Page 37 of A Lesson in Deceit
“It burned her.” Ike finished; his voice was softer.
“What?!” I pressed, reaching for her hands to find where she was hurt.
Corrin slapped my hands away. “I’m a healing witch, I’m totally fine. Shit, hurt like a bitch though. I dropped the glass in there and it flew out landing right back on the table and the boiling water just kind of shot out, landed all over my fucking hand.”
I placed my hand over my heart. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked you to do any of this.”
My roommate giggled. “Seriously calm down. As much as it hurt, it was fascinating. If this magic is angry, I would kill to see who its owner is. Magic is a bond and the more emotions you put into it, the more it grows, shapes and forms.”
I tried to laugh with her, but a realization stopped me. “So telekinesis would likely mean my dad was pushed…”
Corrin’s voice got small. “Seems that way.”
I sent a half-hearted smile in her direction, happy that at least I was getting some truth from this.
“We can knock out shifters as your list of suspects. Their ability to change takes over way too much of their DNA, they wouldn’t be able to take on any other powers,” Ike explained, when I’m sure my face was confused.
“I’m guessing it couldn’t be a student either. I mean, if it holds more powers than any normal magic wielder has, no student could do something like that. Isn’t that the whole reason they come to Mystic Riegan, to enhance and learn?” I offered, chewing on the inside of my cheek.
Corrin tapped her fingernails on the table. “Sort of. Not all on their own. If you have a teacher that’s willing to help you, mold you and pretty much manipulate you then sure it can happen. You are usually learning your inherent skill and maybe something additional that offsets what you already have, but not an entire array of powers. No one wants to entrust that much power to a fucking twenty-year-old. Highly unlikely, but sure, why not. I will say my guess isn’t a student, but faculty or even higher.”
My mind went back to River’s dad being named as a witness on the police report. I hated thinking the worst, but I had to look at all the options.
“I wouldn’t completely say they are out of the equation in some way, Corrin. Tell her.” Ike nudged his sister’s shoulder.
Corrin played with her earlobe as if she was trying to decide how to say what she wanted. “A few witches are missing.”
“Missing?” I noticed another stool underneath the table, so I pulled that out and sat down.
“Yeah, we don’t know if it’s super serious or something; I mean it’s college, people go off and do whatever they want, but it’s a little alarming.” She tried to laugh it off, but I could tell she was concerned.
“What’s a few?”
Ike blew out a breath. “Two so far. Not enough to make the coven on high alert, but two too many to not go out with a buddy at night kind of thing.”
“And is the school doing anything?”
Ike and Corrin both rolled their eyes. “The school doesn’t want to cause a fuss about it. We just know because people talk, especially witches and since it’s my own coven, well, I’m kind of privy to that information.”
I reached for the weighing paper, sliding it and the glass shard over to me, prepared to put it in my bag. “Okay, you’ve done enough. I didn’t want to put anyone at risk of something and this just solidified that.”
Corrin pressed her fingers to the other side of the paper, sliding it back over. “I want to help. If it isn’t a little scary then it’s not worth the risk.” She took her glasses off, handing them to her brother for him to use his shirt to clean them for her.
“What my sister is saying is that you’re stuck with her.” Ike laughed, shaking his head as he lifted his shirt and cleaned each lens. “Which means I guess you’re stuck with both of us.” Corrin snatched her glasses from him, smiling.
A knock sounded at the door and Jax jumped into Corrin’s lap. Her mom peeked her head in. “Food’s ready. Are you staying for dinner, Riley?”
I scratched my head but heard my stomach grumble. “Um, yeah. I would like that.”
Corrin lifted her cat up and made apspspssound. “Are you ready for dinner, baby Jax?”
I followed them out of the shed, stopping when a spotted bird came flying at us, landing on Ike’s shoulder. Ike looked at the bird and smiled. “This is Ted.”
Corrin cackled. “Only you would name your familiar Ted.” Ted made a noise at her and flew into the house when she opened the door. It smelled like a dream when I stepped inside.
“You said on the day we met that your dad wasn’t a witch, right?” I knew she had mentioned a long line of witches in her family.
Ike answered, “Dad is a shifter.”
