2. Chapter 2
A n hour later Ophelia, Lennox, and Coyote all sat in the principal’s office. The morning light drifted in through the open windows as she kept her eyes fixed on the grounds. Below her gaze fixed on the chapter houses, people walking in and out, either moving in or meeting with others still blissfully unaware of what had occurred. How am I going to tell everyone? Faces of her friends each with various reactions whipped past her mind’s eye ending with Rue. The images of their faces almost brought Lennox to tears once again.
Her eyes followed the window ledge to the dozens of plants lining the windows where the principal had books tucked between. With a deep breath, she reminded herself of the task at hand. Where was Wyatt? Whoever did this didn’t kidnap him did they? The sound of the man as he shifted beside her broke her thoughts as Coyote sat uncomfortably in his chair. The man was much too tall for it. Tension built within the silence while he quietly watched her face. Both he and Principal Moon sat with their attention on her. It was almost as if no one knew where to start.
“I need you to tell me everything you know and saw.” The werewolf told her matter-of-factly with a hint of compassion layered underneath.
“Have you guys found Wyatt?” The question shot out, worry plain in her eyes.
“Yes, he was found in one of the dorm rooms in the main building. He’s safe.” Coyote confirmed quickly. “I know this is hard, but please. I need to hear your side.”
“When Rue and I arrived at the school yesterday, he told us he and some friends from the main campus were going off for a ghost hunt. I- I know they always drink so I didn’t think it was that suspicious when he texted me to meet a bit later.” She stopped and took another breath. “I went back to sleep… I should have-”
Principal Moon stopped her next words. “If you would have gone a few hours earlier we could have lost you too. There wasn’t anything you could have done, my dear. I’m sorry. ”
The words burned in her mind, denial still strong in her system. There was a long list of things she could have done if she had shown up to Kappa Theta instead of going back to sleep and the three of them knew it. Principal Moon herself had helped when Lennox had begun being summoned by various witches for help, protection. She had watched Lennox take down other demons and creatures when parties became too rowdy. The words that burned like embers sent a wave of anger beneath her calm demeanor .
“I could have saved them.”
“You can’t save everyone, Miss. Cade. something I’ve also had to face the reality of.” The woman’s voice held a deep sadness only someone a millennia old would know.
“I can and I will. Every time.” There was a short pause as the three of them looked between each other again. “You’re more than welcome to check my phone…. Wherever it is.”
“We have it, I just need the code to get in.” Coyote spoke up once more. “You heard nothing after that?”
“No, not a word after that-” She shook her head knowing she would be a suspect until she was cleared. “It’s 7373.”
He nodded before leaning towards Lennox. “Now, tell me everything that happened this morning. Please don’t leave out anything. You never know what could help in a situation like this.”
Lennox started at the beginning, first when she was woken up in the middle of the night to Felix’s text message. The room listened intently, Principal Moon couldn’t seem to hide her emotions as she recounted walking into Kappa Theta. The pools of blood she thought were fake. Screaming for Wyatt and hoping he was okay. Ophelia looked at her in the same way she did when she entered the chapter house. Fear and sympathy was written in the lines of her exhausted gaze. Grief that caused Lennox’s voice to break occasionally. Every word stung, each image so clear in her mind that she had to force herself to not break at the memory of the blood that had stained her only an hour ago.
Coyote seemed much better at hiding how he was feeling as he took notes, but she could still discern the sadness in his eyes. She drifted off her retelling when she made it to her calling for them. She had put up the wall between her emotions and magic before entering the room, knowing that her grief could cause the branches from the trees below to find their way inside. Lennox’s now empty eyes peered at the Principal, as she finished as if she were miles away from the office.
“I’m going to have to ask your housemates to confirm you were in the house all night,” he told her, putting his pen down.
“I understand…”
“We will find who’s done this, I promise you,” Coyote reassured her.
Lennox nodded, “Is that everything you needed?”
“Yes, I think so darling, why don’t you go get some rest?” Principal Moon urged her. “We will inform the Chapter Houses in a bit, I sent word to have Rue meet you at Omega.”
The room fell back into silence as Lennox stood and made her way out of the office. She was more than happy to retreat to the seclusion of her and Rue’s room. She wanted to go back to sleep. Wake up to Felix texting her again, no matter what time it was. Walking back down the empty halls she felt her emotions starting to get the better of her again. Embers of hot anger burnt their way through the walls of her mind.
Her feet stopped just around the corner from an empty classroom and her heart started to race faster than her thoughts. If I had just come to the house at the originally planned time… Maybe this wouldn’t have happened. I could have been there in time. I could have stopped the hunters, they wouldn’t have been prepared for me to show up to check on him. She felt the coolness of the wall behind her, her arms wrapped around her as she slid down. Tears found their way back to her eyes as grief consumed her once more.
