Page 58 of A Lesson in Deceit
His eyes narrowed. “Also, really broad.”
“How so?”
He searched around him, plucking his bookmark off the ground and placing it between the pages of his novel. “The school was founded by witches, so that part of its history would be in nearly every book you look into. The oldest ones are over there.” His lips pushed out a bit as if he was using them to point, pushing his chin up towards the bookshelves behind me.
That wasn’t anywhere on the school’s website, so it was news to me. Maybe I didn’t need a book to tell me the things I needed to know. I walked the rest of the way over to him, taking my backpack off and sitting down beside him. “So witches take up the majority of the student body, I assume.”
He reached over, pulling me closer to him. “When the school first opened, yeah, it was pretty much primarily witches and then they let in other magic wielders. Eventually they openedit to humans and the school has been known for its extensive integration ever since.”
“Hence prestigious university on the west coast.”
Grayson ran his fingertips over my arm. “Exactly. It houses one of the largest covens in the state. They’re the ones that decided to form the school.”
“Any chance you know the name?”
“Of the coven, um, let me think…” He scrunched his mouth up, then he snapped his fingers. “Celica. This is like Mystic Riegan 101, shouldn’t you know this?”
“I wasn’t aware that understanding everything about the school was a requirement for admission.” I shoved my body against his, causing him to reach down and tickle my side. I pulled my phone out, finding my text thread with Corrin.
Does your coven happen to be named Celica?”
CORRIN
Yes…why?
I assume you are aware that your coven created this school, so the influence they have has to be massive.
CORRIN
Oh fuck, how did I not think of that before?
Of course, they would want to keep things involving witches close to their chest.
CORRIN
Whatever is going on though is being done with someone’s selfish interest at play, not the coven. No wonder my mom is so wary about them. I’ll update Ike.
I should have put two and two together. I’m a little all over the place with everything going on.
I sighed, hesitating before I started typing.
You’re all good. Just please stay safe.
I went back to my past theory. My dad found out what was going on and threatened the culprit, which cost him his life. He threatened a member of one of the biggest covens. What if it was their old coven leader? Corrin did say they got a new one shortly after my dad died, so maybe they removed themselves from the situation…. but stayed around to continue to siphon powers and steal witches?
Stealing witches, just to give them back with their minds rummaged through…
Nothing made any sense. My dad believed in fairness and not because his job description forced him to. That was just his personality, and he would have done anything to fight for students he tried to help every day. I bet he was happy to have stood up to whoever this was, he probably didn’t hesitate and stood his ground, unafraid of the consequences.
That alone had me more determined than ever to keep going, keep digging.
“Riley, are you okay?” Grayson shook my shoulder.
I inhaled, turning my head to look at him. “Yeah, I’m fine. Sorry.”
“Where did you go just now?”
I shook my head. “Nowhere you need to be concerned about.”
