Page 120 of A Lesson in Obedience
“It’s not too late to change your mind and just move back in here.”
I laughed a little. “Pretty sure it is, but keep the offer open just in case things don’t work out with the guys.”
She planted more kisses on the top of my head. “How’s River?”
I pressed my head further into her chest. “I’m waiting for Asher’s message with an update. He was stable with a lot of broken things when I last saw him.”
My mom rocked me back and forth. “Well maybe you can go and see?—”
“I already asked. Apparently, I should have asked to see River and not you. It was one or the other. I wasn’t aware that was how it worked, but apparently, he makes the rules up as he goes.”
She hummed. “I’ll go to the hospital and see him. I know Asher still has a job and whatever is going on with their father…” She squinted at me. “Don’t tell me about because I’m already full on information for now.”
“Okay, okay. Thanks, Mom.”
“Well, youcantell me if there is something I should be made aware of when it comes to Professor St. James.” She leaned back, letting me lift my head up.
I dropped my eyes down to the couch when I pulled away from her. “I think that’s a conversation for a different time.” I was happy for the reprieve from Chancellor Fowler talk, but I really wasn’t interested in getting into this. Talking about my relationship with Asher would cause me to, more than likely, dive into my relationship with Grayson.
My mom was cool enough, but I wasn’t sure she wasthatcool.
“How about I get some food in you then?” She eyed me suspiciously, kissing my cheek and getting off the couch.
I got up and went over to the window, seeing the car that had brought me here still settled in its parking spot outside the house. My phone buzzed and I checked the screen. It was a text from Asher.
ASHER
He’s awake. Grayson’s heading here now.
Surprisingly attached to the text was a picture. It was of Asher and River.
We would be okay. Just a little longer.
49
Riley
It was odd having Chancellor Fowler come in and ask me about schoolwork as if I was a little kid. It was odd not having Asher as our instructor on Wednesday morning even though he’d told me that he was taking the day to be at the hospital with River. It was even weirder when Chancellor Fowler asked to spend time with me, so he brought me down to the basement.
The space wasn’t cold and dank like the ones people thought about, but it was well lit and the temperature was comfortable. It was a large open space with a few storage bins scattered along the walls. He’d used this space to house the witches he’d gotten Grayson to snatch. The basement didn’t look menacing but that didn’t mean I couldn’t feel the weird energy that it gave off.
“I thought it might be fun to see your skills.”
I finally turned all the way around to face him again. “My skills?”
“Yes, the powers you inherited.”
It felt like my ring was getting tighter on my finger. “I should actually be finishing up a paper…”
He huffed. “We both know you finished your homework hours ago, so that excuse won’t work here.”
I ran my hand along the back of my neck. “Okay, what do you want me to show you? I don’t really do things just for fun.”
He walked over to one of the bins and snapped the sides open, placing the lid on the ground. An object lifted up and hovered above the bin. I furrowed my eyebrows, opening my mouth to say something, but then whatever it was flew at my face.
I jumped to the side, barely dodging it. “What the fuck!?”
“Your reflexes are nice, but I’ll need you to use your powers next time,” he explained, using his magic to lift what looked like a soccer ball out of the bin.
