Chapter 1
Things were going perfectly. These girls have no idea how lucky they are that we caught their powers early. God forbid they start off like I did. With Cordelia as the supreme now, and Queenie and I her main girls, everyone didn't have to be scared of themselves and each other. They could just grow up knowing they were witches and that there were so many others like them.
"Zoe! No one ever answered my question."
I glanced up to see the girl who asked what a supreme was earlier. These girls have so much to learn.
"Cordelia." I told her.
"Okay…that still doesn't tell me anything about what a supreme is."
So she's going to be difficult, huh. "Cordelia possesses all witch abilities. She was the only one of us who passed the seven wonders. Blind, might I add." I chuckle. "She even brought me back from the dead when that bitch Madison wouldn't."
"Madison? Where's Madison now? I don't remember her from earlier."
"Kyle strangled her when she left me for dead."
"Jesus."
"It's okay, she deserved it."
The girl shook her head, obviously confused. "So what's your name anyway?"
"Lillian. Lillian Crowe." She said as she held a hand out for me to shake. Wow, oddly formal.
"Lovely to meet you, Lillian." I shook her hand. "Now if you don't mind, I have to get ready to go out with Kyle. We'll talk later?"
"Yeah, sure." She turned on her heels and walked out of my room. She seemed nice.
Chapter 2
"How's day one for you?" Kyle asked as he loudly slurped his soup at dinner. He hasn't quite mastered table manners yet.
"Amazing." I replied. "I don't know if I've ever been this happy. How about your day one?"
"As long as you're happy, I'm happy." He said with a wink. I giggled. What a dork. "It's amazing that some girls already know how to handle their powers."
I nearly spit out my food. "WHAT?! They aren't supposed to be using their powers yet! We haven't even started training yet!"
Kyle sat there with wide eyes and didn't say anything, a common theme when he thinks he's done something wrong.
"It's not your fault Kyle. But you have to tell me who is using their powers so I can talk to them."
He stayed frozen.
"Kyle, I'm not mad. Just tell me, please?"
"U-uh, she was tall. Asian. Long black hair. That's all I remember."
"Okay. Now breathe please. And finish your soup." He did as he was told.
Chapter 3
That night at dinner, all the witches gathered around the long table in the dining room, with Cordelia at the head and Queenie and I on either side of her. Kyle acted as the waiter and served everyone their food, which tonight was beef with mixed vegetables. Cordelia folded her hands and smiled as everyone ate and socialized. I scanned everyone, trying to look for the girl Kyle described, but saw no one who looked even slightly Asian. Cordelia nudged me and gestured to my food. I mouthed 'Sorry' and picked at my meal. Moments later, Cordelia jingled a hand bell.
"Ladies, I would just like to say welcome again to Miss Robichaux's Academy. We are so happy and lucky to have you all here. We will start…" Her eyes trailed upwards. "Lillian Crowe."
The whole table followed her eyes to the top of the stairs. Lillian was late; simultaneously running down the stairs and putting on a jacket.
"I'm sorry! I lost track of time, it won't happen again." She scurried to the table and snatched the one open seat.
That was why the girl Kyle described wasn't sitting at the table, she was late. Lillian was the one using her powers.
"Anyways," Cordelia continued. "We will start training tomorrow morning. For the sake of this house and everyone residing in it, do not use your powers unless instructed to."
"Only the Supreme can use her powers without instruction." I make clear. "Even Queenie and I are refraining from using them."
"How do we become the Supreme?" a voice pipes up from the other end of the table.
Everyone's eyes dart back to see who dared to ask. Lillian Crowe. As if she wasn't already a troublemaker.
"You don't!" Queenie practically yells. "Cordelia is the Supreme until she dies. Then the contestants have to compete in the Seven Wonders, and that's a journey let me tell ya. Long story short, you girls don't have to worry about becoming the Supreme, because we have an amazing Supreme before us now."
Cordelia smiled. "Thank you, Queenie. Finish eating girls, and then you have free time until bed."
The girls started chattering and eating again. Cordelia turned to Queenie and I. "Ladies, no need to be so stern with them. I want them to be happy here, and not scared of the management." She chuckled.
"Yes Mom." Queenie joked.
Cordelia laughed. "Zoe?"
"Got it. Sorry." I muttered.
She nodded and continued eating.
