The Ritual: A Dark College Romance

Two weeks before classes begin at Barrington University, freshman Ryat Archer is handcuffed in a basement for a Lords initiation event, as his father told him to expect. When a senior member asks the initiates for a show of loyalty, Ryat volunteers to kill a restrained former member, which he does after cutting off the Lords’ symbol branded on the ex-member’s chest. A senior member praises Ryat for his mercilessness, calling him “one to watch” (8).

During his sophomore year at Barrington, Ryat fights another Lords member named Jacob while other members look on. Ryat strangles Jacob to death, thinking of his determination to always be a “winner.”

Now a junior, Ryat sneaks into a house in Chicago with fellow Lords initiate Matt Winston, with whom he has been friends since his freshman year. They have been instructed to kill the man, Nathaniel Mayes, who lives there. Ryat shoots Mayes in the head with a gun with a silencer while Matt sexually assaults a sleeping woman, groping her breast. Ryat insists that Matt not “deviate from [their] orders” and leave the woman alone (16), but Matt intends to rape her. She wakes and flees the room. Matt pursues her, and by the time Ryat exits the room, the woman is dead, having fallen over the banister to the floor below. Matt insists the woman fell, but Ryat suspects Matt pushed her. (In Chapter 60, it is revealed that she is alive, and she confirms Matt did push her.)

Ryat, now a senior, is roughly pushed to his knees in a room full of powerful people. He is violently restrained, but he confirms, when asked, that he wishes to “proceed” with his initiation. He listens to his oath of initiation as he is branded with the Lords’ seal.

Several weeks after his initiation, Ryat is summoned by another Lord. The man gives Ryat a photograph of a woman, who the man indicates will be Ryat’s “chosen one,” or a woman who has agreed to “belong” to a member of the Lords. He recognizes the woman as Blakely Anderson, a junior at Barrington, though he does not know her personally. Ryat comments that this “has to be wrong” but agrees to “do whatever must be done” (24). (In Chapter 38, the man who gave Ryat the order is identified as Blakely’s father, Phil Anderson.)

Meanwhile, Blakely rushes to class and runs into Ryat, who gives her a disdainful look. Matt, Blakely’s boyfriend, approaches. Blakely finds Ryat attractive but considers him “cruel” and “evil,” like most wealthy and entitled Barrington students. Using sexist language, Ryat tells Matt to keep Blakely “on a leash” lest someone “take her” from him (27). As Ryat storms off, Matt suggests that Blakely has erred by speaking with Ryat. She knows both men belong to Lords, a group she sees as made up of “misogynistic” and “egotistical” men. Ryat and Matt were once friends but have fallen out, something for which Matt denies knowing the reason.

Blakely goes to class, where her best friend, Sarah, shows her a flier for “The Ritual,” a party in which women can become “chosen.” The language of the flier reminds Blakely of Ryat. Sarah and Blakely discuss attending the party, leading another woman in their class to warn them against it, citing an incident when one “chosen” woman was bound naked and videotaped by the Lord she “belonged to.” Because of the power and influence of the Lords, this member’s supposed “ownership” was uncontested. Blakely and Sarah assume this is an exaggeration; Sarah becomes more interested in the party.

Ryat approaches with fellow Lord members Gunner and Prickett. They comment on their sexual interest in Blakely, offending her when they speak as though she weren’t present. Sarah flirts with Gunner while Ryat comments that Matt isn’t “allowed” to “choose” Blakely, scoffing that Matt being her boyfriend is meaningless.

Ryat watches Blakely walk away, admiring her body and thinking possessively of her. Gunner and Prickett joke about how Blakely is unlikely to have sexual experience, but Ryat thinks this makes her more compelling, particularly as Ryat having sex with Blakely before Matt did would anger Matt. Gunner confirms that Blakely is already listed as one of the women to be “chosen.”

Blakely corners Matt, demanding to know why he cannot “choose” her. Matt grows angry at the question and emphasizes his physical strength and size as he warns Blakely to “stay away from the house of Lords” (38).

The narrative flashes back to the aftermath of the incident with Ryat and Matt in Chicago. A Lords member named Lincoln demanded to know how the “job” had gone awry, leading to the dead woman. When Ryat refused to speak either to incriminate or support Matt, Matt was placed on probation. Lincoln called the dead woman “important” but refused to identify her. Matt stormed out, but Lincoln told Ryat to stay.

An older Lord entered. He requested a favor; Ryat immediately countered by asking what he would get “in return,” which made the man laugh appreciatively. He asked Ryat what he desired.

In the narrative present, Ryat sits outside Blakely’s apartment, thinking of how membership in Lords has taught him the value of “intel.” He watches through her window, able to see her outline as she showers. He masturbates, imagining they are having sex while he calls her “Blake.” As Blakely turns off her lights, he looks forward to “own[ing] her.”

