Page 3 of A Lesson in Obedience
“It’s stealing! If you are so above them, then why aren’tyouthe coven leader? Corrin said...”
He settled back into the couch cushion. “Ah, she’s a spirited little witch, your friend. Quite good with potions, yes? Oliver told me about your excursion into Thomas’s office.” I looked over towards the fire to avoid his eyes. “I’m sure your friend told you about our interim coven leader, she is rather investigative, that one.”
“She said that Celica got a new one right after my dad died. Why?”
He cracked his neck again when I said the worddad.That really got under his skin. “Everyone has to move on from a job at some point. It was just time.”
“That’s bullshit!” I accused, prepared to leap off the couch, but a force was holding me back. Chancellor Fowler had a few of his fingers up and it was like I could feel power from them keeping me on the couch.
“Coven leader is just a cute little position that really acts as the face of Celica. I call the shots whether they like it or not. Our family has always taken a place above them all, founding this university and making it what it is. This coven has been around for a long time as you know, and theleadersare just a physical presence that the witches can look to. Some members of our family have taken up themantle as coven leader, while others stepped into the role I now possess.”
“In the shadows? A monster hiding as a university Chancellor?”
He smirked at me. “Hate me all you like. You should be happy I care enough not to cause any true harm to my coven members or else that overzealous friend of yours would be in her place.” He waved his hand casually towards Marianne’s body. I sucked in a breath and peeked over at Grayson, who had been quiet this whole time. “There is no going back now. You’ve already shown your true self to half the faculty, so I am well within my rights to assume that your file will now be corrected to show that you are a magic wielder. I’ll let you get your bearings and then we can announce our family ties, hmm? Celica coven is your home. I will gladly give you the position of coven leader if you’d like, ease you into how things are done.”
I placed my hands on the back of my head. “I don’t want that. I don’t want any of this!”
“These positions of power have been passed down and it’s your turn to learn. I didn’t have the pleasure of choices, so please don’t be so ungrateful. I don’t know whether your mother just couldn’t handle it or not, but that is of no concern to me any longer. You are here now, and you can’t just hide from your lineage. You will hurt people if you can’t get your magic under control.”
“You don’t get to talk about hurting people. You say you want to get to know me, well get this through your head that hurting the people I care about, the people I love will not make me like you. It won’t ever make me care about you or acknowledge you as my dad.”
Chancellor Fowler hummed, removing his suit jacket and placing it on the back of the couch. “Fine. If you think your resistance will push me away, I would think again.” He looked over at Grayson, snapping his fingers to gather his attention. “Take her back.”
I shifted so that I could create more distance between Grayson and me. “Take me where?”
Chancellor Fowler made a motion with his hand towards the door to the far right and it swung open. A tall woman with darkblack hair quickly walked in, holding a tiny vial of what looked like silver dust. He nodded at her when she gave him a questioning look. “The school will be closed for a day or two, so take that as your time to think about your options. And despite what you think of me, I do love you.”
“I don’t need to think…”
“Make sure she remains unharmed,” Chancellor Fowler patted Grayson on the knee before he stood up. He walked over to me, gripping my hand and yanking my dampener ring off. “When you can’t control yourself, you’ll be begging for my help.” He walked away and I was going to follow after him, but the woman stood in front of me, some of the dust in her palm. She blew it in my face and my vision got blurry.
Marianne’s body was becoming distorted and my head felt numb and heavy. Grayson was in front of me now and he moved me so I was laying down, my vision eventually becoming nothing but black.
2
River
Iripped my hands through my hair as I looked around the room that was still in a disastrous disarray, but most of the people that had occupied it had fled. I focused my attention back on the space Riley had once been in. I blinked and blinked again as if that would just make her appear.
I couldn’t even put my own thoughts together on what had happened. She’d pushed Grayson back out of nowhere, using…magic? The police were here and the fucking fire department. First responders had taken the student that had ripped Riley’s necklace off. They would be fine, but the shattered pieces of the ruby gem had me scratching my head. What the fuck was going on?
Grayson had just taken her, removed her from what could have turned into an even worse situation. Although, from the looks of it, I couldn’t see it getting any better from where I stood. I started to bend down, noticing a tiny bit of magical residue. Riley was a magic wielder. Since fucking when?
Hands grabbed my shoulders, pulling me back up before I couldtake a better look. I came face to face with my brother. Asher pulled me off to the side, scrubbing a hand down his face. “What the fuck, River?”
I gave him a surprised look. “What do you meanwhat the fuck, River?”
“Imean—” Asher started, looking around us. “—what the fuck was that? Did you know she could do that?”
My eyes widened. “Of course not! I don’t even thinksheknew she could either. The look on her face, Asher…”
He huffed out a breath, looking over his shoulder. “Where is she?”
I shook my head, moving away from him and towards the door. “I don’t know.”
“You don’t know!?”
I turned around quickly, pressing my index finger roughly into his chest. “If I knew where she was do you think I would fucking be here right now?” I pulled out my phone, shoving past a few police officers and pushed open the door.