Chapter 4
During free time, most girls were in each other's rooms telling stories about how they discovered their powers. I stayed away from all those conversations because I hate talking about it. Other groups of girls were playing small games like 'Truth or Dare' and 'Never Have I Ever'. I walked down the bedroom hall, glancing into each room. Queenie was in a room explaining the Seven Wonders experience to some girls. I smiled and turned to join them when I heard a noise coming from a few rooms over. I walked down to discover the only closed door in the entire hall. I put my ear up to the door and listened. There were no voices coming from inside, but I was fairly certain that was where the noise came from. I opened the door to see Lillian sitting on her bed, which was floating in the air.
"Lillian!" I shouted.
She looked at me with wide eyes and her bed came crashing down.
"Zoe! I didn't...I just…"
"What the hell do you think you're doing? You're breaking pretty much the only rule we have here. You can not use your powers unless directed to," I emphasized every word. "You have no idea what mayhem you can cause."
"I'm so sorry Zoe. I had no idea I could even do that, I was just messing around...and…" She started crying.
Oh God, I was never good at calming people down. "No, Lil, it's okay. I was overreacting. Just try not to do it again, okay?"
She smiled, then hugged me. "Thank you, Zoe. I promise it will never happen again. Please don't tell Cordelia about this."
"Your secret is safe with me. Hey, wanna go play a round of truth or dare?"
"Absolutely!"
Chapter 5
"Okay ladies, welcome to day one of your witch training!" Cordelia exclaimed and the girls cheered and giggled. "We will start with telekinesis today, as that is the first of the seven wonders. Everyone stand in front of a candlestick."
I watched as the girls tried to move the candlestick from the other side of the table to their grip. No one had moved it any more than a few inches yet.
"Don't worry if you can't get it yet, it took Queenie and Zoe months of training too!" Cordelia smiled at me.
I nodded and glanced back at the girls to see a candlestick speed across the table into someone's hand. Girls gasped and the entire room was silent and still. All eyes darted to the witch who did it so effortlessly: Lillian Crowe.
"Um, Lillian Crowe, where did you learn to do that?" Cordelia asked, a crack in her voice.
"I'm not sure, it just kind of happened." Lillian stuttered. "I'm sorry…"
"No, you don't have to apologize, but be very careful. Powers are wonderful, but powers too strong when not used correctly can have bad results. Very bad."
Lillian nodded, and one by one the other girls continued to try to move the candlestick.
The girls continued their training for the next few hours, and Lillian was right in line with the rest of them. Maybe the whole telekinesis thing was just a fluke, or her specialty, or something along those lines. After training, Cordelia explained further the concept of the supreme and what you have to do in order to become the next one.
"One of you girls will be the next supreme, so in order to have a happy and safe coven, training now will be a lot more beneficial than training later! Now go have some fun." The girls got up and retreated back to each other's rooms. I went to follow them, but a hand stopped me.
"Zoe, stay here for a second." Cordelia said. "Lillian Crowe, do you know anything about her?"
I couldn't tell Cordelia what I saw Lillian doing because I gave her my word.
"I don't really know anything about her, but she seems different. She's the only girl I've really gotten to know in the house."
Cordelia nodded. "So you think she just got lucky with the candlestick?"
"Yeah, I mean what other logical reasoning is there?"
Cordelia opened her mouth to speak, but quickly closed it again. "You're probably right. Thank you, Zoe." And with that she turned around and walked away.
Chapter 6
That night, I woke up at 2:42 am to the cool breeze of wind on my face. Annoyed, I got up to close the window, only to discover it was closed. I walked to the vent and put my hand over it. No cool air blowing at all. Must've been a weird dream sensation. I got back into bed and closed my eyes. I felt the breeze again. I opened my eyes and Lillian was standing over me. I let out a tiny scream before her hand stopped it.
"Listen, Zoe. I want to be the next supreme."
I chuckled. "Well you have my vote, but I'm thinking Cordelia is gonna be around for a while longer, so you have plenty of time to prepare. Now if you'll excuse me, I was sleeping."
"No. I want to be the supreme now. And you're going to help me. I would make a much better supreme over Cordelia and you know it. You've seen what I can do."
Had she lost her mind? "Lillian, telekinesis is one of the seven wonders you have to complete before becoming the supreme. Congratulations, you can do one. Before even being considered you have to learn to do them all. Also to bring back a former point of mine, Cordelia is still alive!"
"I know how to do all of them. I've known since I've been here. I was faking it earlier because I didn't want anyone knowing yet. I'm telling you because I trust you, Zoe."
"Well I'm honored but you just can't be the supreme right now. Cordelia is one of the best supremes we've ever had and she's going to be around for a lot longer. We can't hold a competition until the current supreme dies or loses her powers."
"I guess we'll just have to get rid of Cordelia then, huh."
What the hell?! "No, Lillian, no we don't! You're acting insane, go back to bed please."
