Chapter 29 Riley
Riley
Izipped up my overnight bag, sitting down next to it on River’s bed. Beau jumped up on the bed, a book between his teeth. He dropped it in my lap, nudging his nose against my shoulder. I picked up the book, examining the cover.
You think I’ll have time to read while I’m in Napa Valley.
He sighed. For the car ride.
I scratched underneath his chin. Good thinking. Although, I have a feeling I’m too in my head to even pay attention to a book right now.
But this one has cowboys.
A laugh erupted from my throat. I didn’t know you could read.
He laid down and rolled over, so he exposed his stomach to me, his tail wagging between his open legs. You also weren’t aware you could talk to me either. We learn new things every day, Mom.
I ran my hand along his belly, hearing the door open. Asher came in, leaning against the doorway.
“Your witch friend is here.”
“She has a name.”
He continued to stare at me, unamused. I challenged his stare and then when he finally conceded, he groaned. “Corrin is here. Better?”
I smiled a little. “Good boy, much better.”
Hopping off the bed, I grabbed my bag which he immediately took from me, hooking it over his shoulder. Beau raced past him and barreled down the stairs. Asher stopped me from walking any further. “Don’t call me that. I’m not your shadow wielder. I’m not your good boy.”
I hummed, tapping his chest. “So what? Are you, my sir?”
“Is that what you want?” he questioned, leaning down towards my face.
I lifted on my toes and kissed his lips softly.
Pulling away, I turned so I could walk backwards out of the room.
“I believe in mutual respect, so if that’s what you want then well, I’d have to say yes, that’s absolutely what I want.
” I flipped my braids over my shoulder and hurried down the stairs.
The squeal that came from Corrin’s lips was unnatural as she ran over to me, squeezing me hard. “Are you ready?!”
“Is this supposed to be a fun trip or an informative one?” Grayson asked, stuffing his hands in his pockets.
Corrin tapped her chin. “That’s a mystery, but honestly, I can make anything fun.”
Beau whined at her feet, circling her and looking at the front door. Asher came down the stairs, the minute I let Beau outside. Jade leaned against her car, sunglasses propped on her nose and a big smile on her face the minute she saw my familiar.
“Ah! Mi amor!” She got down to his level and scratched behind his ears.
We walked outside, Jade taking my bag from Asher and Beau jumping into the backseat.
“You call us the minute you get there.” River said this like it was a fact.
“Call you when I get to the hotel or the mysterious woman’s house?”
“All of it,” they all said in unison. It stunned me to hear them agree completely on something.
Corrin and Jade giggled behind me, pressing their lips together and trying not to make eye contact with me when I peeked over my shoulder at them.
I shook my head, giving them each a kiss on the cheek before I rounded the front of the car to the passenger seat. River jogged over, leaning against the open window. “I mean it, gorgeous. I don’t hear from you and I will find you.”
“Just say yes to the hot man, please.” Corrin pleaded, turning on her car.
I snuck a glance at the others standing on the opposite side of the car as if they were waiting for my answer as well. River waited patiently for my response. I ran my hand through his hair and Beau barked loudly.
“Yes, I’ll call.”
“That’s a good girl.” He leaned forward and kissed me quickly. “Take care of her. Both of you.”
“You got it!” Jade answered from the back seat.
“You have the cutest toe beans, did you know that?” Jade asked Beau who simply licked her cheek and panted.
Corrin looked in her rearview mirror at them and chuckled. She lightly shoved my shoulder. “Are you prepared with what you’re going to say?”
I chewed on the inside of my cheek as I scrolled my phone. “Not in the slightest. How do you start that kind of conversation, while also just completely dismissing the fact that your brother went FBI level hunting to find her?”
“We can leave that part out.” She shrugged nonchalantly, changing lanes. “She did some sneaky shit too, so really she has no room to judge.”
“Well, when you put it like that…” I started to say sarcastically before my phone vibrated in my hand. My mom’s name appeared on my screen.
I answered, putting her on speaker. “Hey, Mom.”
“Hi honey, why is there an echo sound? Where are you?”
“Um, Corrin, Jade and I are driving to Napa Valley.”
My mom was silent on the other side of the line. “Napa Valley?”
My eyes met Corrin’s and then I looked in the back to meet Jade’s. The wolf shifter widened her eyes at me as if to say, well fucking tell her.
“We are going to see Teresa Lowe. Or Teresa Fowler, or whatever.”
“Riley!”
