Pledge (Witches of Coventry House Book 1) Read online

  “Like I was saying.” The girl cast one last annoyed glance in Eden and Sarah’s direction. “I’m Alex, and I’m your welcoming committee. You may have noticed that the other girls didn’t fawn over you when you arrived. Get used to it. More than half of you won’t be here at the end of the pledging period. If you’re the type that needs to bond, do it amongst yourselves. We aren’t here to hold your hand. We’re here to decide if you have what it takes to be one of us. If you aren’t—and looking around I can tell that includes most of you—you’ll be asked to leave. Immediately.”

  “She’s fun,” Sarah said under her breath, and Eden gave the slightest of nods.

  This was exactly what Eden had been afraid of with a sorority. She’d had enough of mean girls in high school. Not surprisingly, volunteering at the local animal shelter and soup kitchen instead of going to parties hadn’t made her very popular. Although, in all fairness, it was the sleepwalking pyromania that had really labeled her a freak.

  Carolyn had made a point to tell her that Coventry House prided itself on being inclusive. “A sisterhood of women committed to making the world a better place,” she’d called it. Alex hardly seemed committed to anything of the sort.

  Full ride scholarship, she reminded herself. Full ride scholarship and a fresh start. Bite your tongue and be grateful.

  Alex droned on about what was and wasn’t allowed at Coventry House. It wasn’t really that unreasonable of a list: no boyfriends—“or girlfriends if you swing that way”—allowed past the common room, clean up after yourself, and attend every meeting.

  “And don’t be late,” she said, shooting Eden and Sarah a pointed look. “Coventry House values discipline, and I value my time. So show up early, or you’ll see a side of me you don’t like.”

  “Kinda waiting for a side I do like,” Sarah muttered.

  Eden stifled the laugh she was sure would bring out an even less friendly aspect of Alex’s personality.

  “I do have some good news,” Alex said. “Coventry House doesn’t have a curfew.” A few of the girls hooted. “Bad news, pledges do.”

  Even Eden groaned. How had that never come up?

  I thought I was finally getting some freedom.

  “Save your whining. We’re the only house at Whitland that lets pledges move in. Earn your spot, and you can party all you want.” Alex walked toward the door. “We’ve got some dinner for you, and then you’ll be shown to your rooms. Assignments are non-negotiable, so if your roommate snores or cuts her toenails in bed, deal with it.”

  She strode out of the room.

  “Well, isn’t she a breath of fresh air?” Sarah said, and the other girls laughed nervously. All but one—a girl with light brown hair and a shabby-looking sweater bit her lip and looked down.

  Two of the sisters that Eden had noticed in the common room entered, each carrying a covered platter.

  “Bon appétit,” one of them said. Both set down their trays and exited.

  “Is anyone else terrified to know what’s under there?” a girl with auburn hair said.

  Again there was nervous laughter.

  “Well, I’m starving,” said a girl with jet-black hair and dark eyeliner. “There’s not much that could be under here that I’m not going to scarf down.”

  She paused for dramatic effect then lifted the cover with a flourish. After the build up it was a little disappointing to find nothing but sandwiches. Not that Eden minded—unlike the girl with black hair, there were plenty of things she wouldn’t eat. She chose one with roasted vegetables and what looked like hummus, giving it a quick inspection. There didn’t seem to be anything gross on it so she took a bite. The fact that she’d been at Coventry House for less than an hour and was already worried about snot on her sandwich made her realize that Carolyn had drastically overstated how welcoming this place was. Where was Carolyn, anyway?

  She turned to ask Sarah that same question when she shivered.

  Eden looked up, searching for an air vent. “Did they just turn on the air conditioning or something?”

  “Apparently,” Sarah said, rubbing her arms. “It suddenly got like an ice box in here.”

  “You’re cold?” another girl asked. Eden had heard someone call her Paige. “I’ve been warm since I got here.”

  “Me too,” another girl said.

  The girl with the shabby sweater reached for the coat that was draped over the back of her chair.

