world. Her relationships with Ronan, Liam, Vincent, and eventually Asher offer her glimpses of love and agency, but also expose her to new dangers. Skyla's journey is one of survival, resistance, and the search for selfhood in a world determined to erase her.

Asher Putnam

Asher is the heir to the Putnam dynasty, raised in privilege but scarred by his father's abuse and the expectations of the Brethren. He wields power with arrogance and cruelty, using humiliation and control to mask his own pain. Asher's relationship with Skyla is fraught with resentment and longing, evolving from hatred to a complicated love. His inability to reconcile his feelings with his duty leads to acts of betrayal and violence, culminating in the ultimate violation of Skyla's trust. Asher is both victim and perpetrator, trapped by the same system he enforces.

Ronan Putnam

Ronan, Asher's uncle and the campus swim coach, is a man haunted by his own trauma and the weight of family legacy. His love for Skyla is genuine and selfless, offering her safety and understanding in a world of control. Ronan's struggle is one of loyalty—to his family, the Brethren, and to Skyla. His affair with her is both a rebellion and a risk, threatening both their lives. Ronan's psychological depth lies in his capacity for love and sacrifice, even as he is forced to participate in the rituals that harm her.

Liam Walcott

Liam is the campus flirt, Asher's best friend, and a member of the Brethren. Beneath his playful exterior is a deep longing for acceptance and love, shaped by a childhood of neglect and disappointment. Liam's relationship with Skyla is both healing and exhilarating, offering him a sense of belonging and purpose. His willingness to share her with others is both an act of love and a reflection of his own insecurities. Liam's journey is one of self-discovery, as he learns to balance desire, loyalty, and self-worth.

Vincent Griggs

Vincent is the brooding outsider, marked by trauma and a legacy of violence. His initial hostility towards Skyla masks a deep obsession, which evolves into a possessive protectiveness. Vincent's love is dark and consuming, blurring the line between devotion and control. As a Brethren enforcer, he is capable of great violence, but his vulnerability with Skyla reveals a capacity for tenderness. Vincent's psychological complexity lies in his struggle to reconcile his need for control with his desire to be loved.

Henry Parris

Skyla's father is a distant, emotionally unavailable man whose primary concern is the preservation of family power. He orchestrates Skyla's engagement and enforces the rules of the Brethren with cold efficiency. Henry's indifference to Skyla's pain is both a source of trauma and a reflection of the generational cycle of control and abuse.

Christopher Putnam

Asher's father and the head of the Brethren, Christopher is the architect of the society's rituals and the enforcer of its rules. He is both charismatic and terrifying, wielding power with absolute authority. Christopher's psychological profile is that of a narcissist and sadist, deriving pleasure from the suffering of others and the maintenance of control. His relationship with Asher is one of domination and cruelty, perpetuating the cycle of abuse.

Maggie Bartlett

Maggie is Skyla's first true friend at Gallows Hill, offering her support and solidarity in a hostile environment. Openly queer and unapologetically herself, Maggie challenges the norms of the Brethren and provides a model of resistance. Her own struggles with family and acceptance mirror Skyla's, and her loyalty is unwavering.

Aunt Steph

Steph is Skyla's aunt and surrogate mother, providing her with the love and stability denied by her father. Her absence in Salem is a source of pain for Skyla, and her memory serves as a reminder of what has been lost. Steph represents the possibility of a different life, one defined by care and agency rather than control.

The Stalker

The stalker is a shadowy presence, leaving gifts, poems, and evidence of surveillance. His obsession with Skyla is both romanticized and violent, escalating as the ceremony approaches. The stalker represents the ever-present threat of male violence and the impossibility of true safety in a world built on control.

Plot Devices

Arranged Marriage as Power Consolidation

The central plot device is the arranged marriage between Skyla and Asher, orchestrated to consolidate power between two dynasties. The engagement is not about love but about legacy, reputation, and the perpetuation of patriarchal control. The marriage is both a personal and political act, with Skyla's body and autonomy as the battleground.

The Brethren and Ritualized Violence

The Brethren, a secret society born from the Salem witch trials, serves as the engine of control and violence. Its rituals—blood oaths, branding, public deflowering—are designed to reinforce hierarchy, submission, and the erasure of female agency. The society's power is maintained through surveillance, punishment, and the threat of death.

Polyamory and Chosen Family

Skyla's relationships with Ronan, Liam, and Vincent offer a counter-narrative to the Brethren's control. Their polyamorous bond is an act of rebellion, a claim to agency and pleasure in a world that denies it. The chosen family they form is a source of strength, comfort, and resistance, but also of jealousy and conflict.

Stalker and Psychological Threat

The stalker plotline introduces a psychological threat that mirrors the larger dangers of the Brethren. The gifts, poems, and photographs are both romantic and menacing, escalating the sense of vulnerability and violation. The stalker's presence reinforces the impossibility of true safety and the ever-present threat of male violence.

Foreshadowing and Narrative Structure

The narrative is structured around the approach of the ceremony, with each chapter building tension and dread. Foreshadowing is used to hint at the true nature of the Brethren, the dangers of the ritual, and the inevitability of betrayal. The final twist—Asher's public rejection and humiliation of Skyla—fulfills the narrative's

Last updated: May 2, 2025