Page 106 of A Lesson in Obedience
I finally made it over to Geena who was crumpled on the ground, attempting to pull herself up. I pressed on her legs, keeping her grounded. She reached for her own dampener ring, but I pinned her arms to her sides.
“Tsk, tsk. What was the word you used? Lackluster?” I said the word with a flourish before I forced my power onto her left leg and heard the resounding snap of bone.
“Riley, stop!” I heard Corrin yell, but I ignored her.
“Stay back! Miss Monroe, stop what you’re doing.” Jamie demanded, as if her words meant anything to me. All I saw was red.
Suddenly, branches from the tree Geena was pressed against wrapped around me and started to rip me away from her. They dug into my arms and chest. I whipped my head around, seeing Jamie move her hands in a fluid motion. I scowled, feeling heat rise in my body. Tiny sparks of flames scattered along the branches and those small flames became larger, wrapping around me. The tree branch burned and eventually fell away. I flicked my hand back sending Jamie sailing backwards.
Collective gasps and screams echoed but I didn’t hear them. I was tired of everyone trying to undermine me. I was tired of feeling like I had control just for the rug to be pulled out from under me. I was tired of all the surprises I didn’t fucking ask for. Geena wasn’t worth any of my effort. River would never want her and she was just a mean girl with nothing better to do than to put me down.
Iknewall of that. Yet, I felt flames leave my fingertips and hit her jeans. I didn’t want to stop it. My other hand touched the ground and a trail of red and orange flames followed along the leaves and dirt, creating a separation between me and them.
“You have no idea what I’m capable of,” I gritted through myteeth. Geena writhed on the ground, the fire burning through her jeans and likely starting to hit her flesh.
A disturbing sensation hit my mind. It felt like someone was rifling around in there and I couldn’t stop it. Different memories of mine were brought to the front. Marianne’s bloody body. The vision of my dad falling out his window and the agony of me watching it. The hurt I’d felt with my mom, Grayson, even fucking Asher. My brain felt violated and like whoever was doing this was searching for something. Wait, they weren’t searching. They were picking and choosing, plucking different memories and it made the flames worse.
I took my hands away from Geena and landed on my ass, shuffling backwards, needing it to stop. Pieces of my mind were being trifled with and I wanted to dig my fingers into my head to make it stop. This had happened to those witches Chancellor Fowler took, which meant whoever helped him was…here.
A loud howl penetrated the air and paws scraped along the ground. Beyond the flames I saw red eyes, which looked past me. I knew Mateo was looking at Corrin, almost like even as the alpha, they wanted her direction on what to do.
Mom! Tell them to open up the door. I need to be with you!I heard Beau in my head, but he was too far away right now. I tried to tune him out.
“Holy fuck! Wolves!” a witch cried.
“Did she bring them here?” another one speculated.
Riley, what the fuck is going on? Answer me, please!River’s voice in my head caused my breathing to stutter. Beau only acted up when I was in trouble and River was with him, so of course my boyfriend would think using his telepathy was necessary.
I—I….I tried to think back, but my mind was too chaotic, it was too wild to concentrate on communicating.
“Fucking Seth, do it!” Someone screamed. I didn’t know what was happening until a layer of water fell over us, cold and heavy. Seth must have had the power over water. It shook me to my core and I shivered, the memories going dormant and my mind becomingquiet again. I heard Geena’s whimpering cries, clasping my hands over my mouth, trying to piece together everything I’d done.
I needed to get out of there. I needed help. I needed to leave.
Before I could gather my bearings, a shadowy figure embraced me and wrapped up in its wisps of darkness. The black smoke was one I knew and the last thing I saw before Grayson shadowed me away was Corrin’s face.
For the first time since we met, she looked scared of me.
39
River
EARLIER
“This card game isn’t really going to work since you talk about what you’re holding in your head,” I explained, placing my cards on the coffee table and getting up. Ike had been here for over four hours, and I liked the guy, but he really needed to learn how to lighten up.
“I thought we said no powers?” he scolded.
I shrugged, pulling my shirt up and inspecting my healed wound. The scars were deep and raised but I couldn’t feel the pain as intensely as before. Corrin’s healing powers were top notch and I’d told her so when I saw the wound start to heal itself right in front of my eyes. “You agreed to that. I did not. Any news from your sister?”
Ike got his phone out, scanning the screen. “Nothing since she said they were on their way to that meeting.”
“Is there a reason you didn’t join Celica with her? As much as you both bicker, you also equally talk about how much you care, so…”
He leaned back on the couch, running a hand over his freshly shaved head. “Not for me. Corrin is a fan of group projects and all that. I’m my sister’s keeper to an extent. Also, she would annoy the shit out of me if I followed her to the coven. She likes to have her own thing with her own group of friends and I’m the same way. Besides, she likes to explore her magic and be all smart science girl. I don’t really like to use my powers all that much.”
“Except for when you are helping take down alpha werewolves?” I joked, watching him put the cards in a nice little pile.