  Another girl chimed in, “I’ve got goosebumps. The air conditioning definitely kicked on.”

  Some nodded in agreement and donned their jackets, while others shook their heads and kept eating. Just as quickly as it came, the chill passed, and the bumps on Eden’s arms receded.

  “Jeez, make up our mind.” Sarah pulled off her sweater.

  Eden smiled. “Will you think I’m hitting on you if I tell you that I hope we’re rooming together?”

  “What?” Sarah looked positively startled. Then she lowered her voice to barely a whisper. “Are you... Are you gay?”

  “I was kidding,” Eden said, equally taken aback. “But if I was, would that be a problem?”

  Maybe Sarah was more religious than she let on.

  “No,” Sarah said quickly, but she looked uncomfortable.

  Their silence was awkward, but then a chill much stronger than the first shot up Eden’s spine.

  “What the—?” She wasn’t the only one looking around. Even some of the girls who hadn’t been cold the first time now rubbed their arms.

  “This is the lamest hazing ever,” a sultry brunette named Rebecca said. “I mean seriously, is this all they’ve got? Hot-cold, hot-cold? I guess I know why my mom was vague about this place.”

  Eden made a mental note to talk to her later. If Rebecca was a legacy, she might have inside information on how to pass the pledging process. That was the main rub with Carolyn’s offer—the scholarship only lasted as long as she stayed at Coventry House. Eden would need to do everything humanly possible to make sure she became a sister or risk having to go back home. Back to a past she needed to forget.

  “Are you ladies in menopause?” a redhead asked around a mouthful of sandwich. “The temperature is the same as it was five seconds ago.”

  “Menopause is hot flashes,” the girl with the black eyeliner said. “And it is freaking cold in here.”

  More girls nodded in agreement this time; only two looked downright bewildered. Eden’s jacket was still in her suitcase in the common room. She wondered if she’d be allowed to grab it and instantly resented that she even had to wonder such a thing.

  Full ride, fresh start, she told herself. She had a feeling she’d be saying that a lot.

  Hannah was pretty much over the temperature changes. After the third blast of frigid air, she concluded it was intentional. She had to agree with Rebecca’s assessment—as hazing went, it was pretty lame.

  She’d been studying the others, and for the life of her, Hannah couldn’t figure out what type of members Coventry House was looking for. There were bookworms and bombshells and one girl who bordered on goth. She’d been so happy to start college that she never thought to wonder why Carolyn was recruiting her. Now that she was here, she had even less idea.

  She knew one thing for sure—if things didn’t get friendlier in a hurry, she would bail. She’d gotten what she needed out of Coventry House. It’s not like Whitland was going to kick her out if she left a sorority.

  Hannah had just removed her jacket for the third time when a woman in her mid-forties swept into the room. She had caramel-colored hair and a gaze that seemed both serene and discerning at the same time.

  “Hello, ladies. I’m Carolyn,” she said, confirming Hannah’s suspicion. “I am very pleased to welcome you to Coventry House. I trust that Alex has made you feel equally welcome.”

  It was a statement, not a question, but Hannah sensed the woman knew exactly just how welcoming Alex was.

  “Before I let you get some rest, I need to reiterate that y
our place in the house is not guaranteed. Please don’t take it personally if you are asked to leave. We wish you nothing but the best and will help you make arrangements to immediately move into a dormitory.” As Carolyn spoke, her eyes landed on each of the girls, and when they settled on Hannah, she felt as though every inch of her was being weighed and measured. “In your pre-interview you were told that we have a strict no-hazing policy, and that’s true. You will not be hazed. You will, however, be tested. In fact, you would do well to remember that at Coventry House, everything is a test.”

  Hannah’s skin prickled, but this time it wasn’t the air conditioning.

  When Carolyn finished speaking, Alex reappeared, joined by a handful of sisters.

  “Okay, grunts, when I call your name, go get your bags. Rebecca, Paige, follow Brianne,” Alex pointed to a pretty blond with ice-blue eyes. “Talia and Lexi, you’re with me. Hannah, you’re with Julie. Nicole will take you.”

