Page 66 of A Lesson in Deceit
Pen sighed, giving Corrin a patronizing look. “What you do best, potions witch.”
“How is a potion going to help?” Marianne questioned, one of her blonde eyebrows raising.
“Ugh.” Pen pulled at her hair, plucking out a strand and reaching for a napkin. She placed the hair on top, sliding it over to Corrin. “Witches’ magic flows through our entire bodies, from the top of our head to the tips of our toes. Therefore, if you are as good at creation and extraction as you say you are, then you won’t have a problem pulling some memory magic from this and using it.”
Corrin stared at the hair. “You want me to create a brew that mimics your powers for what? Riley to drink?”
“Or you could grind it up and create a powder to throw in her face. I don’t fucking care what you do, but you’ll need to do the same thing as me to even make it work.” Pen looked up when Mateo came back around with her drink. She gave them her fakest smile, while Mateo just rolled their eyes.
“I’ll have to get into my dads office.” I tapped my fingers against the table.
“Can’t you just ask to be let in?” Marianne asked, placing her hands in her lap.
“I’m trying not to draw so much attention to myself. It already seems like only a handful of people even knew he was my dad and just a lot of people suspect. I want to be absolutely sure before I go causing a scene about it.”
“There’s also no way you could take something like that and no one ask questions, especially when you actually learn the truth,” Corrin said, taking the napkin and folding it over so she wouldn’t lose the one thing we needed to make this work.
“The truth being that your coven isn’t taking care of their own and they’re probably murderers?” Pen clucked her tongue, picking a piece of lint off her shirt.
“I think we’re done here.” Jade placed her elbows on the table, her loose curls falling over her shoulders.
The redhead picked up her drink. “Good luck with your witch hunt.” She cackled as she walked back over to her friends. Mateo immediately took their spot back, forcing Corrin to give them her attention. “Explain, right the fuck now.”
Corrin rubbed her temples, and I gave her a sympathetic look. I felt a tug on my jacket and looked over at Marianne. “I love you and all, but you are going to have to open your fucking mouth right now and spill.”
“Let me get this straight.You transferred out of community college to go to Mystic Riegan, so that you could set the record straight that your dad didn’t fall or jump out his office window like everyone said? No one knows besides your roommate and her partner…and their sibling now, I suppose?” Marianne said each word slowly.
“Yup.”
“Okay ...and now you know that witches are going missing from the central coven of the university, all of which had the power that pushed your dad out a window.” She snapped her fingers. “Also, the witches are now slowly reappearing but like someone fingered their minds? And your big bad is stealing powers somehow…sort of, because you saw a bunch of powers on a piece of glass you found in the grass.” Her words trailed off, but then she caught my eye again. “And you need this Pen girl’s magic to see who did it or how it happened, but you will need to sneak into his office to do said…magic.” She closed one of her eyes as if she was a bit iffy on that last part.
I snorted. “Fingering their minds?”
“I don’t know how else to put it, Riley. It all sounds a little convoluted.”
I pressed my tongue to the inside of my cheek, leaning my body against the wall. We’d moved away from everyone and had a little corner to ourselves. “So you don’t believe me or any of this?”
Marianne reared her head back, looking insulted. “I never said that. I’m all the way in a different fucking state. I come here to see you and I’m hit with all of this. Give me a break, pretty please.”
I nodded, placing my head against the wall.
“Are you planning on telling your mom?”
I let out a choked cough. “Not yet. She was already mildly against me going to Mystic Riegan in the first place. I’m not going to bring up anything that could cause her to backslide when she’s made so much progress since he died.”
“And what about you, hmm? This is a fucking lot for someone. You lost your dad and now you plan to go find his killer. I’m a little nervous that you’ll just combust one day, and at the wrong moment at that.”
I scoffed. “I can handle myself and my feelings. My dad would want me to figure it out. The fact that I let people in on anything at all is a good sign, right?”
Marianne took my hands in hers. “Fine, I suppose you’re right. If you think it wasn’t an accident, then neither do I. I just hope you’re being careful in all this. You’re going after someone who might have killed your dad, Riley, so what makes you think they won’t hurt you also?
“It’s a risk I have to take.”
“Rebelliousness is kind of hot on you.” She squeezed my hands. “You’ll find your truth, whatever that ends up being and I’ll be here to gush about how my best friend maintained a straight A average while being only a sophomore and attempting to take on a coven and a university in the name of justice.”
I held my stomach as I laughed. “I’m not Batman, stop it.”
She tapped her chin. “Well, have we ever actually seen you and Batman in the same room?”
