Chains and Shadows

Scarlett Carver's life is defined by absence—of memory, of freedom, of self. Once a girl running wild in the sun, she's now a caged woman, locked away by her powerful family for her own "protection." Years pass in isolation, her only companions the ghosts of four boys she can't quite remember. When she's finally released, it's not for her own sake, but to serve her family's vendetta: infiltrate, seduce, and destroy the men known as the Four Horsemen. Scarlett's return to London is a rebirth into a world of power, secrets, and predatory men. Her mission is clear, but her heart and mind are fractured, haunted by the shadows of a past she can't reclaim, and the chains of a future she doesn't want.

The Four Become Gods

Prescott, Drake, Francis, and West—once boys, now gods in suits—have built an empire from nothing, their ruthlessness earning them the moniker "The Four Horsemen." Each man is a force: Prescott the charming infection, Drake the cold CEO, Francis the calculating financier, and West the violent enforcer. Together, they are untouchable, feared, and worshipped in equal measure. Their bond is forged in shared trauma and ambition, their power maintained by a strict code of loyalty and secrecy. But beneath the surface, old wounds fester, and the arrival of a new player threatens to unravel the delicate balance they've created. The world is not ready for their brand of carnage.

A Lamb Among Wolves

Tasked with infiltrating Fortuity, Scarlett steps into the world of the Horsemen under the guise of a job interview. Her nerves are raw, her memories unreliable, but her resolve is steely. The men she faces are more than legends—they are magnetic, dangerous, and strangely familiar. Each interaction is a test, every glance a power play. Scarlett's innocence is both her shield and her weapon, but she quickly learns that survival among wolves requires more than just a pretty face and a tragic past. The game has begun, and the stakes are higher than she ever imagined.

Interview with the Devil

Scarlett's interview with Drake is a psychological duel. He is intimidating, unreadable, and yet something in his gaze stirs echoes of a forgotten intimacy. She answers his questions with practiced poise, but beneath the surface, she is unraveling. Drake senses her secrets, probing for weakness, but also for strength. The interview is more than a job assessment—it's an initiation, a test of whether Scarlett can survive in a world where trust is currency and vulnerability is fatal. By the end, both are left unsettled, aware that something significant has shifted between them.

Games of Power

As Scarlett navigates her new role, the dynamics among the Horsemen simmer with rivalry and suppressed desire. Prescott's charm masks a predatory hunger, West's volatility threatens to explode, Francis's control is slipping, and Drake's detachment is a mask for deeper wounds. Their interactions with Scarlett are laced with flirtation, intimidation, and a dangerous curiosity. Each man sees something different in her—a threat, a prize, a ghost from the past. The power games intensify, drawing Scarlett deeper into their orbit, even as she tries to maintain her own agenda.

The Trap Is Set

Scarlett's induction into Fortuity is a baptism by fire. The men test her boundaries, pushing her to reveal her true self. She is both prey and potential predator, learning to read the subtle cues of dominance and submission that govern the Horsemen's world. Meanwhile, the men themselves are plotting—Scarlett is not the only one with secrets. Their plan to reclaim what was lost, to punish those who wronged them, is set in motion. Scarlett is both a pawn and a wildcard, her presence destabilizing the careful equilibrium of power.

First Day, First Blood

The office is a battlefield, and Scarlett quickly learns that every gesture, every word, is a move in a larger game. Prescott's flirtation is a test, West's aggression a warning, Francis's guidance a lure, and Drake's silence a challenge. Scarlett's own instincts—sharpened by years of captivity—serve her well, but she is not immune to the allure of danger. The men's darkness is seductive, and Scarlett finds herself drawn to it, even as she fears what it might awaken in her. The first blood is drawn—not literal, but emotional, as boundaries are crossed and lines are blurred.

