Want A Ride

Want A Ride
Third person POV

"What makes you think she’s up to something?" Beauty asked Olivia as they walked under the dark clouds toward school. "I don’t know why all this is happening or what kind of magic is being used right now to make the clouds dark during the daytime, but mother told me to stop everything I was asked to do to Daniel. So I quit Olivia. I don’t want to get involved in this anymore."

"But your father knows what Lilith Throne is up to," Olivia replied. "He said she’s dangerous, and we shouldn’t let her get any closer to you. All she knows how to do is brainwash people into doing what she wants, so she would do the same to you if you’re not careful."

Beauty scoffed. "That’s impossible. Her power can’t work on me. I’m a witch," she pointed out.

"And Lilith is royalty. She’s a queen of the supernatural realm, the chosen one, and also a hybrid. Can you imagine what kind of power she possesses? If she wanted to destroy you and me after what we did to the boy she loves, she would have killed us without thinking twice. But she didn’t."

"Do you know why?" Beauty asked.

"Maybe she wanted to get on your good side and make you her friend again. Have you ever thought about that?"

Beauty shook her head. "No."

"Exactly. So do what your father asked, and things will go back to normal in time." Olivia smirked when Beauty wasn’t looking. Finally, she had turned Lilith and Beauty against each other. Everything would be okay if Lilith Throne was out of the picture. She would receive a big reward from the warlock once he gained access to the throne. Until then, Beauty mustn’t know what her father is up to. 

"Let’s go inside." Olivia wrapped her arms around Beauty’s shoulders, and they both walked into the school.



Lilith POV

"You see how close they’ve become? How will it be possible to tell Beauty what her father is up to?" Ava asked. “ Lilith, this is going to be impossible," she grunted as the three of us entered the school. Ava was right—getting Beauty on our side would be nearly impossible.

I glanced at her. "How come your father made you come to school today?" I asked.

Ava rolled her eyes. "Ugh, I told him I had an assignment to submit."

"That’s good?" I patted her back.

"Not really."

"How so? You’re here alone—you could go home late."

She shook her head and pointed at the black SUV parked behind a white Toyota Corolla. "What about that?" I asked.

"My dad made his sergeant bring me to school, and now I have to follow him home. Don’t you think he’s overprotective? I’m twenty, for Christ’s sake!"

"Don’t get worked up. I would have done the same thing for my child if I were in your father’s position," I said.

Ava sighed. "Not fair. Now I won’t get to see all the fun when you take over Beauty’s mind."

"I know. I’ll come over tonight to visit you."

"My dad said no friends. It’s like I’m grounded or something."

I began to laugh. "Who says I would come through the front door? I’ll come through your window and probably spend the night. Your father won’t suspect a thing."

"Clever. Very clever," she smiled.

\---

Two classes later, I finally had my escape for lunch. As I hurried across campus toward the crowds, Cleo fell into step beside me, not looking particularly excited.

"I suppose you saw what happened earlier?" I asked, not bothering with how close Olivia and Beauty already were. The fact that she’s my cousin still bothers me.

"And you don’t think that was unfair?"

"Well, I feel like she’s trying to brainwash Beauty. I stared at her during lectures, and when she noticed, she shot me that mean look."

I looked down at the ground. "I just want to keep her safe," I mumbled.

"What will happen to Ava now? Will she be locked up forever? What if this war doesn’t end?"

The question was harsh. I didn’t answer right away, but I knew I needed to. It was as if Cleo was losing faith in me.

She slowed her long stride to match my slower, pain-filled one. "You’re strong and fast by nature. You just need to keep yourself trained before the fight begins."

"Sure," I shrugged. "I know that."

"Did you do any sports? You didn’t join any teams? It could help strengthen you."

"Too much work. If I wanted to practice that much, I’d have joined Alaric’s team."

She gave me an exasperated look. "You’ll never truly protect people if you don’t hone your skills. You’ll always be lacking."

"I’ll be able to protect them," I said fiercely.

"You have no guarantees of being assigned to her, you know—for your field experience." Cleo’s voice was low and unapologetic. They hadn’t assigned me a mentor since we left class. 

"Now that you know who she is to you, you have to protect her too. You need to find ways to keep her safe from the person she calls her friend—and she’s not. Use us, or don’t."

"Thanks for saying that. I wish things could be easy, but they’re not. Fighting with Beauty has always been something I wanted to do, ever since I heard what she did to Alaric. But now, it feels like I’m fighting her to protect her."

"I’ll be back." She walked away, and suddenly I didn’t feel like such a badass anymore.

By now, I’d burned through a lot of time leaving class.

I was almost back when a voice called out to me.

"Lilith?"

Peering in the direction of the voice, I saw Ally leaning against a wall near the building, her kind face smiling at me. Her two friends stood nearby at a polite distance.

"Ally. H– Hi." I caught myself just in time—almost forgetting she used to date Daniel. We hadn’t talked since I compelled her and sent her home.

"How was your day?" she asked. It was awkward seeing her talk to me. I guess she knew Alaric and I were together.

"Not over yet." I tried to think of something to say. "I haven’t seen you in class for a week. Are you okay?"

"I’ll be leaving this afternoon after I say hello to Daniel. We didn’t end things well, but I’m doing fine now—and terrified."

"Why?" I asked.

"I couldn’t stop thinking about what happened to Jody—and now the dark sky. If I’m missing something, please help me understand," she said. I couldn’t risk exposing her to the supernatural world. I felt sorry for what had happened with Jody, but I couldn’t help her. I found her a little too late.

I shook my head, unsure what else to say. I sighed, but she seemed to notice I knew something.