The narrative again flashes back to junior year, when Ryat returned to his room and was angry to find Matt there. Matt was angry that Ryat had not supported him, claiming nothing would be amiss if Ryat had “let” him have sex with the woman. Ryat reminded Matt that this would have been rape and emphasized that the Lords demand a vow of abstinence from initiates. Matt blamed his attempted rape on difficulties with Blakely. Ryat insisted he hadn’t told Lincoln about the attempted rape but refused to tell Matt anything further about the meeting despite Matt’s threats that he would “end” Ryat if Ryat betrayed Matt.

In the narrative present, Blakely sits on her bed watching a movie. In the past several weeks, she has avoided Ryat, but Matt has been acting strange. She is angry that he seems to suspect her of cheating. She has long been interested in having sex with Matt, but he has declined, claiming he “promised [her] parents [they’d] wait for [their] wedding night” (46), which Blakely finds ridiculous. Sarah enters Blakely’s room, insisting they go to the Ritual party. Matt won’t be there; he is out of town. (In Chapter 8, Blakely learns this is not true; Matt is at the Ritual party.) Blakely, who feels she is overdue for a “girls’ night” with Sarah, agrees.

They arrive at the Lords’ house, a place Blakely has never visited even though Matt has lived there for years. Despite her own wealthy upbringing, Blakely considers the decor of the Lords’ house “on another level” (48). A masked concierge demands the women relinquish their cell phones, keys, and identification or leave the party. The concierge gives them name tags, explaining cryptically that they are beginning “the ritual.”

Aside from men in masks and cloaks, Blakely considers the party typical for Barrington, with expensive liquor and drugs freely available. Sarah, who has a history of alcohol and drug use disorders, mixes herself and Blakely extremely strong cocktails. They enter another room, where 12 masked figures sit at a long table. Blakely comments that this seems like a cult, though she tells herself that it can’t be dangerous if Matt is a member.

Several hours later, an intoxicated Blakely notices that one of the masked men still has his phone. While she watches, she bumps into a masked figure who reveals himself as Matt. He’s shocked to see Blakely at the party; she is shocked to see him with another woman, Ashley, whom he has also been seeing romantically. Feeling betrayed, Blakely ends their three-year relationship. She drinks more alcohol quickly, wondering if this other woman is why Matt forbade her from coming to the Lords’ house and how long he has been with her.

Ryat watches Blakely through his mask. Though he did not intend to honor her relationship with Matt, he considers it “easier” now that they have broken up. He thinks cynically that “love doesn’t exist. Convenience does” (59). He expects to marry someone he dislikes to consolidate wealth and power, like other Lords do. He follows Blakely as she leaves the room. By chance, she ends up in his bedroom; he follows her inside.

Blakely is surprised to see a masked man (whom she does not know is Ryat) follow her into the room. She apologizes and tries to leave, but he stops her, removing her name tag. Though Ryat remains masked, she allows him to remove her clothes, enjoying the feeling of being sexually desired. She is nervous but aroused as Ryat puts a blindfold on her and handcuffs her. She is eager, as she has long felt that sex is something she’s “been missing.”

Ryat performs oral sex on Blakely, keeping his identity hidden. He desires to have penetrative sex with her but refrains, determined to follow the rules of the Lords. He feels smug, certain that one day Matt will still marry Blakely but will know that Blakely had sex with Ryat first.

Blakely ruefully tells Sarah that she doesn’t remember the aftermath of having oral sex with a stranger; she “blacked out” from alcohol overconsumption and woke the next day in her own bed. She hasn’t heard from Matt since their fight at the party, but her mother, Valerie, calls. She heard from Matt’s mother about the argument, as the two mothers are best friends. Valerie insists that Matt and Blakely will still get married after Blakely graduates college, cryptically claiming that “this is an opportunity” before hanging up (72). Blakely assumes Valerie means this is an opportunity to get an expensive gift from Matt, which Blakely considers insufficient to earn her forgiveness.

While walking to class, she senses someone watching her; she looks up to see Ryat staring at her. Blakely feels anxious about not remembering her sexual encounter clearly, as this means that any one of her male classmates could have been her sexual partner. Matt approaches, asking to talk; Blakely flippantly comments that she had sex with someone else to irritate him. When Matt grabs her arm violently, Ryat intervenes. Matt uses sexist slurs to denigrate Blakely for having sex with someone else. Ashley appears and Matt leaves with her. Ryat’s comment that Matt is “over” Blakely reveals him to be her sexual partner from the party. He comments that her being chosen will mean he “own[s]” her, something he believes she desires.

Since the party, Ryat finds himself consumed with thoughts of Blakely. He finds Blakely studying in the library on a Friday night and takes a surreptitious picture of her, which he then sends to her. The message alerts her to his presence; he stands close to her, enjoying her bashfulness when he makes explicit comments about enjoying their sexual encounter. She asks about what it means to be “chosen,” unsure why anyone would agree to do something they don’t fully understand. Though Ryat “sympathize[s]” with her desire to know, he is unwilling to reveal the society’s secrets. However, he admits that he will hurt her, should she choose to be his chosen one, but says that he will “make [her] like it” (81). He doesn’t deny her accusation that he is interested in her primarily due to her past with Matt.

