BLOODSHOT EYES FOLLOWED DELICATE HANDS. Pressed palms smoothed fabric across the front of a black parlor pin-up midi dress. Corey stood with her back to the door as she watched herself in her mirror, taking in a shaky breath. She fought to hold back the tears, her shoulders bobbing slightly as she closed her eyes.
Between her feet, a single black cat weaved back and forth. Ophelia was the only thing that managed to calm her. The cat was a gift from Madison; the first thing they had as a couple in their shared apartment. Usually, the cat was attached to the blonde's hip. For some reason, today, it refused to leave Corey's side. A quiet knock against the doorframe behind her grabbed her attention, pulling her back into reality for a moment.
"Miss Corey?" Nan's voice fluttered across the room. The redhead craned her neck as she slowly opened her eyes to take a look at the girl. "Th-they're here." The young girl folded her hands in front of her, her features sad. She watched Corey swallow hard.
"Thank you," the redhead nodded once, taking in a deep breath. She looked back at the mirror, observing her own face. Her high ponytail brushed against the base of her neck as she moved. Her eyes were puffy, bright red veins clutching against the place where the whites should be. She didn't feel as though she still had any tears left in her, but somehow the reservoir hadn't yet run dry.
"I'll be down in a moment." She sighed. Her lips pursed as she turned to face the young witch that stood in her doorway. "Alert Cordelia. She should be with Queenie and Zoe down the hall." Nan hummed in response as she turned on her heels. She quickly stomped down the hallway to find the headmistress. Corey took a deep breath, able to hear the front gate creak from her slightly open bedroom windows. She slowly wandered out of her bedroom, a mindless movement of feet guiding her to where she needed to go.
As she walked, she felt like she was floating. Each step through the hallway and down the large staircase was effortless as her body led her without a second thought. In her mind, she was hovering, gliding through her office and out into the parlor. Ophelia jingled behind her, never more than a foot between them as she trotted with her head held high.
Entering the parlor, Corey's eyes immediately landed on the large vacant spot on the floor. At her feet should have rested the fluffy white rug that once sat at the edge of the piano. It was a gift from her mother to make the academy feel a little more like her own personal space. Instead, the polished white knotty pine floor was bare, a reflection of her own face looking back up at her. When her gaze traveled towards the Council, her bottom lip quivered.
"Thank you all for coming." She nodded once. Corey tried her hardest to maintain control over her facial features. She looked down at her feet once again. Her eyes locked on Ophelia as she shook her head slightly and sniffled. "Cordelia should be with us at any moment."
Almost on command, the blonde hurried through the open door across from the two witches and the warlock that stood in front of the fireplace. The redhead looked up to take in the Headmistress's frantic appearance. She was barefoot, still in the same white nightgown she was wearing when she grabbed Corey from her bedroom.
"Wow," Cordelia whispered. She was taken aback slightly by the crowd before her. She hesitated, completely unaware of the reason for the Council's gathering. Quickly, she moved towards them. "I had no idea the Council would be joining us today."
Myrtle Snow— the older redheaded witch that stood front and center— met the Headmistress half-way and pulled her in for a hug. Corey could tell that they were whispering to one another but she was too far away to hear what was being said and wasn't standing at an angle in which she could read their lips. The two stepped apart as Corey moved towards the center of the room. Again, Ophelia followed. She circled around Corey's feet, her tail held high like a beacon.
"Council on Witchcraft assembles only under the gravest circumstances." Cecily Pembrooke— the older, frumpy looking witch— spoke with venom oozing from her lips. Her features remained unchanged. Having been ripped from her basic day-to-day life to meet for a missing witch caused her a great deal of boredom.
"And who doesn't love a surprise?" Quentin Fleming— the only male, a warlock, out of the group that stood before Cordelia— chirped with a smile. He tilted his head at Corey, his brows raising as if to ask what gives? Cordelia sighed as Corey stood beside her, her shoulders falling in defeat.
"I'm sorry, but I can't guess why you're here," she looked down at her hands as she fiddled with her fingers. Her gaze flicked up to lock with Myrtle's. "But, I can assure you, all of our girls have found themselves resting comfortably." The older redhead looked confused amongst the rest of the Council, her head snapping between the two witches beside her before she finally focused on Corey.
"Uhm, actually, Delia," the young witch placed a hand on the Headmistress's shoulder, her eyes wide. "I know why they were called." She cleared her throat. Pembrooke chimed in, taking a cautious step forward as she looked between Corey and Cordelia with a furrowed brow.
"Something of potentially grave circumstance has come to our attention." Cordelia shook her head, finding a spot on the ceiling to lock her gaze.
"Oh, God," she whimpered, taking in a shaky breath. "I don't know what has been done, but I should have known something was wrong." Corey clenched her jaw in anger. Her nostrils flared outward as her hand fell against her lap.
"Oh, for fuck's sake, Delia. This isn't about you." She scoffed. She shook her head as she rolled her jaw outward. Again, she struggled to keep her tears from falling. Before she could explain herself, the heel-to-toe click entered the parlor from behind her.