"I’ll get going now," I said after I saw Olivia and Beauty walking together.

"Wait." Ally stopped me. "I know what’s going on." Those words made my feet freeze. What exactly does she know?

"What do you mean?"

"Daniel and you. When did it start? Your relationship?" she asked. Where do I begin? I’ve known Alaric since high school—he’s the boy I gave my heart to. No one could understand that.

"Well, I don’t know how to answer that, but it’s not what it looks like. I need to leave now." I pointed toward the exit.

She nodded. "Okay." She had that look on her face—pity. I really wanted her to understand that what she thought wasn’t what it seemed.

I took her hands. "How about you give me your number, and we meet up another day to talk?" I suggested. She handed me her phone, and I entered my contact info. I handed it back. "Call me," I said.

She nodded, and I ran after Beauty. She was alone this time—I guess Olivia had left her to do something else.

"Beauty!" I called. "Wait up." I was sure she could hear me, but she didn’t stop walking. She quickened her pace. I ran after her and grabbed her hand. I began to pant as I released her hand and placed both my hands on my knees, trying to catch my breath. "We need to talk," I said, looking up at her face.

"I don’t want to talk to you," she replied, starting to walk again. I followed her and held her hand, but she jerked it off aggressively. I was right—she’s been brainwashed.

"Please, this is important. It’s something you need to know before it’s too late. It’s about your father." She stopped and looked at me. She had that mean look on her face.

She scoffed, arms folded. "Olivia was right. You were really going to talk about my father?"

"And how did she know that?" I asked, shaking my head. "Never mind. You really need to hear me out. Don’t you feel that dark sky is strange? Don’t you think it’s magic?"

"What do you want from me, Lilith?"

"I just need to show you something. Please, take my hands." I reached for her, but she refused. I lowered my hands after her refusal.

"Are you going to compel me now? Because that’s what you’re good at—making people do what you want. Turning them into your servants. Just like you did to Ava, and what’s her name again?" She took a moment to remember. "Cleo."

"You’re getting it all wrong. Whatever Olivia told you about me isn’t true. Please, hear me out."

"And if I don’t? What will you do?" she asked.

I frowned, trying to control my patience. "Cleo!" I called. "Now!" I yelled, and Cleo cast some spells to hold Beauty down.

I’d known she was nearby the whole time. I wasn’t what Olivia told Beauty I was. I don’t compel people to do my bidding or turn them into servants.

"I told you she’d fight!" Cleo said. "She’s struggling too much. I don’t think this will work."

"Keep trying!" I yelled. Cleo took Beauty to the back of the campus—a place where no one goes. It was off-limits. "If you calm down, this will be over quickly," I said, but she wouldn’t stop struggling. She was using all her powers to break free, and Cleo was just as strong—probably stronger, if you asked me.

I closed my eyes for a moment, then opened them. My gaze met Beauty’s, but despite her kicks and struggles to push me out of her mind, I persisted. I needed to show her that we are family. I wanted to tell her Corner’s stories and show her the cave where her father was doing rituals.

She gasped as I fully took over her mind. Cleo was right—I needed her help. If it weren’t for Cleo, I wouldn’t have succeeded in reaching Beauty. I showed her the cave, and she saw what was inside. 

"The beginning and the end," I told her, recalling the day we read at the library together. I never realized that was what was happening—the dean was using ancient magic to defeat me all along. He was after me the entire time.

Beauty struggled to believe what I showed her, what Corner had told me. I also showed her what I saw at the church—the shapeshifter messenger her father had sent, killed at the church.

I gasped as I withdrew from her mind. I didn’t give her illusions—I told her the real story. She gasped and shut her eyes tightly, finding it hard to accept everything she had seen. Olivia wasn’t on her side—I was.

Cleo released her from the spells. Beauty looked afraid, clutching her knees with tears in her eyes. She looked up at me, trembling.

"What happened?" she asked. "Why is he doing this? Father isn’t like this."

I bent down to look at her. "I’m sorry you had to find out this way. I was just trying to look out for you."

"Why?" she asked. "Because you found out we’re cousins?"

I shook my head. "No! Because you’re my friend—I mean, were. Technically."

"I can’t believe this is happening. Mother never told me. She told a different story when I asked how they met. Does she know?"

I shook my head. "She’s clueless, but my friend will tell her everything when they meet. Look, I’m with you. Olivia is working for him. I bet he sent her to watch every step we take and ruin our friendship. I’m sorry you had to find out this way."

She sniffed and tried to stand. She regained her balance.

"I have to confront him," she said.

"No."

"Why not?" she asked.

"He would kill you. For him to want to kill his brother’s daughter—you’re nothing special, just a pawn for his goals. He only cares about the throne, and I can’t give that to him. Many lives depend on me," I said.

"All right. What do you think I should do?"

"Pretend."

"What?"

"Pretend you don’t know anything. I’ll keep in touch and fill you in when the time comes." I handed her my contact info. "Don’t let Olivia know you’re onto her. Be her friend—at least, pretend to for now." 

"Okay, I will try." she said, and left.

I looked at Cleo. "I thought she was going to slap me after all that. That was easier than I expected," I said.

"Good for you. You’ve proven you can handle the world without Theo’s help or the community," she laughed.

We started walking back to campus. 

"What’s with you today? You seemed... What’s the word?"

"Judgmental?" she asked. I nodded.

"Yes! That’s the word I was searching for. Let’s go—I have to meet Ava this evening."

"Want a ride?" she offered, and I couldn’t refuse since Ava wasn’t around to give me one.

"Yes, I do."