The Past Bleeds Through

Scarlett's nights are plagued by dreams she can't decipher—voices, laughter, pain, and longing. The Horsemen are at the center of these visions, their faces shifting between childhood innocence and adult menace. As she grows closer to them, fragments of her past begin to surface, blurring the line between memory and fantasy. The men, too, are haunted by what was lost, their own trauma binding them to Scarlett in ways they can't fully understand. The past is not dead; it is bleeding into the present, threatening to consume them all.

The Pact of Predators

United by their shared obsession with Scarlett, the Horsemen form a pact: she will be theirs, one way or another. Their methods are ruthless—seduction, manipulation, psychological warfare. Each man brings his own brand of darkness to the table, and together they are unstoppable. Scarlett senses the shift, feeling the weight of their attention like a noose tightening around her neck. She is no longer just an infiltrator; she is the object of a collective hunger that will not be denied. The rules of the game have changed, and Scarlett must adapt or be destroyed.

Seduction and Submission

The tension between Scarlett and the Horsemen erupts into physicality. West is the first to claim her, his violence both terrifying and exhilarating. The experience is raw, overwhelming, and transformative—Scarlett discovers a side of herself she never knew existed, a hunger that matches their own. The other men follow, each encounter a lesson in power, pleasure, and pain. Scarlett's submission is not weakness, but a form of agency—she learns to wield her desirability as a weapon, even as she risks losing herself in the process.

The Taste of Violence

The Horsemen's world is one of extremes—sex, violence, loyalty, and betrayal. Scarlett is initiated into their rituals, her body and mind pushed to the brink. The men's kinks are dark, their appetites insatiable, but beneath the brutality lies a twisted form of care. Scarlett is both cherished and corrupted, her innocence a canvas for their depravity. The lines between love and hate, pleasure and pain, blur until they are indistinguishable. Scarlett is changed, marked by the Horsemen in ways that cannot be undone.

The Price of Protection

When Mason, Scarlett's only friend and protector, turns violent, she seeks refuge with the Horsemen. Her plea for protection is met with a chilling ultimatum: loyalty must be proven with blood. The men demand a sacrifice, a test of her willingness to become one of them. Scarlett is faced with an impossible choice—betray her last tie to her old life, or lose the only chance at freedom she has left. The price of protection is steep, and Scarlett must decide how far she is willing to go to survive.

Nightmares and Desires

Scarlett's nightmares intensify, merging with her waking desires. The Horsemen's influence seeps into her psyche, awakening a darkness that mirrors their own. She becomes complicit in her own corruption, craving the pain and pleasure they offer. The men, in turn, are changed by her presence—old wounds are reopened, vulnerabilities exposed. The balance of power shifts, and Scarlett finds herself both prisoner and queen, her fate entwined with the men she was sent to destroy.

The Dance of Control

The Horsemen's unity begins to fracture as their feelings for Scarlett deepen. Jealousy, rivalry, and old resentments bubble to the surface, threatening to tear them apart. Scarlett learns to navigate the shifting tides, playing the men against each other even as she is played in turn. The dance of control is dangerous, and one misstep could mean ruin for them all. Trust is a luxury none can afford, and betrayal is always just a heartbeat away.

The Breaking Point

The weight of secrets, lies, and trauma becomes unbearable. Scarlett's memories begin to return in flashes—painful, beautiful, and damning. The Horsemen are forced to confront the consequences of their actions, both past and present. Old loyalties are tested, and new bonds are forged in the crucible of suffering. Scarlett's breakdown is both a reckoning and a release, a moment of vulnerability that changes everything. The men must decide whether to protect her or destroy her, and Scarlett must choose who she truly is.

The Test of Loyalty

The Horsemen present Scarlett with a final test: to prove her loyalty, she must kill Mason, the man who once protected her. The demand is both a punishment and a rite of passage, a way to sever her last connection to her old life. Scarlett is horrified, but she understands that refusal means death—either literal or metaphorical. The men watch, their faces masks of expectation and desire. The knife in her hand is heavy with meaning, and the choice she makes will define her forever.