There was a familiar deep voice of the god of elemental magics, curses, academics, and necromancy in her mind that spoke, “ You would have been dead as well… Your time is not over. We have much work to do, the people here need you, Little Phoenix.”
Throwing her hands up, she fought with the voice out loud. “I don’t care, I could have done something!”
“No, you couldn’t have-”
“Then what use is my magic, huh?! Why does anything I do matter here?” She yelled loudly over his voice. “Then why am I called for help? It’s all I’ve ever done, help people and I couldn’t even help someone I loved! You promised me at my devotion to keep those I loved safe!”
“From the curse… You are devoted to me for a reason, Lennox. Everything will be revealed in time. The school needs you this year. You have this magic for many reasons, and I will keep you and your loved ones from your curse as is our deal.”
“You didn’t stop Val from breaking our deal early…” She accused the voice, it was a low blow and mostly unrelated, but she couldn’t think straight.
“That was the end of your human life, my child. You were needed here. Now, remember that you represent me. Do not act irrationally. Your rage will lead you down the wrong path. Put your trust in me as you always have, Little Phoenix.”
She paused as the familiar, comforting presence surrounded her, knowing when he called her by the nickname she wasn’t to question what his plans were. Her deal with the voice replayed in her mind’s eye, the promise of devotion she had made to the god for magic back when she was human. She didn’t expect that deal to follow her in death, but it had. He had even come to save her from being stuck in hell after her death.
“I brought you here after I retrieved you from hell, you wanted to study as part of your devotional acts. Now go back to Rue . I will be with you.”
His presence faded away on the next breath. After taking a few minutes to pull herself back together, she stood and made her way back to Omega Alpha. She opened the front door and hoped that everyone would pretend she didn’t exist. Word of her coming home blood stained had to have made its way around the house by now. However, she came back to find Rue sitting on the stairs in the front entranceway, her head in her hands, waiting for Lennox. When she walked through the front door she saw her head shoot up. Rue stood quickly, the same look in her eyes as Principal Moon had earlier.
Lennox stood motionless in the doorway. Her eyes scanned over Rue for any injuries, paranoia taking momentary hold. Her deep golden skin was untouched, unstained from their best friend’s blood, and for a moment it was as if her own hands were still coated. Rue’s chest rose and fell steadily, calming her nerves as the world tumbled in. Neither of them spoke for a moment as Rue closed the distance and slowly wrapped her arms around her.
They paused in the entranceway before she felt a gentle guide from Rue toward the stairs. Without complaint she allowed herself to be directed to the stairs, down the hall and into their room. Rue opened the door and let Lennox go in first and closed the door with a soft click. She was already stopped in the middle of the room when Rue approached and gently pulled Lennox into her arms once more. They both cried, for how long she didn’t know, but she didn’t stop until tears refused to appear.
Rue put her forehead to Lennox’s and ran a hand through her hair. Lennox lifted her eyes to peer into Rue’s dark golden eyes, leaning her head into her palm a little. As the two held their gaze, she could see the tears still forming streaks down the edges of her face.
“I know you think there was something you could have done, but I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you too.”
“You would find happiness again.”
“Not until I destroyed whoever tried to hurt you.” Rue’s voice dipped lower, a threat.
“As I would you… But I don’t think I could ever love someone like I love you.” Lennox let her hand drift to Rue’s waist, pulling her closer. She was safe, here in her arms.
“You would, I’d want you to.” Rue’s hand slid to the small of her back, returning the desire for closeness.
Lennox paused, not wanting to think of a life without Rue. “The real question is who did this?”
“We will find out, love.”
“I swear, I will personally drag whoever took him from us to hell… If it’s the last thing I do,” She vowed venomously.
Nodding in agreement Rue held Lennox still, neither of them letting go. She could feel the deep sadness emanating off of her, and knew that this also wasn’t the first time she had lost someone she considered family. Now a broken family of what once was five now down to four.
“Did you tell Rosalyn?” Lennox asked, voice breaking.
“I called her, she and the others will be on the grounds in the next couple of hours.”
“Thank you… I- I don’t know if I could have been the one…”
“I know, but you’ve been through enough today. Someone has to care for you once in a while.”
Lennox paused, watching the sad smile cross Rue’s face. “You don’t have to hide how much this hurts from me.” Lennox whispered.
“You don’t have to either.” Rue led her over to the bed and put her hands on her knees as she bent down to sit. “You don’t have to hide from me.”