Chapter 38 Riley
Riley
EARLIER
My dad’s office had been completely changed and the longer I sat in here, the more I wanted to rip the wallpaper apart and flip the desk over.
I would relish watching all of Lena’s ugly figurines break into a million pieces on the ground.
I looked down at my phone and saw multiple texts from the guys.
RIVER
If you get uncomfortable just leave. I’ll come pick you up. Asher might not love it, but it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission.
I stifled my laugh, not wanting to alarm the liaison while she shuffled some papers, getting my file together.
GRAYSON
I’ll be waiting for you later, okay? You want out of this meeting and I’ll shadow you out of there. Fuck the school rules.
A small smile crept onto my face.
ASHER
You know how to be sassy and annoyingly frustrating so just do that and I’m sure Lena will regret ever having to meet with you. You are so much stronger than you think.
My eyebrows furrowed with my mixed emotions.
Corrin had messaged telling me that everything was in place and I should just go about my school day as normal.
I’d gotten three calls from my mom, all of which resulted in her trying not to cry.
She trusted me and I had been surprised that the minute I’d blurted out that I’d killed someone, she didn’t make a sound.
It was almost like she knew something like that was inevitable, but her soothing words to me about how yet again none of this was my fault, echoed in my head.
“Okay, Riley, sorry about that. I just wanted to make sure I had everything I needed.” Lena smiled at me with all her teeth and she already had me on edge. She scanned her eyes down the paper in front of her. “How are you settling with your powers?”
“Fine,” I said, looking right at her and swiveling my dampener ring around my finger.
“I highly doubt that based on what I’ve been told. No mishaps or confusion?”
I scowled at her. “Nope.”
Lena hummed, looking down at her papers again. “I’m just trying to help. Based on what he’s told me, you recently gained your powers again, so I would assume you’ve had some trouble.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Some trouble? Is that what he’s calling it?”
She blinked over at me, innocently. “He’s concerned about you. The fact that the chancellor is hiding the fact that you’re his daughter is quite nice of him. I am sure you’re trying to maintain as much of a stable existence as you can, but that kind of outing would make it harder.”
“Are you trying to get me to give him some kind of sympathy?” I asked, leaning back against the couch.
She pursed her lips. “Well, of course not, but cutting him some slack could be good for you. He understands your powers, things those boys could never understand.”
“How the fuck do you know about them?” My shoulders tensed as I tilted my chin towards her.
“Of course, they aren’t in your file, but Chancellor Fowler made sure to let me know everything I needed to before our meeting.
We don’t have to talk about them if you don’t want to.
” Her voice was calm and collected. I felt something change in the air just a bit, like an overwhelming sense of peace.
The feeling was abrupt and my body started to relax but the sudden difference felt foreign. I rolled my neck and tried to shake it off. I took in a breath and focused on her. Her expression was one that exuded patience, like she was happy to wait for this rush of relaxation to take me over.
“The fuck are you doing to me?”
She sighed. “I felt you getting a little hostile so I just made it better. I want to be your friend, Riley. Your father won’t be happy with me if I don’t make sure you make progress here.”
“He’s not my…”
“I’ve been told you are having your first Celica meeting today, that must be exciting. Getting to know your fellow witches while you are struggling to figure things out will be very helpful. Are you nervous about seeing them? Anxiety is quite common when presenting yourself to new people.”
“What the actual fuck are you—” A wave of that feeling hit me again and I wanted to slump back into the couch. Her words were sounding more appealing, and I could have been lulled to sleep by them.
“I think it might be best after the meeting for you to start coming to see me maybe twice a week, just until you are fully in a routine with them. Also, as long as your lips are sealed, so are ours. The coven doesn’t need to know how much superiority you have over them. Being humble is a wonderful attribute.”
I rubbed the side of my head. “Yeah…I guess…”
“So, let’s talk classes. I see you’re an English major. How is that going?” She smiled at me again with all her teeth and I almost wanted to smile back, but I looked off to the side.
I zeroed in on the window, an influx of memories flooding my mind.