Ophelia let out a growl. She draped her tail over Corey's feet protectively as she stood with her back pressed against the witch's calves. Corey's shoulders squared as she stood taller, her face hardening as she prepared to deal with the Supreme.
"Don't get too comfortable," Fiona chuckled. Her hands floated around her as she walked. Ophelia hissed as she moved closer to Corey; a warning to the Supreme to stay away. Fiona rolled her eyes. Her nose involuntarily twitched at the cat in response. "And you?" She pointed to Cordelia. The blonde tensed instantly, her mother's gaze freezing her in her place. "Stop talking." The Supreme wagged a finger at her in warning.
"Fiona!" Myrtle chirped. The disdain in her voice was evident. "It's been a long time." Corey watched as the two exchanged their fake pleasantries. She could hear the forced smile in Fiona's voice as she remained focused on the woman in front of her.
"Myrtle Snow," Fiona shook her head. A tsk escaped her lips as she looked the other woman up and down. "Look at you. Developing a sense of style when no one was paying attention." Corey could tell from the tone of Fiona's voice that she couldn't stand the Councilwoman. She let her tongue run across the front of her top teeth as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"Quentin, you vicious old queen," the Supreme continued down the line. They laughed as she leaned forward to kiss both of the shorter man's cheeks. "What's it take for a girl to get her phone call returned?"
"Oh! My life is pure torment." Corey rolled her eyes as the man spoke. Of course the most daunting part of his life would be a national book tour. "One book signing after another. Travel, travel, travel. It's like get me off of the bestseller list already." Fiona let out a laugh. Cordelia looked over at Corey, continuing to fidget with wide eyes.
"Just remember whose magic it was that put you there." The Supreme reached her hand out, patting Quentin's cheek.
"Oh, Fiona. You're a caution." She threw her head back in a laugh. Her eyes moved to the end of the line to lock onto Cecily. She moved to open her mouth, say something sarcastic to the frumpy old woman.
"Fucking enough already," Corey groaned. Her head tilted to the side in anger. "We get it, you know everyone in the room. As do the rest of us." Fiona spun around, her open jaw met with an angry witch.
"You watch yourself, Corinna," Fiona pointed a finger at the girl. She took a cautious step in her direction. Corey stood taller, her head tilting as she held it high.
"You're stalling," Corey's brows flicked upward. A silent challenge for the Supreme to incite violence in front of the Council. Instead, Fiona's tongue jutted out to wet her bottom lip as she pushed past the girl.
"So," she cleared her throat. Her head tilted as she moved to the couch in the center of the room. "You old hens. What have you come to cluck about?" She sat down, one leg crossing over the other.
"We were summoned by one of your students," Myrtle spoke up, her focus on Corey. The silent invitation for the witch to explain the situation left out in the open. Fiona's face remained unchanging, but Cordelia's brows flew upward. The panic washed over the blonde, her heart caught in her stomach.
"Which one?" Fiona asked. She looked at the back of Corey's head. She hoped, silently prayed, that the girl was clueless as to what happened. Unfortunately, the girl's somewhat disheveled look and cold demeanor told her otherwise.
"Me," Nan's angry voice charged through the room. She stood in the same doorway that Corey had entered through, the redhead's office directly behind her. As Corey turned to look at the youngest witch, something caught her eye. Under the piano, in the far corner of the room, laid a rectangular black object. It glistened as the light reflected from it.
"I can't hear her anymore," the young witch continued. Corey's mouth fell open slightly, her lip trembling as she tried to catch her breath. "Madison? I think she's dead." She tried to maintain her composure in front of the Council, but one singular tear rolled down her cheek.
"That's why we're here," Myrtle focused on Fiona. She watched the Supreme's face, silently waiting for a sign. Fiona's brows flew upward, her head tilted slightly as she watched Corey. The young musician turned around, an angry huff leaving her lips as she pulled out her phone.
"You've fucked with the wrong witch, Fiona Goode." Her attention shifted to the shining object in the corner. She selected the most recent outgoing call, holding her breath in anticipation. Within moments, the screen lit up. Quiet vibrations came from the corner of the room closest to Nan.
Ophelia trotted towards the familiar vibration pattern, a coo escaping her throat in small, almost silent chirps. As Madison's caller-specific ringtone fluttered across the room, Corey's palm latched over her mouth. She took in a shaky breath through her nose, her lips trembling as the dam broke once again.
Nothing's gonna hurt you baby.
As long as you're with me, you'll be just fine.
Nothing's gonna hurt you baby.
Nothing's gonna take you from my side.
"Let the record show the official inquiry into the disappearance of our sister witch Madison Montgomery has commenced." The droning of keys being pressed caused Corey to zone out, her emotions getting the best of her. She sat before the long table— Quentin, Myrtle, and Cecily gathered in front of her. In her lap rested Ophelia, the quiet purrs of the black cat somehow calming her nerves.