  Hannah’s new roommate was the one who didn’t laugh at the crack Sarah had made about Alex.

  The girl murmured something so softly Hannah couldn’t make it out.

  “Excuse me?” Alex turned back, her eyebrows arched.

  “Nothing, just... I prefer to be called Jules,” she stammered.

  Alex rolled her eyes and turned away, muttering, “Pledges.”

  “This way,” Nicole said, and Hannah and her new roommate followed after her.

  Back in the common room they gathered their luggage. If you could call what Jules carried luggage. They were actually giant trash bags—stuffed to near bursting.

  Near bursting until one of them actually did, spilling its contents all over the hallway.

  Jules blushed scarlet as all eyes turned to her.

  “Cute dolly,” Rebecca said from the doorway to her room. “Does a pacifier go with that?”

  Hannah bent down and carefully picked up the hand-sewn doll that had seen better days then gave it back to Jules.

  “Thanks,” she mumbled, not looking up.

  “What are roommates for?” Hannah said.

  Jules did look up then, her hazel eyes blinking back tears. “Thanks,” she said again.

  Hannah hoped her smile was reassuring. She knew how it felt to be the outcast—she felt that way every time she visited her father’s new house.

  “Come on.” Hannah hoisted one of the trash bags onto her own rolling luggage. “We’ve got a room to decorate.”

  On her way down the hall Hannah shot Rebecca a look that had zero effect. She was exactly the kind of girl Hannah had expected to find at a sorority and the precise reason she was already plotting her exit.

  As the pledges got paired up, Eden waited anxiously for her name to be called.

  “Eden and Sarah, go with Courtney,” Alex said finally, and Eden exhaled a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.

  Courtney, tawny-haired and willowy, gave a tiny wave and actually smiled—the first Eden had seen on a sister.

  “Dreams really do come true,” Sarah said as they went to gather their luggage.

  New Eden’s luck was definitely an improvement over old Eden’s.

  They followed Courtney all the way to the end of the hall. Bile rose in Eden’s throat when she realized their room was on the ground floor. She never stayed on the ground floor—not ever. Growing up it had been reason enough to refuse a sleepover.

  Not that being on the second floor had made a difference.

  “Here it is.” Courtney stopped at the last doorway. “Home sweet home.”

  Eden told herself to get a grip and stepped inside.

  The room was cozy—maybe a little too much so. There were two twin beds sandwiched so close together that the tiny nightstand between them looked like it had been wedged in. Everything else was a single: one desk, one dresser, one small closet.

  When Eden asked about it, Courtney replied, “Oh, the room is just for one person. We’ll weed out a bunch of you in the first week. By the time you get to your final test, more than half of you will be gone. Whichever one of you stays keeps the room.”

  “And if we both stay?” Sarah smiled, but her voice held a bit of a challenge.

  “Then I guess we’ll have to figure something out.” The hint of a smirk played at Courtney’s lips. “If you have any questions, come to me. And if you hear anything...strange... Try not to let it freak you out.”

  She left, and Sarah closed the door behind her.

  For a second she and Eden just looked at each other, and then they both burst out laughing.

  “What is this place?” Sarah said finally. “No hazing but ‘everything is a test’?”

  “And the thermostat? What was that about?” Eden said. “And next it’s ‘strange noises’?”

  “Rebecca doesn’t strike me as a girl I’m going to like,” Sarah said. “But I have to agree with her—this is some pretty lame hazing.”

  “Testing,” Eden corrected. “I’m just glad there wasn’t any snot hummus.”

  “Snot...what?” Sarah said.

  Eden’s cheeks hurt from smiling. “Nothing.” She waved her hand. “Never mind. Let’s just say I’ve heard stories.”

  Sarah fiddled with the zipper on one of her suitcases. “Think we should unpack?”

  “I’m not sure,” Eden said. “Courtney seems pretty confident that one of us won’t be staying.”

  Eden hadn’t really contemplated not making it in. She couldn’t come this far only to lose her scholarship and have to go back home.

