The Shadow Beneath the Ivy

The morning air at Oakwood University carried a crisp edge as Ava and Ryder left The Grind, the threatening letter tucked into Ava's bag alongside Lily's phone, the ivy ring, and The Ivy Codex. The campus buzzed with students hurrying to classes, their laughter and chatter a stark contrast to the unease coiling in Ava's chest. The sun climbed higher, painting the gothic spires in gold, but the warmth couldn't touch the chill left by the letter's words: Stop investigating, or you're next. She glanced at Ryder, his jaw set as he walked beside her, his bandaged arm a silent testament to the danger they'd already faced. His promise to fight back echoed in her mind, steadying her as they headed toward the Delta Phi frat house.

The walk took them across the quad, past the library where they'd broken in two nights ago, and down a tree-lined street where the dorms gave way to larger, older buildings. Delta Phi's house stood at the end, a sprawling Victorian with peeling paint and a sagging porch cluttered with beer cans and folding chairs. Music thumped faintly from inside, a low pulse that suggested the party hadn't fully ended despite the hour. Ava's stomach tightened as they approached, the weight of their mission pressing down. Matt was Lily's boyfriend—her last lifeline before she vanished—and if he knew anything, they needed it now.

Ryder paused at the porch steps, his dark eyes scanning the house. "Looks like they're still waking up," he said, his voice low. "Good. Sloppy means talkative. You ready?"

Ava nodded, adjusting her bag. "Yeah. Let's just get this over with." She followed him up the steps, the wooden boards creaking under their boots, and he knocked hard on the door, the sound cutting through the muffled music. No answer at first, just the thud of bass, then footsteps shuffled closer, and the door swung open.

A bleary-eyed guy in a wrinkled Delta Phi shirt stood there, his hair a mess, a Solo cup dangling from his hand. "What?" he mumbled, squinting at them. "Party's over, man."

"We're not here for the party," Ryder said, his tone sharp enough to make the guy blink. "Looking for Matt. Matt Harper. He around?"

The guy scratched his head, swaying slightly. "Uh, yeah, think so. Upstairs, maybe? Who're you?"

"Friends of Lily," Ava cut in, her voice firm despite the nerves fluttering in her chest. "We need to talk to him. Now."

The mention of Lily's name seemed to jolt him, his eyes widening a fraction. "Lily? Oh, uh, right. Hang on." He stumbled back inside, leaving the door ajar, and shouted up the stairs, "Matt! Some people here for you!"

Ava exchanged a glance with Ryder, his hand resting casually near his pocket where the ivy ring sat. They stepped into the foyer, the air thick with the sour tang of spilled beer and stale smoke. The living room was a wreck—couches strewn with blankets, empty bottles scattered across the floor, a couple of guys sprawled out, snoring. Ava's gaze darted to the stairs as heavier footsteps thudded down, and a tall, lanky guy appeared, his blonde hair tousled, his eyes bloodshot. Matt Harper, she assumed—Lily's boyfriend, the frat star she'd gushed about over late-night snacks in their dorm.

"Who're you?" Matt asked, his voice rough as he leaned against the banister, sizing them up. "What's this about Lily?"

"I'm Ava, her roommate," Ava said, stepping forward. "This is Ryder. Lily's missing, Matt. Since yesterday. We found her phone in the chapel basement, and she was texting you for help. What do you know?"

Matt's face paled, his hand gripping the banister tighter. "Missing? What the hell? She… she texted me?" He fumbled for his phone in his pocket, scrolling through it with shaky fingers. "I didn't get anything. Last I heard from her was two days ago—she said she was studying late."

"She wasn't studying," Ryder said, his voice cutting through the room like a blade. "She was in the chapel, scared, trying to reach you. Matt, I'm at the chapel. Something's wrong. That ring a bell?"

Matt's eyes darted between them, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed. "I… I don't know, man. She didn't say anything about the chapel. We were supposed to meet up yesterday, but she never showed. I figured she bailed—midterms, you know?"