I reduced the volume on my phone. “It’s all very spontaneous okay. I’m sorry I’m just telling you now, but mom, just listen to me.”
“Riley, that woman wants nothing to do with us. I’ve told you, she didn’t like me then and I’m sure she will think the same about you.
I don’t understand what you think you’ll achieve.
You are trying to separate yourself from that man, but it seems like you are just getting closer in a different way. ”
I rubbed the side of my head. “I know, I know. Mom, if she didn’t like you very much then why was she involved in getting you my necklace.”
“What do you mean?” She sounded genuinely surprised.
“I know you went to Samia to get my necklace made and she sent you to Evie Malcolm. She was a part of Celica, Mom.” I explained everything I knew and she listened, like she always did, without interrupting me.
When I was done, she waited a moment before speaking, “I just trusted Samia since she was who everyone had always recommended when it came to dampeners and other things. Your father is the one who told me about her, since he’d learned some things from the students.
When she said she couldn’t help me, I was determined to find someone who could.
Your powers would only get stronger and despite thinking that Erik was gone, I just didn’t want to risk anything.
I never interacted with any of the other witches from the coven, just him, so when Samia brought in Evie, I trusted her.
She was sweet and wanted to help. I was just so determined to get you situated that I didn’t see what was going on. ”
Corrin jumped in. “Riley’s necklace was a super powerful tool that kept her magic in place for years. Teresa had to have known Evie was involved in something like that. She would have wanted to know what it was for and who, just in case any backlash fell onto the coven.”
The sound of pacing filled my phone. “Understandable, I guess. Honey, I truly don’t know why she would give the okay if she knew it was for me. Maybe she did have a heart somewhere deep, deep down. Or maybe she knew it would continue to keep me away from her…” She sighed.
I bit my thumbnail. “Mom, if you had such a past with Mystic Riegan, why did Dad work there? Why weren’t you way more adamant about me not going, even if you thought Chancellor Fowler was gone?”
“Your dad had been working there and he loved it. He was always so proud of what he did and if anything ever seemed off to him, he told me he would say something. And you,” she took a moment to consider her words, “your dad’s death almost destroyed both of us and as nervous as I was, you were an adult.
You were going to head off into the school whether I truly liked it or not.
I really don’t think explaining my past would have stopped you.
You just might have been a bit more cautious. ”
“Probably not,” Jade mumbled under her breath.
I gave her an annoyed look over my shoulder, noticing that Beau was throwing me his judgmental face.
“Are you really sure you want to talk to her?” my mom asked, her voice a little shaky.
Before I could respond, Corrin cut me off. “Don’t worry, Mrs. Monroe. We’ve got her.”
I gave her a small smile and she drummed her fingers on the steering wheel, dodging through traffic.
My mom let out a small laugh. “I’ll have to take your word for it, but honey, please text or call me when you get there.”
Jade stifled a laugh. “Wow, you sound like all of Riley’s boyfriends.”
“Riley’s what?”
I choked on air and struggled to find words. “Umm…hey Mom, you are cutting out. I’ll call you later, love you, always and always.” I hung up and immediate laughter filled the car at my expense.
I leaned my head back against the headrest. “I’m happy you guys can enjoy a good laugh or two.”
Jade leaned forward, placing her hands on my shoulders. “Necesitas relajarte. Breathe in, breathe out. Stewing in the car will solve nothing. Once we get to the hotel, we can figure out what the plan is.”
“Thirty more minutes to go!” Corrin shouted, suddenly breaking behind a car that randomly decided to stop and pressing on her horn.
She shook her head, while I reached for the dashboard.
“I also had lots of fun making your little mind potion. I still can’t get flavors to be super tasty, but it should help keep your beautiful brain safe for the trip. ”
“Thanks. I appreciate that and you.”
She winked at me, immediately putting her eyes back on the road.
Jade popped up into my periphery vision, causing me to turn my head and realize she situated herself onto the center console.
“Mateo told me they’re going to invite your boyfriends to Marth Moon.
Is that to keep an eye on them on our territory?
Probably. Anything goes down, there are enough people around to help.
” She poked my cheek and sunk back into her seat.
“You guys are like a part of our family now.”
Beau jumped up and licked my face. I wiped the wetness from my skin but found myself laughing just a small bit.
My heart hurt for a moment, realizing that Marianne would have loved this.
The car ride, the laughs, the unknown for what was ahead.
I casually looked at Corrin and Jade, considering that even though I didn’t have Marianne— I had them.