  “Pfft. Don’t let her scare you.” Sarah gave a dismissive wave. “We’ll look out for each other. Make sure we don’t fail any tests or eat any mucus-laced condiments.”

  “Deal.” Eden opened her carryon.

  Her small, black bag fell out, spilling one of the bottles onto the floor. She quickly grabbed it and looked up, but Sarah was busy fishing something out of her suitcase.

  “Mind if I put some music on?” she asked, plugging her phone into a small set of speakers.

  “Not at all.” Eden piled her clothes into the bottom drawers, covering her bag of medicine.

  It turned out that they had similar musical taste, which was a relief. They chatted and laughed as they put away their things, and Eden felt more and more like she and Sarah were going to be close. It had been a while since she’d had a best friend.

  In school, people fell into one of two categories: those who knew what happened and looked at her funny because of it and those who didn’t, who wondered why she was always looking over her shoulder. It was actually the sympathetic looks that bothered her more than being seen as paranoid. Once someone looked at her with sympathy, they never stopped. The story became the most important thing about her. She’d stopped telling it years ago and never planned to again.

  Eden pulled her phone out of her purse and saw that her mother had texted twice and her father once.

  “Gotta check in.” Eden held up her phone.

  Wanting privacy for the call, she opened the door to the bathroom, shocked to find Rebecca on the toilet.

  “No one ever taught you how to knock?” she snapped.

  “Sorry,” Eden mumbled, looking down. She backed out and closed the door behind her.

  “What’s up?” Sarah eyed Eden’s scarlet cheeks.

  “Apparently we share a bathroom,” Eden said. “With Rebecca and Paige.”

  “Well, that sounds fun.” Sarah’s mouth twisted. “I can step out if you want to make your call.”

  Eden waved a hand. “No, it’s fine. My parents need to stop worrying so much,” she said. “I’m at college now. Time to grow up.”

  She dashed off a quick Everything’s great! text.

  “I don’t think the ‘I’m at college’ bit is going to work with my mother.” Sarah closed her unpacked suitcase. “She’s already emailed me a list of questions she wants me to give Carolyn. I think she has regrets about letting me pledge a sorority that’s outside the Greek tradition. Something about how not having
a brother fraternity means no mixers.”

  Eden slid her empty suitcase under her bed. When she looked up, her breath caught. Sarah had opened the window. Anyone could reach in and...

  “Do you mind if I close this?” Eden was already walking toward it.

  “Um, sure,” Sarah said. “Go ahead. It just felt a little stuffy to me.”

  “Sorry.” Eden pulled the window closed. “I just get cold at night.”

  Would it be weird if I asked to close the shutters?

  Eden looked out across the lawn as she secured the latch. A cluster of trees stood in the distance, and from within its depths, something moved. Something or someone. Eden’s hair stood on end as her heart began to pound.

  A knocking sound made Eden gasp and jump back.

  But it was just Rebecca, Paige in tow.

  “That’s how that works, by the way.” Rebecca double-tapped the door with her knuckles for emphasis.

  “Got it,” Eden said, her pulse still racing. “Thanks.”

  There’s no one out there. Stop being a freak.

  “Were you just stopping in to give us a primer on knocking, or is there something we can do for you?” Sarah went back to arranging her clothes.

  Eden admired her ability to openly not care about either girl. Eden wanted to not care, but she did. She always cared, even if it was about something as dumb as what a girl like Rebecca thought of her.

  “We don’t want to tear you away from this exciting evening of going right to bed you’ve got planned, but we’re going out,” Rebecca said.

  “Out where?” Sarah said.

  “A frat party,” Paige said then shrank back at a warning look from Rebecca.

  “Nowhere that concerns you.” Rebecca brushed past Eden. “We just need your window.”

  “Hang on.” Sarah stepped between Rebecca and the window. “What’s it worth to you?”

  “And why our window?” Eden asked.

  “Because our window doesn’t have a trellis like yours.” Rebecca turned to Sarah. “As to what it’s worth... What do you want?”

  Eden and Sarah exchanged a look.