Blood on Her Hands

In a moment of agony and clarity, Scarlett plunges the knife into Mason's chest, crossing the final threshold into the Horsemen's world. The act is both a sacrifice and a liberation, a declaration of allegiance and a surrender of innocence. The men accept her as one of their own, their queen of carnage. Scarlett is no longer a lamb among wolves—she is a wolf herself, bloodied and unbowed. The past is dead, the future uncertain, but for the first time, Scarlett is truly free.

Characters

Scarlett Carver

Scarlett is a woman defined by absence—of memory, of freedom, of self. Raised in isolation after a traumatic accident, she is sent into the world of the Four Horsemen as both a weapon and a sacrifice. Her journey is one of transformation: from caged innocence to complicit darkness, from prey to predator. Scarlett's relationships with the Horsemen are complex—she is drawn to their power and danger, even as she fears what they might awaken in her. Her psychological arc is one of reclamation and surrender, as she learns to wield her own darkness and embrace the parts of herself she was taught to fear. Ultimately, Scarlett is both victim and victor, her fate entwined with the men she was sent to destroy.

Prescott Ellis

Prescott is the face of Fortuity, a man whose charm is as deadly as his ambition. He thrives on control, seduction, and the power to corrupt. Beneath his polished exterior lies a deep well of pain and longing, particularly for Scarlett, who represents both his greatest loss and his ultimate desire. Prescott's relationship with the other Horsemen is fraught with rivalry and loyalty—he is both their glue and their greatest threat. His psychological complexity lies in his need to possess and protect, to destroy and to save. Prescott's arc is one of self-revelation, as he confronts the consequences of his own darkness and the possibility of redemption through love.

Drake Ackley

Drake is the CEO, the mastermind, the man who never lets his mask slip. His intelligence is matched only by his emotional detachment, a defense mechanism forged in trauma. Drake's fascination with Scarlett is both intellectual and visceral—she is a puzzle he longs to solve, a weakness he cannot afford. His relationships with the other Horsemen are defined by respect and tension; he is their leader, but also their equal. Drake's psychological journey is one of vulnerability, as Scarlett's presence forces him to confront the parts of himself he has long denied. His arc is about the cost of control and the danger of letting go.

Francis Beaufort

Francis is the numbers man, the one who keeps the empire running smoothly. Outwardly calm and collected, he hides a deep well of depravity and self-loathing. Francis's relationship with Scarlett is tinged with guilt and longing—he sees in her both a chance for redemption and a mirror of his own brokenness. Among the Horsemen, he is often the voice of reason, but his own darkness is never far from the surface. Francis's psychological struggle is with his conscience, as he battles between the desire to protect and the urge to destroy. His arc is about acceptance—of himself, of Scarlett, and of the world they inhabit.

West Greer

West is the Horseman of War, a man whose rage is both his weapon and his curse. His relationship with Scarlett is the most volatile—he loves her with a ferocity that borders on obsession, but his violence threatens to consume them both. West's psychological wounds run deep, rooted in loss, betrayal, and a desperate need for connection. Among the Horsemen, he is both feared and pitied, his unpredictability a constant threat. West's arc is one of self-destruction and rebirth, as he learns to channel his violence into something resembling love, and to accept the possibility of forgiveness.

Mason Jones

Mason is Scarlett's only friend and confidant, a man tasked with protecting her but ultimately destroyed by the forces he cannot control. His relationship with Scarlett is one of genuine care, but also of possessiveness and resentment. Mason's psychological arc is one of decline—his inability to save Scarlett, and his own descent into violence, make him both a victim and a perpetrator. His death at Scarlett's hands is both a mercy and a tragedy, a symbol of the cost of survival in a world ruled by predators.

