Page 97 of A Lesson in Obedience
“So, you regret what you did to Marianne, to my father?”
He cracked his neck at the mention of my dad, then he let out a laugh that was so forced it made me cringe. “I never wanted to hurt your friend, but you left me no choice. Thomas was in the way, so his death was inevitable. All that carnage brought us closer, and I will never apologize for that. This death is no different. Causing pain and death gets easier, it gets better.”
My eyebrows furrowed. “She was your mother.”
“You think of me as a monster, but that woman was so much worse. Never loving my father, killing him and speaking such vile things about your mother, it was infuriating. I had so many plans to end her life, yet I never did. She’d dug her claws into me, especially when your mother left me and I let her. I only have myself to blame. I let her stay with our coven because it got her out of my hair, but once she realized you were going to be back in the picture, once Thomas was no longer an issue, well, she was back to her old ways. Her leaving was the best option and it let me focus on finding you. She should have been grateful I didn’t just crack all her useless bones then.” He placed a hand on his cheek, shaking his head as if the fact that he didn’t do the things he said was a missed opportunity.
“Even if your mother never comes back to me, I’ll at least have you.” He started to step in front of me and reach out his hand to touch my cheek.
I backed up, swatting him away. “You’ve been spying on her, onall of us. You are still using people and I thought we had a deal. I join Celica and you back off.”
He made a fist and dropped his hand. “I haven’t harmed anyone, Riley. I simply made a deal with some wolves. Dante could have said no and he didn’t. I have nothing against those creatures and they want what everyone wants.” He leaned down to be near my face. “Power.”
“That’s not…”
He hummed, starting to pace again. “Your little friends caused destruction, not me. You went to my mother and needed answers, resulting in you using your glorious powers to kill her. I had nothing to do with that. Anyone is capable of heinous things, Riley. I do understand wanting to make me your villain, and that’s okay. I’m sure Lena would love to hear all about your troubles.”
I closed my eyes and opened them again, pushing down my frustration. “I told you I’m not meeting with your fucking liaison. Why are you not more worried that I won’t tell her everything about you?”
He laughed, his shoulders moving. “Lena works for me, dear. Thomas’s employment may have fallen through the cracks, but Lena understands how things will work. She’s been a friend of our family for quite a while. We need to keep your emotions and power in check if you are to succeed.” He lifted his eyes up to the house, wrinkling his nose. “You can’t achieve anything while you are in this house. Those boys can teach you nothing. Some relationships can hold you back, Riley. They can feel safe and sane, but you will never reach your full potential if you play it safe.”
I didn’t care about hearing this. I didn’t want to look at him, I just wanted him to leave. I turned to go when he grabbed my wrist, swiveling me around so I was only a few inches in front of him. “You are wondering how you could do something so vile? I went to her house and saw the masterpiece you made of her. I saw the power you had, and you are willing to just let it sit there and…fester? Look me in the eyes right now and tell me that you haven’t let your power out to hurt someone youactuallycare about.”
I opened my mouth, but no words came out. I could have lied and spat ‘of course not’ right in his face. I couldn’t find the will to lie because all I saw was the way my mom’s eyes widened when my power collected around her throat, when I let my angry and vulnerable state become too much and I lashed out at her.
My emotions were all over the place with each scenario. Teresa had tried to kill me, she had tried to hurt my friends, so I removed her from the equation. My mom had lied to me for good reason, but I’d been hurt and I’d made a bad decision. I’d caused pain for different reasons, but I was still the catalyst.
Chancellor Fowler chuckled, letting go of me. “Hmm, your heart is so good. Your regret for things is quite mundane.”
I pressed my finger into his chest. “All these people want to do is help me and youwantthem to see me as the bad guy. Your own mother helped make my necklace, she helped hide me, despite her dislike for my family and for that I am grateful to her. I’m sorry you never had understanding friends or parents that wanted to protect you but stop projecting your fucked up childhood on me.”
He squinted, taking in my words. His shoulders stiffened at the realization but then he shook it off as if none of it mattered to him. He used his powers to move my hand back and forcefully place it at my side. “I’ve been very nice to you, Riley. I’ve provided you with a lot of freedom to do what you will and I’ve tried to make sure Oliver doesn’t harm your toys too much. I can’t very well tell the man how to handle his business. He will not touch you, but he is more than happy to make his sons pay for their insolence. I can completely let go of their father’s leash and let him run wild, disregarding your feelings. I’ve been dying to have a talk with your mother as well, now that I’ve been told by the wolves that she’s doing so great. Your lack of respect could cause them great pain, so I suggest you don’t speak to me like that again.”
He looked around his face for some kind of crack in his exterior, but I saw nothing of the sort.
“Be a good daughter and go see Lena on Monday as planned. Wewill work through this mess and get to a good place. And then we can talk about moving you into the house.”
“Excuse me?”
“Family has to stick together. These boys, all these little friends you’ve collected, they aren’t your family. They will not be able to protect you from yourself.”
I scoffed. “As someone who likes to call themselves my dad, you have very little faith in me.”
His expression turned sad. “I do. I have the utmost faith. I just don’t want to see you so defeated and distraught if the next person’s neck you crack just so happens to be your little witch friend. Or maybe your boyfriend with the weak mind.”
“Don’t fucking…”
He held up his hands in surrender. “I’m threatening no one. I’m just speaking things out loud. I won’t mourn their deaths like you will.” He backed up looking at the sky and noticing the morning was just on the horizon. “Oh right, I forgot to mention, the wolves at Marth Moon, pity that was but they were a part of my plan. I did tell your shadow wielder that if they tried to get the upper hand on me again that there would be a price. The wolves are now sworn to your precious friend’s partner, which puts me in a bad position. One of those boys will have to pay for meddling in my affairs.”
My eyes widened and the words flew out of my mouth faster than I was ready for. “Fine, fine, I’ll go see Lena. I’ll do whatever, just don’t?—”
He finally touched my cheek, raking his knuckles across my skin and it felt like razor blades. “Shush. Youwillgo see Lena but that doesn’t change what has to happen. Disobedience breeds consequences.”
He walked away at my stunned silence, turning at the end of the driveway. I rushed after him, but when I got to the street, he was gone.
36
Asher