Ava pulled Lily's phone from her bag, its glittery case flashing as she held it up. "This is hers. Found it last night, with a text she didn't send: Help me. IVY. And this photo." She swiped to the image of the hooded figure in the basement, shoving it toward him. "She was onto something—something dangerous. What was she doing there, Matt?"

He stared at the screen, his breath hitching, and for a moment, Ava thought he'd bolt. But he sank onto the bottom step, running a hand through his hair. "Jesus. I didn't… I didn't know it'd go this far. She was asking about IVY—kept saying it was some secret club, bigger than the frats. I told her it was just rumors, old stories, but she wouldn't let it go."

Ryder stepped closer, towering over him. "What stories? Spill it, Matt. She's gone, and someone's trying to shut us up too."

Matt flinched, his eyes flicking to the floor. "Okay, okay. Look, Delta Phi's got this… tradition. Initiation stuff, you know? Every year, the seniors talk about IVY—say it's this elite group, runs things behind the scenes. Money, favors, whatever. They pick a few guys, but it's all hush-hush. I thought it was bullshit, just a way to scare pledges. Lily heard me joking about it a week ago, started digging. Said she found something in the library—some book."

"The Ivy Codex," Ava said, her voice steady as she pulled it from her bag. "This one?"

Matt nodded, his face ashen. "Yeah, that's it. She was obsessed—kept saying it wasn't just history, that they were still around. I told her to drop it, that it'd get her in trouble, but she wouldn't listen. Said she was meeting someone at the chapel to prove it."

"Who?" Ryder pressed, his voice low and dangerous. "Who was she meeting?"

"I don't know!" Matt's voice cracked, his hands shaking. "She wouldn't tell me—just said it was a tip, someone who knew the truth. I begged her not to go, but she went anyway. That was two nights ago. I haven't heard from her since."

Ava's chest tightened, the pieces snapping together. The note in the book—Meet me at the chapel. Midnight. Bring the book—it wasn't random. Lily had followed it, walked into a trap. "And you didn't check on her?" she asked, her voice rising. "She's your girlfriend, Matt. She didn't come back, and you did nothing?"

"I thought she was pissed at me!" he snapped, his eyes wild. "She's done that before—gone silent when we fight. I didn't know she was… God, you think they took her?"

"Who's 'they'?" Ryder asked, crouching to meet Matt's gaze, his tone cold. "Names, Matt. Give us something."

Matt shook his head, his breath ragged. "I don't know names. Just whispers—seniors like Jack Grayson, maybe. He's big in the frat, always bragging about connections. But I swear, I didn't think it was real—not like this."

Ava glanced at Ryder, her mind racing. Jack Grayson—a name, a lead. The threatening letter burned in her bag, its warning now tied to this shadowy Order of the Ivy. "We need to find him," she said, her voice firm. "If he's part of this, he knows where Lily is."

Ryder stood, his expression hard. "We will. But first, you're coming with us, Matt. You're in this now—help us, or we tell the cops everything and let them sort you out."

Matt's eyes widened, panic flashing across his face. "No, please—I'll help. I didn't mean for this. I just want her back."

Ava studied him, torn between anger and pity. He was a coward, maybe, but he was their best shot. "Fine," she said, her voice clipped. "You're with us. But you hold anything back, and you're done."

He nodded, scrambling to his feet, and Ava felt a shift—a fragile trust forming, not out of friendship, but necessity. She looked at Ryder, his steady presence grounding her, and saw the same resolve in his eyes. They'd started this together, just the two of them, but now Matt was part of it, a reluctant piece in their fight against the Order. The letter's threat loomed larger, but so did their determination.

"Let's go," Ryder said, leading the way out. "Jack Grayson's next. We're not stopping until we've got her."

Ava followed, Matt trailing behind, the weight of their mission heavier but clearer. Trust was their starting point now—trust in each other, trust in the clues, trust that they could face whatever came next.