Page 116 of A Lesson in Obedience
He took the phone from my hand, keeping it away from me when I tried to get it back. “I’ll talk to her. Just go back to River. I’ll be there in a minute.”
“Thanks.” I gave him a stiff nod and jogged back to River’s room. He was still very much asleep and I sat down in the uncomfortable chair in the corner. My knee bounced up and down with developing anxiety.
How the hell was I going to explain this to him when he woke up?
I pulled out my phone, starting to email the department chair about how I wouldn’t be in for a few days, but I stopped. I deleted my draft and pulled up my contacts. I found the number I wanted and hit the call button.
She picked up quickly, her greeting a bit exasperated.
“Hey, Corrin.”
“Riley just texted me. Very long conversation, but breathe easy, Professor.”
I sat up straighter in the chair. “She what?”
“We are going to talk more on campus later. Well, me and her, not you.”
“I do trust her…I just…ugh. What is she up to?”
She hummed. “I’m unsure of the grand plan but I have some science magic to make in the lab.” She got quiet for a moment. “I’m sorry about your brother. Full recovery, I hope?”
“Yeah, as long as he wakes up without issues tomorrow.”
“Focus on that.” It sounded like she took the phone from her ear to speak to someone else, then she was back. “I do have to go, but trust your girl, Asher. It’s a really attractive trait in a person if you didn’t know.”
45
Riley
Iwas never good at acting and was told so when I tried out for drama club in high school. It didn’t hurt my feelings and I moved on to something that did pique my interest. I started reading books and I read about women who knew that they deserved to be happy and safe, that the people they cared about deserved the same. I was always so intrigued by the things they faced and all the courage they had, even though I never considered that I would ever be in a position where my happiness and safety—and everyone else’s— could be at risk.
Iactedlike I appreciated the random “helpers” Chancellor Fowler sent. I put on the most forced smile I could when I got back to my room and all my stuff was there. The only thing I didn’t fake was the soft sob I let out when I heard Beau’s growling and opened my door to catch him mid lunge.
I would go to school like normal and act like an everyday student, let Chancellor Fowler think he’s got a daughter he can moldin his image. I stroked Beau’s head as I thought about how if I went too deep, what happened to Teresa and Geena might be who I am.
It wasn’t.
That didn’t mean he needed to know that.
I’d noticed the people standing around the back gates of the house and the front, committing that fact to memory. Chancellor Fowler had said goodnight to me, answering his phone and instantly sounding aggravated. I heard the name Oliver, following him silently.
“Yes, you’ll get what you want. You know when to be here, so don’t be late. I’ll make good on my word, but Oliver, you’ve made it so one of your sons can’t leave the hospital, so I’ll have to get them their power by a more long-distance means.”
It was quiet which told me he was probably trying to listen.
Chancellor Fowler started laughing. “Oh, so now you’re being greedy?” I heard him sigh.
“I’m honestly surprised you ever thought to share with them in the first place. If my daughter cared about power then I would insist they be stronger, but she has her mother’s heart, so if you want to be incredibly selfish then so be it.”
I backed away and headed back to my room.
The idea that Chancellor Fowler had any sort of distaste for selfishness was laughable, but now I had something to work with. He wanted me to be this force but understood I would never fall headfirst into the madness of undying power. At least he fucking understood something about me. Things would have been easier if River and Asher were brought here, but the fact that Oliver was diverting from the original plan didn’t ruin anything for me. I just had to pivot a bit.
I’d been told I’d be taken to and from the university, but with one sad look and a soft voice, Chancellor Fowler agreed to let me see my mom tomorrow after school. I needed her to know face to face that I was going to fix this. I got out my phone and looked at my text thread with Corrin. She spoke to me like we were still friends, likeshe still cared. I wouldn’t be completely sure until I actually saw her and could see her facial expressions and body language.
The window to my right showed tiny sprinkles of light, telling me that it was early morning and the more I thought about it, the more tired I became. I didn’t need to be the best actor; I justneeded to be good enough for Chancellor Fowler to keep thinking he’d won. Unlike him, I didn’t need to manipulate people or promise them outlandish and harmful things to get what I wanted to instill fear.
I just needed the people who trusted me enough to follow my lead.