Lillian turned on her heels and walked out of the room. She muttered something on her way out, but I didn't hear what it was.
Chapter 7
The next morning, I walked downstairs to find a few girls already at breakfast, with Kyle as their waiter.
"Hey!" I said and gave him a quick kiss.
"How'd you sleep?" He asked.
"I had a weird dream. But I don't really remember it." I didn't want Kyle to know what Lillian told me last night. I didn't want anyone to know.
"Well everything's okay now." He smiled.
I smiled back. I didn't have to worry about this. Cordelia knows how to handle herself, even if Lillian is psycho and was serious. More girls started to show up for breakfast, but no Lillian. And no Cordelia. My heart started to race. It was already 10:12, and Cordelia was never late to breakfast.
"Queenie, have you seen Cordelia?" I whispered.
"No girl, I was just going to ask you!"
I nodded slowly and took it upon myself to go find her. I ran up the stairs and down the girl's hallway. Everyone was out of their rooms and downstairs. I slowed down when I approached Lillian's room. She was missing from hers too. I shot Kyle a quick text asking if she had come downstairs while I was up here. I turned the corner to Cordelia's room. My phone buzzed and I jumped. "No, still not here." Kyle had texted back. With shaking hands, I opened the door to Cordelia's room. No sign of her or Lillian. I exhaled, considering I was scared of what I may have seen. I took one last glance around the room and slowly headed out. Right before I closed the door I heard a pounding from the closet. I turned back around and stared at the closet door in horror. Maybe that was just in my head? I waited for a minute before the pounding reoccurred. Slower than ever, I walked towards the closet and hesitated before opening it, then swung it open as fast as I could. Cordelia was there, with a rag shoved in her mouth and ropes binding her to the clothes rack that were cutting into her skin. Her skin was so white it was almost blue. She had already lost a lot of blood.
"Oh my god, Cordelia." I yanked the rag out of her mouth and tried to untie her, but the knots were way too tight. "I'll be right back, I'm going to get a knife."
"Zoe, no!" Cordelia squeaked out. "Don't leave me here by myself, Lillian said she was coming back…I don't know what she wants." Tears were rolling uncontrollably out of my eyes and into my mouth.
"Okay, okay. I'll text Kyle to bring a knife." I texted Kyle the best I could with my hands shaking uncontrollably: "bring knife 2 cordelias room hurry".
"Zoe. Glad you could join us." I heard from behind me. Lillian stood as tall as a building in front of Cordelia and me holding a cup with something in it.
I stood up. "Lillian, I don't know what is wrong with you, but you need to stop it. Right now."
She laughed eerily. "There's nothing wrong with me, Zoe! Cordelia's the one you should be worried about. She's not fit to be the supreme around here, I am." She pushed past me. "Trust me, things will be a lot better around here after today. Cordelia, drink this, and you'll feel a lot better."
Cordelia knocked the cup out of Lillian's hand, spilling the drink all over her.
Lillian jumped back, looked at her ruined clothes, and narrowed her eyes at Cordelia. "You're gonna pay for that." She said and lunged at Cordelia.
I screamed and closed my eyes, but all of a sudden, everything was silent. I opened my eyes to see Lillian standing inches from Cordelia gasping for air, Cordelia sitting silently, mouth hanging open, and Kyle behind Lillian, also looking a little shocked. Lillian fell to the ground and that's when I saw the knife in her back. I started crying again and Kyle ran to me and embraced me. "I'm sorry…" he said over and over again.
"You did the right thing, Kyle. You saved my life. Thank you. Could you cut the rope off my arms please?" I remembered Cordelia was still tied up.
Kyle rubbed my back, released me and pulled the knife out of Lillian's back. He cut Cordelia free and helped her stand. "Zoe," Cordelia said, "Go tell the girls lessons are cancelled today."
"Are you going to be okay, Cordelia?" I asked, looking at Lillian's body in the corner of my eyes.
Cordelia chuckled. "I'm the supreme. Of course I'll be okay."
I smiled and went downstairs to inform the girls.
Chapter 8
News reporters were definitely what we didn't need more of, especially when we had finally gotten rid of the others. Our yard was constantly flooded with a minimum of five different stations at all times. Cordelia was handling everything very well, though. We found out Lillian had run away from her home to join the coven, and she was in fact diagnosed as a sociopath last year. She survived the stab wound, and was immediately sent back to her home and was facing charges for assault. The coven continued training witches, but in order to be accepted you had to fill out an application with signatures from parents and all that fun stuff. Finally, the coven was a place where everyone felt safe and that they belonged there.