Escaped Daughter (Morrigan University #1)

5

I woke naked… Alone in my bed.

Sore as all fuck and not just in the female areas, but that potion had done a number on me. My joints hurt—though that could have been from the wild sex too. My head ached, my skin felt like it was sunburnt. That had to be from the potion. Overall, I was a mess.

But a mess that was cleaned up. Huh.

A quick rifle through my bag showed everything was in order. My phone was locked so he couldn’t have added his number or sent me a text… But he didn’t leave a note or anything either.

I was conflicted on that. Would I have called? Maybe. I hugged my bag to my chest. Probably. That was wild and way over what I would ever have expected sex to be.

Fuck, a man to be and with me.

Then again, could anything ever top that? It was probably best to leave it at one night of crazy passion and not ruin the perfect encounter. Even being drugged, it was perfect. Why let reality and life mess that up?

I mean, I didn’t even know my mystery man’s name. That was kind of hot.

My phone rang with an unknown number and I quickly answered it. “Hello?”

“Hi, Ms. Millen, this is campus security. How are you?”

“Um, processing. A bit slow to catch up,” I muttered, not sure how to handle the situation or what to answer. Exactly how much did they know?

“I’m sure,” the man said, his voice kind. “That potion was a harsh one. We received the evidence and took the statement from the other witness. We’ve also interrogated the suspect, so all that’s left is your statement before we can file the full report to the High Council. Do you feel up to that today or… Would you like one of the healers to come see you in your room?”

I blinked at my phone, shocked how sweet and kind they were being about the whole thing. Then again, it was pretty bad for it to have happened on campus, and only a monster wouldn’t feel at least some pity when knowing a family did this to one of their own.

“No, I can come to you if you give me a bit. Where should I go?”

“We have offices in the admin building. We’ll be ready for you there and make this as painless as possible.”

“Thank you.”

“You should know Gregg will be expelled. He confessed, so you won’t have to see him again.”

“That’s...” I swallowed down my overwhelming emotions. “Thank you. That’s—that helps. Immensely.”

“We take the security of our students seriously. Classes are meant to be rough and training hard to produce the best witches and warlocks, but there are very, very strict lines. This is—disgusting doesn’t begin to cover the university’s stance, so you have the school’s full support, Ms. Millen. Know that and whatever you need, we’re here for you.”

“Thank you,” I rasped, more because I’d never had anyone say that to me than knowing I’d never have to see Gregg again. “I’ll be there soon.”

“Take your time. We’ll be here all day.”

I thanked him again a few times before hanging up, realizing I hadn’t gotten his name either. That was becoming a habit of mine I didn’t want to get into. I’d make it up to the people who handled the investigation once I didn’t have to hide and was free to be who I truly was. I wouldn’t forget this kindness.

It was one of the first times after all.

I rolled out of bed and finally understood Arianna Grande’s song, swallowing a hysterical laugh as it hit me just how ridiculous it was to think of that right then. I didn’t stop there, thinking of jokes about women walking bowlegged and all the innuendos I didn’t catch before about the horse being wide and walking funny after the ride.

Right, a big dick made you sore the next day. Wow. So I joined that club.

Cool.

No, really, I was having trouble not smirking as I took a long warm shower. I would have loved a hot one to help all my sore muscles, but my skin felt sunburnt from the potion and was overly sensitive. I might see a healer for that and some aftercare.

And other things. It was probably wise since I’d never had “the talk” with my unfeeling mother.

Decision made, I wrapped up my morning routine and headed out. I had checked the map before I left to make sure I knew the way to the admin building and the clinic to hopefully get a walk-in appointment.

It ended up not being necessary since they had a healer waiting for me. I sat down with a very nice and gentle woman who promised what I said was confidential and would only be part of the report to the High Council.

“We already know he took your purity,” she said gently when I hesitated. “It was part of his witness statement. Everything here at school is confidential for his protection from your family, but the High Council will know as they should.”

I nodded. That was best.

“You did consent, yes?” she checked.

“Yes, very much so,” I muttered as my cheeks flushed lava hot. “He was reluctant because of the potion. Please, please don’t punish him or think less of him. I—I really did strip naked and jump him.”

She snorted, apologizing for it. “Darling, I would have without that beast of a potion riding me. That man is gorgeous. There is no judgment here, and given what you went through, you did what you did. As long as he was good to you and didn’t take advantage, that’s all that matters.”

“He was good to me.”

“Glad to hear it.” She gave me a wink and kept it professional from there, asking me my condition and how I felt from the potion. She noted down everything from the potion, not what was from my first time having sex… Which I greatly appreciated given this was going to the High Council.

She also gave me a magical pregnancy test that registered way before a human hormone one. I couldn’t take it for a few days but still, it would be nice to have and confirm. I was certain beyond a doubt the gods wouldn’t screw me like that, but having it confirmed was best.

“Do you plan on being sexually active after this?” She laughed when I snorted. “So you enjoyed it that much. Good. I’m glad given I have too many tell me horror stories with how sexist our society is.”

“I ache everywhere, but sign me up for it again and again even if it was on a damn desk,” I blurted, my face flushing again.

“Beds are for when you’re old,” she teased me. After she healed me, she gave me a contraception potion and told me it would be on my file to get it once a month from the clinic. And free of charge. Nice.

Next came giving my statement and admitting I was an idiot who let a stranger put stuff in my drink. I was mortified.

“I swear I didn’t think I looked away,” I sighed. “We were right there in a crowded coffee shop, and I watched while he put in the cinnamon. It was… He must have when I grabbed napkins.”

