we're painted red to fit right in

Victoria Lyre. 26. "I don't want your money, and I don't want your crown. See I've come to burn your kingdom down."

[luxxmccoy-blog]

“She’s the Head Bitch here. Built this whole place with Willow, blah, blah, blah, worst people in the world, blah, blah, blah. You know, usual angsty shit no one wants to hear.” She said, shrugging. “You’ll meet them soon enough, and the other Elders that came after.” Learning about how things worked around in the Coven would take less than two days. It wasn’t complicated and even the most clueless person could tell apart the powerful from the mere civilians.

[victorialyre-blog]

“No, I know that much. They covered it during the recruitment process and the welcome tour.” In fact, she knew all of those small facts by heart. The year it had been founded, both of their ages, rough trait profiles. That had nothing to do with who they were as people or how the witches here viewed them. “Worst people in the world?”

[meadowxchambers-blog-blog]

“What makes you say that? It looks like any other restricted door. Just something for the Elders only,” Meadow replied with a shrug. 

She had been on her way to get a quick cup of coffee, something to help her make it through the day, when Meadow saw her… just standing there staring at the door. The truth was, magic could get one passed the door, and most knew that. Why didn’t she? 

“Are you new around here? I haven’t seen you before.” 

[victorialyre-blog]

“I didn’t grow up with a lot of locked doors, I guess,” Victoria lied, turning her back on the door in favor of the studying the new witch. No one she knew, no one significant. Yet.

“Shiny and new, that’s me. First day. Not as much chaos as advertised.”

[luxxmccoy-blog]

Everyone was still very sensitive, still trying to gather their faith in the Elders from the recent tragedies, making this the perfect time for Lux to strike. They were scared, they sought hope in anyone that could offer it and Lux could provide just that for them, she could give them answers. Of course she had to be careful; this wasn’t a time to be reckless either. One small mistake could have the Guards all over her again. 

As she walked the halls, she caught sight of an unfamiliar person and curiosity got the best of her, her eyes lingering at their face. Why were they looking at that door for so long? But before she could slip away and pretend like she was never there, the person turned on their heel in seconds and found her out. It surprised her, she had to admit, rarely did people notice her presence so quickly. At her statement, her brows furrowed. She looked towards the door then back at the woman, “No, just a professor’s supply closet. You can find about a dozen others if you’d like. If you want to find a three headed dog, you’ll have to snoop through Alain’s closet, not this one.” She had a feeling that whoever this woman was didn’t know much about the Coven, so she could assume her comment regarding the Elder would go unnoticed.

[victorialyre-blog]

Victoria glanced back to the door, unsatisfied. There was reason it hadn’t been in the blueprints and it wasn’t because it was some professor’s supply closet. But now she had an audience and it was counterproductive to claim any different. Hiking her bag further up on her shoulder, she resisted the urge to turn back around and find out firsthand. “The Founder?” Even posing as a new witch, she had heard all the Elders mentioned during her welcome tour. They focused on the two ancient witches that had founded the place first and foremost. “Why, what’s her deal?”

[victorialyre-blog]

Watching the coven fall apart and grieve over a fallen member was fascinating, like cracking open a beehive and watching from afar. And over a familiar, too. It wasn’t as if they were worshiped as deities here. Victoria pictured the Coven falling in a final bloodbath, but perhaps instead of having her troops trail their targets and gather information, she could let one follow through. The death of a witch would truly send shockwaves. 

Her boots tapped sharply on the hardwood floor as she traced a path through the building, making sure the blueprints she had a hunter sketch from memory were accurate. Everything was a bit ostentatious, but Victoria could appreciate a bit of flair. When it wasn’t coming from monsters, anyway. Taking a sharp turn, she lingered at the mouth of a hallway she was positive hadn’t made it into the sketches. A thick wooden door sat at the end. Even from a distance she could tell from the cut of the lock that it was deadbolted. She had the pins in her messenger bag to pick the lock, but whatever magic also protected it might not be worth stirring up. Always hyper aware of her surroundings, the huntress knew the second eyes landed on her. Someone watching her watching the door. With a small smile, she turned on her heel, brushing a few strands out of her eyes. “What do you think is in there? Three headed dog?”