Stuart and Phoebe Carver

Scarlett's adoptive parents are the unseen puppeteers, orchestrating her mission and controlling her fate. Their love is conditional, their protection a cage. They represent the old world—the world of secrets, lies, and generational trauma. Their psychological hold on Scarlett is profound, shaping her sense of self and her understanding of loyalty. Ultimately, they are the true villains of the story, their quest for vengeance costing Scarlett her innocence and nearly her soul.

Tonya

Tonya is the Horsemen's assistant, a woman who knows more than she lets on. Her role is minor but significant—she is both a gatekeeper and a witness, her fear of the men she serves a reflection of their true nature. Tonya's psychological arc is one of survival; she navigates the dangerous waters of Fortuity with caution, aware that one misstep could mean her end.

Annika

Annika is Drake's former PA, the woman who trains Scarlett and serves as her initial guide into the world of Fortuity. Her presence is brief but important—she represents the "normal" world Scarlett is leaving behind, and her departure marks Scarlett's full initiation into the Horsemen's domain.

Ash Bykov and Quinn Knox

Ash and Quinn are clients and potential allies, their own polyamorous relationship serving as a dark mirror to the Horsemen's dynamic with Scarlett. Their presence in the story highlights the themes of power, desire, and the blurred lines between love and control.

Plot Devices

Duality of Predator and Prey

The central plot device is the inversion of roles—Scarlett begins as a lamb among wolves, but through a series of psychological and physical trials, she becomes a wolf herself. The Horsemen, too, are both predators and victims, their power masking deep wounds. This duality is explored through shifting perspectives, unreliable narration, and the constant blurring of boundaries between love and violence, submission and agency.

Memory as Weapon and Wound

Scarlett's lost memories are both a plot engine and a source of tension. Flashbacks, dreams, and triggered recollections are used to foreshadow key revelations and to deepen the emotional stakes. The Horsemen's own memories of the past—of Scarlett, of their shared trauma—drive their actions and shape their relationships. The interplay between forgetting and remembering is central to the story's structure and its emotional impact.

Power Dynamics and Psychological Games

The narrative is structured around a series of escalating power games—between Scarlett and the Horsemen, among the men themselves, and between Scarlett and her family. Seduction is both a weapon and a vulnerability, with each character using sex, violence, and psychological manipulation to achieve their goals. The use of contracts, ultimatums, and tests of loyalty (culminating in the demand that Scarlett kill Mason) are key plot devices that drive the story forward and force the characters to reveal their true selves.

Foreshadowing and Symbolism

The use of the Four Horsemen as both a literal and symbolic presence is woven throughout the narrative. Each man embodies an aspect of the apocalypse—pestilence, war, famine, death—and their actions mirror these roles. The recurring motifs of chains, cages, blood, and sacrifice foreshadow the story's climax and reinforce its themes of destruction and rebirth.

Nonlinear Structure and Multiple Perspectives

The story is told through a nonlinear structure, with frequent shifts in perspective and time. This allows for a deeper exploration of each character's psychology and for the gradual revelation of key secrets. The use of flashbacks, dreams, and internal monologues creates a sense of disorientation and suspense, mirroring Scarlett's own fractured sense of self.

Analysis

Sarah Bailey's Carnage is a dark, psychological romance that interrogates the nature of power, trauma, and transformation. At its core, the novel is about the cost of survival in a world ruled by predators—how innocence is both a liability and a weapon, and how the line between victim and perpetrator is always shifting. Scarlett's journey from caged lamb to bloodied wolf is both a cautionary tale and a celebration of agency; her willingness to embrace her own darkness is what ultimately saves her, even as it damns her. The Horsemen, for all their brutality, are also victims—of loss, of love, of a world that rewards ruthlessness. The novel's exploration of memory, identity, and the seductive allure of violence is both timely and timeless, offering a meditation on the ways we are shaped by our past and the choices we make to survive. In the end, Carnage is less about the destruction of others and more about the destruction—and reconstruction—of the self. It asks: What are we willing to become in order to be free? And is freedom worth the price of our own humanity?

Last updated: September 17, 2025