Several days after the encounter in the library, Blakely thinks about Ryat. She finds a vial of liquid on her bed, labelled “drink me.” The picture Ryat took of her in the library rests below the vial. Valerie calls, angry that Blakely “embarrassed [Matt] in front of his peers” (86). She commands that Blakley “not mess this up for the family” and insists Blakely will marry Matt (86). Frustrated with the lack of control she feels over her own life, Blakely drinks the liquid.

Ryat finds Blakely unconscious after taking what he identifies as GHB, or Gamma-hydroxybutyrate, an illicit drug that can impair memory and lower inhibitions. He removes her clothing, thinking of the unusual circumstances regarding Blakely’s status as his directed chosen; typically, chosen ones are not assigned, and they frequently have already dated or are in a romantic relationship. Prior to being instructed to “choose” Blakely, Ryat paid her little attention, though he has since become intrigued by her.

Ryat touches Blakely’s breasts and genitals, causing her to call his name and have an orgasm. Ryat finds it thrilling that Blakely took the drugs without knowing what they were simply because she knew he had given them to her, which he interprets as a “craving to be owned, to be dominated” (89). He leaves behind a card that says “Chosen One.”

Blakely nervously follows the directions on the “Chosen One” card to a run-down cathedral that reminds her of a horror movie. She recognizes that the ritual seems “creepy” but longs for “something new” in her life. She considers all the ways her parents have dictated her life, something she finds “painfully exhausting.” Ryat, by contrast, is an “escape.”

She enters the church, where masked and cloaked figures watch a large tub with a glass side. Women, including Sarah and Ashley, wait in the pews, hands cuffed behind their backs. Ryat cuffs Blakely and drags her toward the altar.

Ryat is pleased when Blakely steps into the tub of water without prompting, seeing it as a sign of her eagerness. The ritual symbolically “cleanses” a chosen one of their past sexual partners and is followed by public sex to demonstrate the Lord’s “claim.” Ryat prompts Blakely to “recite [her] vow” (98). When she does, he pushes her beneath the water and holds her underwater briefly. He guides her through performing rough oral sex. 

Blakely follows Ryat out of the cathedral as he urges her to “be proud,” as he is, of her participation in the ritual. Ryat pulls her against the side of the cathedral, declaring that they “live for” one another now, framing her obedience as traded for his protection. He tells her that, unlike many Lord-chosen relationships, their sexual encounters will always remain private, though he intends to display bruises and bite marks obtained during those encounters. Despite Ryat’s rough treatment, Blakely is aroused and anticipatory.

Ryat likes that Blakely follows his commands as they have penetrative sex. He ejaculates on her body, thinking of how this will demonstrate his “ownership.” He removes her handcuffs, which have been cutting off her circulation, something he frames as Blakely’s fault for saying they were too tight in front of the other Lords, though he admits he was “setting her up to fail” (108); he would have tightened them regardless, as the ritual dictates harsh treatment. Ryat acknowledges privately that he will continue to be harsh with Blakely.

Blakely sits in the passenger seat of her car while Ryat drives, thinking of how she does not regret her choice to become a chosen one, likening it to a form of “freedom,” as she freely decided to undergo the ritual. She feels gratified by Ryat’s clear sexual desire for her. They return to the house of Lords, which is quiet, as the remainder of the society is still at the ritual ceremony. Ryat leads her to his room and instructs her to take a shower in his opulent bathroom.

At Ryat’s command, Blakely lets him look at her naked, unperturbed by the thought that he undressed her while she was under the influence of GHB. He roughly touches her breasts, which Blakely enjoys. He uses hand and ankle cuffs to bind her in an uncomfortable position over the foot of his bed. He uses duct tape to hold her underwear in her mouth while he lectures her on chosen ones’ conduct. He performs brief oral sex on her, laughing at her “unease” about anal sex.

Ryat then returns to the cathedral, where the ritual is ongoing. He sits with Gunner, who has chosen Sarah. Ryat watches the ritual with disinterest as he thinks about his desire for Blakely, whom he has left bound in his room and whom he watches via cameras that connect to his phone. Matt performs the ritual with Ashley, forcing her underwater for so long that Ryat calls a warning to Matt, who angrily removes Ashley from the water. As Ryat returns home, his father calls to congratulate him on “[ending] up” with Blakely and urges him to “do what needs to be done” (122).

Blakely sleeps while Ryat showers, thinking of his difficulty with the past several years of celibacy. Ryat begins having sex with Blakely before she fully wakes. Afterward, he removes her bindings and offers her painkillers, noting Blakely’s disappointment that the pills are not illicit drugs. He reports that they did not have sex the night of the party and offers to show her video of what happened while she was drugged, which excites Blakely. They go to sleep, Ryat surprising himself with his interest in holding Blakely closely.