"Noted," Quentin chirped in response. His hand moved up towards his face as he brought his cigarette to his lips. Corey continued to focus on her fingers, her hands smoothing down the fur across the cat's back. She scrunched her nose, trying her hardest to keep herself from spiraling.
"And the penalty for inflicting grievous bodily harm against a Salem descendent can be but one," Myrtle paused as she spoke, hoping that she could grab the young witch's attention. "Death by fire."
"Miss Nicks?" Corey looked up. The clicking of the stenographer keyboard came to a halt. "When was the last time you saw or spoke with Madison?"
"She left me a voicemail yesterday," she sighed. She shrugged one of her shoulders slightly as she shook her head. "She said something about going out with Fiona, but the last time I personally spoke with her was before I left for the studio yesterday afternoon." Myrtle nodded. She turned to look at Quentin as Cecily continued to type.
"Do you mind playing it for us now?" The warlock looked at the witch seated in front of the table with a raised brow. He used the hand that held his cigarette to point an upwards palm at the girl.
"N-no, not at all." Corey cleared her throat. She selected the voicemail from the call screen of her iPhone. Ophelia's ears perked upwards at the sound of the blonde's voice. However, Corey tensed as she heard Madison's playful tone come from the speaker of her cellphone.
"Hey baby. I know it's not usual that I call you while you're at work but I just wanted you to know where I was going. Fiona's taking me on one of her dumb fucking field trips. Cordelia's not here to give me an excuse to not go, that bitch. Don't wait up, I'm not sure when I'll be back tonight." Myrtle's brows flicked upward, creasing the center of her forehead in concern.
"So is it usual for instructors fraternize with their students in this facility?" Cecily spoke with her glasses resting on the edge on her nose, her head tilted. Corey's brows furrowed as she let out a scoff.
"I'm sorry?" She crossed her arms over her chest as she watched the woman type without ever having to look down at her fingers. "The proper channels were made aware of our relationship before I accepted the position offered to me. The information was indicated in both of our personal files." She spoke at a fast pace. Quickly, she became defensive over her relationship with the actress.
"The Council was alerted when Madison was transferred to the academy. I don't understand the angle you're aiming for here." Ophelia sat up and head butted Corey's arm with all the strength she could muster up. The redhead uncrossed her arms enough to scratch the top of the cat's head. Without prodding into the issue any more, Myrtle continued.
"Did she give the impression of being a particularly powerful witch?" Quentin pressed his fingertips together as he took in Corey's body language. He could tell the girl wasn't comfortable talking about the actress in past tense, but she tried her best.
"She already had decent control over her telekinesis when she joined us. Though, I wouldn't call it particularly powerful if that's what you meant." Again, Corey looked down at the cat in her lap. She picked at Ophelia's collar, her face full of sorrow and concern.
"Before her disappearance, was Madison manifesting any powers? New ones, rapidly accumulating?" Myrtle jumped in with the next question, fearing she was losing the musician's attention.
"None rapidly accumulating, no. At least not that I'm aware of. She did, however, just manifest pyrokinesis." She thought back to the trip to the roller rink. How Madison managed to get the boys to leave them alone so that they could continue to spend time together in peace. Though she wasn't completely sure, she had a feeling the blonde had used concilium.
"And when did that happen?" Cecily was the next to chime in. Her lips pursed slightly as the Council slowly prodded information from the girl who should have been alone. The witch that should have been mourning the loss of the girl she loved, but never had the chance to tell how she truly felt. Corey knew it was false. She had the chance. She had plenty of chances to tell Madison. She just never took them.
"Roughly a week ago? I'm not sure. These last few weeks have been a bit of a blur." She took in a shaky breath. Once again, an attempt to keep herself from crying.
"Did anyone else know about this?" Quentin placed his thumb between his teeth, his brows arching upward.
"Nan, our youngest student." Corey swallowed hard. A nod followed her words. "And I believe Fiona did as well." Myrtle's face turned to stone as the words left Corey's lips. She swallowed hard.
"Is there anything important about Madison that wasn't noted in her personal files?" Cecily once again chimed in. This time, her features were softer than they had been. Less accusatory and more understanding of the redhead's behavior.
"Maddie had a heart murmur. She monitored it often, but kept it a secret. Cordelia and I were the only ones that knew." She squeezed her eyes shut. Her bottom lip quivered as she fiddled with her hands. "She wasn't the next Supreme. She was far from it, actually." She swallowed hard. Her bottom lip sucked in as she bit down on it. "Fiona wouldn't have known. That's not information that Madison freely gave out to anyone."
"That's all, Corinna." Myrtle's voice was softer than it had been throughout the interview process. Corey nodded, standing from her chair. She held Ophelia against her chest as the cat let out a quizzical cooing sound. Her head tilted up at the witch, a playful paw batting softly against her face. "Thank you." The girl walked away. She used the back of her free hand to wipe her tears from her face as the Council murmured between themselves.