Page 13 of A Lesson in Obedience

“We can’t continue this conversation here,” I said in a low voice.

“I’m fine, Mom, really,” Grayson said reassuringly.

“Where do you want to go then? We don’t have a random secret warehouse to keep him in like in the movies.” River whispered, rolling his eyes.

“Our place. We have that spare room. I think your little friend is far too upset with himself to try anything.” I turned to look at Grayson, my eyebrows turning down. “Go tell your mom you’re leaving with us.”

Grayson hustled off the bed, stopping at his bedside table and opening up a drawer. He pulled something out and tossed it over to me. I opened my hands to catch it, looking down at what it was. A cellphone.

“It’s Riley’s. Your dad told me to grab it before I let her loose atChancellor Fowler’s house.” Grayson didn’t wait for us to say anything. He ran a hand through his hair, opening up his door and stepping out to speak to his mother.

I waved her phone at my brother. “You sure know how to pick your fucking friends.”

River narrowed his eyes at me, deciding to pull his phone from his back pocket instead of argue with me. I cut her phone on realizing it had a little bit of battery left. Twenty missed calls and ten missed texts from Corrin. There were a few missed phone calls from her mom that were only about thirty minutes ago.

“Hey Mrs. Monroe, slow down. What’s wrong?” River’s voice caught my attention. He had his phone to his ear. “Wait, she just left? I haven’t heard from her, no.”

I turned my eyes back towards her phone. As much as I knew my brother would want to go on the hunt for Riley, we needed to deal with Grayson. I clicked on one of Corrin’s missed calls.

She answered in one ring. “Riley! Holy fuck! You can’t do that shit to me!”

“It’s not Riley.”

She was quiet for a moment. “Uh, this voice sounds eerily like my professor.”

I sighed. “That’s because it is, Corrin.”

“Oh shit, why do you have Riley’s phone?”

River looked over at me, telling Riley’s mom to give him a minute. He pulled his eyebrows in as he waited to hear how my phone call was going.

“Apparently she left her house, and her mom doesn’t know where she is.”

I heard rustling around on the line. “Does this have to do with what happened at the meeting?”

I groaned. “Listen, I don’t have time for this. Can you just go get her?”

“I’m sure the attitude is just from stress so I’ll let that shit go forRiley’s sake, but fun fact, I can’t find her if I don’t know where she is.”

River kept his eye on me but was starting to talk to Riley’s mom again. It sounded like he was reassuring her. I let out a breath and dipped into my powers. My brother was already stressed out enough, but if this didn’t work, I wouldmakehim use his powers again. I tried to be optimistic and thought that she could be at another friend’s house, taking what I could only assume would be a well-needed nap.

I’d been in her dreams before and even if she was just casually daydreaming, I could find my way in. My mind rattled and pulsed when I found her. She was half asleep from what I could tell, but it was like she was trying to stay mildly alert for some reason. I had to get in there and I had to make it quick. I’d taken to dream walking easily and Riley would be no exception.

I found my dream self in front of her, while she sat on a bench of some kind, staring at nothing. I reached down and shook her gently. She jumped, shifting away from me.

“Asher?” Her voice was so small. It was so hot and muggy in her mind, it felt like flames were licking at my skin every so often. I ignored it, hoping to be out of here shortly.

“Where the hell are you, Riley?”

“Leave me alone and get out of my fucking head,” she barked back.

“Tell me where you are and I will.”

“I’m literally fine. I have Beau.”

I wiped the sweat from the back of my neck. “Ah, yes. The dog will save you from any harm.”

She scoffed at me and despite my irritation, I still couldn’t deny that she was beautiful even in her obvious sadness. “I would much rather have his company than yours.”