I remembered taking the potion Corrin had made, I’d seen what I now knew was Chancellor Fowler pushing my dad out a window and I heard Corrin screaming for me while I tried to focus.
This office may have changed, but that window and what it represented didn’t. I blinked, shaking my shoulders.
I gripped one of my backpack straps and started to get up, right as Lena went to repeat her question to me. “Riley, our session isn’t over.”
I shook my head, the weight of the soothing feeling leaving my body in waves. “Yes, it is.”
“You need to stay and talk,” she insisted, her powers trying to pull me in and the need to go back to the couch and rest was strong.
I waved my hands in front of me as if I was slapping away the mood she was trying to set.
“I’m done. This meeting was a stipulation, and now we’ve had it.
” I tugged my backpack over my shoulders and leveled my gaze at her.
“Try to keep me here and you’ll see how fast this ring comes off and how easily your spine snaps in half.
” I had no idea where that had come from but I wasn’t taking it back.
Lena didn’t look alarmed, but she lifted her chin towards her door. “You really are your father’s daughter.”
PRESENT
Corrin pulled me along through the woods, realizing how much I was starting to dread the idea of having to face this head on.
“Listen, no one is in the dark about things, Riley. We know where everyone is and they’re accounted for. Lighten up. I’ve got you.” She squeezed my arm and gave me a hopeful smile.
I attempted to give her one back, but I could feel how strained it was.
I heard laughing up ahead and eventually a large group of people came into my view.
I felt a chill down my spine, but not so much that I needed to be on high alert, but like I was being watched and protected.
I glanced over, past Corrin, in the direction I would have bet money that Grayson was.
I didn’t see anything, but I knew I was right. I looked away just to be met with three witches walking up to us. I wasn’t intimidated but I had a feeling they wanted me to be.
“Seth, Geena, Olivia,” Corrin said, casually pointing to each of them and then looking back at me. “This is my best friend, Riley. She’s new to the coven…”
“Oh, we know.” The girl in the middle, Geena, crossed her arms over her chest and gave me a once over.
Corrin clucked her tongue and pulled at one of her tight curls.
“Right. I’m sure Jamie already filled you guys in.
” On the car ride over, Corrin had told me as much as she could about her coven, including the interim coven leader, Jamie, who she liked but didn’t really think twice about disobeying her orders if need be.
Geena quickly snuck a glance over to the girl at her left, Olivia, before giving me her eyes again. “Mm, that’s not it. We were at the meeting when you went berserk. What a way to show off your powers, truly what a show.”
I almost started looking around to see who she was talking to. I hadn’t even said a word to them and she already had some kind of attitude towards me. “I’m sorry, is there some kind of issue?”
Corrin stepped between us and laughed awkwardly. “It’s Riley’s first day so just lay off, okay?”
A tall female approached us, a curious look in her eye. “Everything’s okay over here. We are about to begin.” She smiled over at me. “Ah, Riley, yes? I’m so happy you could join us.”
“Keep an eye on her, Jamie. Undisciplined witches are the fucking worst,” Geena snickered, biting her bottom lip.
“What is your problem?” I demanded, pointing my finger at the witch.
Jamie raised her hands up, trying to diffuse the situation. “Riley, Geena, let’s just both calm down and discuss whatever this is after the meeting. This coven is a family, remember?” She sounded so secure in her response, like she knew this was the most educated thing she could say at the moment.
Geena sauntered over to me, getting way too close for my liking.
“Yes, and family protects each other, which is why you being here doesn’t really sit right with me.
Simply being a witch doesn’t grant you access to Celica and based on what you did.
I’d think you need more education in your own skills, but here you are putting us in danger.
” She tsked, her lips coming together in a smirk.
“Focusing on this rather than that delicious boyfriend of yours would do you good.”
I could have sworn my fucking eye twitched at her mention of River. What the fuck did he have to do with this? “I’m here to maybe get help with said powers you seem to be so scared of. You don’t know me so why the fuck are you bringing up any aspect of my life right now?”
Corrin took Geena by the shoulder and lightly pushed her away from me. “Geena, back off. Fuck.”