“Or he did it later when you went for books in the library,” the security officer defended. “A predator and bad guy will always find a way. It happened, you learned something valuable, but you’re safe. We caught a dangerous guy, and he’s expelled and facing judgment from the High Council.”

“How did you catch him?” I hedged.

“The witness sensed the incredibly powerful, negative potion and on Gregg but then lost sight of him. It took him a few moments to track the lingering magic of that sort of potion, and that was how he found you in the library in time.”

“Wow, impressive. Really, thank him for me.”

“I think the High Council will do that,” he muttered, clearing his throat and sharing a glance with his partner.

His male partner. It took me a moment to catch on and then my face flushed.

Right, the guy got to fuck me. That was reward enough to most.

Awkward.

I went over it all once again so they could check for consistency with what I said and line it up with others they interviewed. It took me a moment, but then I realized “others” would be people who saw us like the guy at the coffee shop. Wow, so they were really getting into this. That was impressive to me.

It wasn’t much longer until I read my printed statement and signed it to be part of the official report sent to the High Council. I almost hesitated, wondering if there was any way my family could buy their way out of this, but the head of security seemed to understand where my mind was, letting me know the school had to report the incident whether I pressed charges or not, so they would come ask me for a statement.

Perfect. That took all the weight off my shoulders, and as the school had to file quarterlies and report certain everything to the High Council, it made sense. I was also shocked to find out the list of charges they were filing. It wasn’t only being drugged, but sexual assault given he admitted to touching me sexually. Attempted rape as he tried to force himself on me. They were going all out.

I thanked them several more times and headed back to my room where I sat down to do the one thing I’d dreamed of for over a decade… Break all ties with my family. After some back and forth, I decided to go big so there was no chance of weaseling out of it later or trying to backtrack or downplay the deal that was made.

That seemed the smartest play, especially after seeing the lengths my parents were willing to go.

Dear Father,

By now you’ve probably realized that your plan failed, and our agreement has been broken by your underhanded methods that aren’t allowed in a magical deal. For the record, if you had succeeded, I still wouldn’t have mated Gregg and been a broodmare you could sell for the family.

I would have filed formal charges of rape with the High Council and never, not ever have let this been swept under the rug or mated my attacker. So it was best you trusted an imbecile who used a powerful potion that could be sensed among some of the brightest and finest trained of our people at the best university in the world in public. And then he attacked me in the library with witnesses.

Needless to say, security was called before I even recovered and the investigation started immediately. As was my duty to the community and my responsibility with a High Council investigation, I cooperated fully.

What the outcome of the investigation will be, I cannot say; however, given the manner in which you broke our deal, I’m filing an emergency petition for my disownment. Those were the terms of our agreement, and since you’ve shown you’re willing to go to the lengths of injuring my person to get your way, I feel it necessary to take these steps.

Before you think you might still have a hand to play, my purity has already been lost. I gave it to a stranger as it was apparently a liability you deemed to control me by and use against me in the most repugnant fashion. So in your words, I’m tainted goods as that is how you refer to women who lose their purity before they’re sold into matings.

I’m sending a copy of this correspondence to the High Council with my request. Hopefully, they will inform us both of a hearing date as they can fit in their busy schedule, and then our business with each other will be done as you’ve made it clear that you will never see me as a daughter to love, but a possession you own and can do with as you wish.

Except you can’t. I doubt this will teach you that or do anything but anger you, but soon I pray the High Council frees me of having to worry about you or what the Shaw family thinks or does any longer.

Sincerely,

Bevin

I actually filled out my requests for the High Council first and copied the letter with magic. I put it all together and headed back out to the student union where I knew there was a mail service that would undoubtedly have a way to get in touch with the High Council.

Five minutes later, I was standing in front of a mailbox addressed to them, knowing it would arrive there magically with no chance of anyone tampering with it. I sighed in relief as I slid the envelope in the slot. Most wouldn’t know how to structure requests to the High Council on the fly—and certainly not at my age—but I’d been planning this for a long time.

I’d made sure I knew how if the day ever came so I’d be ready.

Next was sending the letter to Father. That was easy as well. All I had to do was put a drop of blood onto the paper and tell it who in my family I wanted it to go to. That was easy magic within a family and something children learned early especially in the important and rich families as it was the quickest way for us to call for help should we need it.

Cellphones could be broken or taken. Something to write on and sent with a drop of blood was always available or could be found if we were hurt or abducted.

Not that I’d ever thought my parents would care enough to come for me if I was, and I rarely left our estate to risk such an ordeal, but we still learned it. Even to them, I had the magic to handle something so simple.

Boy were they in for a rude awakening when they eventually learned I had a lot more magic than they ever thought.

I felt lighter in some ways as I walked back to my dorm. In other ways… Worried. In theory, this was the next step, but if it didn’t go my way I was screwed.

Apparently, I didn’t need to worry even those few minutes as there was an envelope taped to my door with an official seal of the High Council.

“Holy fuck,” I whispered as I reached out for it. I blinked at it before hurrying to open it. I bit back a squeal as I saw my requests had already been granted. I had back-to-back hearings set for Wednesday after my morning freshmen orientation. It was Saturday. “Holy fuck.”

Wow, the High Council really didn’t screw around.

Wouldn’t it be nice if everything worked like that? I doubted it, and honestly they probably didn’t normally handle things that quickly, but they would have seen something coming. Or… There had to be more to this. Any chance to stick it to my father?

Yeah, my money was on that.

Either way, that was good news for me.

Really, really good news.

You can do this, Bevin. Time to get free and be your own person.

Right, no big.