33. Adrianna

33

ADRIANNA

T he rumbling of the carriage, a melodic musical piece in the background, has me drifting off to sleep within minutes of leaving Summer Oak. With my head in Kryll’s lap and his finger ghosting over my cheek, I succumb to the exhaustion that feels like it’s been clinging to my bones for days.

I dream of nothing.

No hauntings, no joy, nothing.

It’s a blessing and a curse because when I’m woken up in the back of a still carriage by Kryll’s hand now on my shoulder, ruffling me just enough, I’m not prepared to go from one disastrous town to another. But here we are.

My limbs are heavy, my body exhausted, leaving my movements sluggish as I try to push past the fatigue that refuses to let go.

“Are you with me, Princess?” Kryll asks, his eyes piercing mine as I blink up at him, nodding even though there’s a hint of delirium still tracing through my body.

“Is it bad?” I ask, pressing my palms into the bench so I can sit beside him, but I practically slump back into the seat.

He sighs, glancing from me to the covered window and back again. “It’s not as bad as Summer Oak, but I guess that’s because they had magic to protect the buildings more here.”

I swipe my tongue over my bottom lip before taking a deep breath. I need to see it for myself.

Janie’s already gone. Where, I don’t know, but it’s time I brushed off the lethargy and put myself to work again.

Pushing up onto my feet, Kryll instantly grabs my hand, guiding me toward the carriage door. I step out, ready to face it all, but startle at the fact that it’s dark out.

“What time is it?” I ask as Kryll shuts the carriage door behind us.

“A little after eight,” he offers, a tight smile on his lips.

“Did it take us longer than expected to get here?” I ask, acutely aware that I never once asked how long it would take to travel between the two towns, but that’s besides the point.

“No, but I may have lingered in the carriage for an extra hour so you could get as much sleep as possible,” he admits, a hint of guilt swirling in his eyes, but I quickly shake my head, banishing the worry from his thoughts.

“Thank you,” I breathe, taking a second to lean into him, basking in his warmth and stealing his strength just as I do every time I come close to one of my men. “Let’s figure out what they’re up to, shall we?”

With my hand engulfed in his, we step away from the carriage to find a few shelters already set up, with soldier’s working on building the rest. It’s slightly impressive how quickly we can set up a space. There’s a constant buzz in the air. It’s not always a positive one, but it’s there nonetheless.

“They’ve managed to use their magic to fix anything broken and those who suffered injuries have been healed,” Kryll explains, walking me along the perimeter. There’s a sadness that lingers like poison, injected into every villager, and it makes my chest ache.

“Dagger!”

I jump at the sound of my nickname before the sound of pounding feet rings closer and closer, and I turn just in time for Brody’s impact as he sweeps me up off my feet, untangling my hand from Kryll’s.

The tiredness that still lingers along my skin combined with the jerky movements leaves me on the edge of nausea, but it’s worth it to be this close to him again. Eventually, he puts me down again, eyes locking with Kryll’s over my head. “Have you told her yet?”

My dragon sighs, a hint of irritation clinging to him. “No, Brody, I needed a few more minutes,” he grumbles as my gut twists.

“Told me what?”

Even under the moonlight and the dim glow from the street lamps, I can see the trouble in Brody’s eyes. “I’ll let Kryll tell?—”

“You can tell her now, ass,” Kryll interjects, neither of them easing the tension rippling through me.

“Can somebody just tell me? You’re driving me insane,” I grumble, my gaze flicking back and forth between them desperately.

“Clementine left a warning for you.”

The answer doesn’t come from Brody. It doesn’t come from Kryll either. Spinning on the spot, I come face to face with my vampire, the answer having come from him.

Instead of being able to bask in the sight of him, I’m caught up in his words. “A warning?” I ask, hating that there’s no moment to say hi and greet each other like two people in love, but I have to vow to myself that I can save all of that for later.

“I can show you,” Raiden states, offering me his hand, and I slip from between Kryll and Brody to lace my fingers with his. He tugs me into his side and I rest my head on his shoulder for the briefest of moments, like it’s soft and intimate between us, before I stand tall and focus on my surroundings.

Thankfully, we’re nowhere near the lake that haunts the shadows of my memory on a daily basis. Instead, we’re in the heart of the village, where small homes with thatched roofs line the streets with a few taller buildings looming in the night sky.

It’s quaint. Even at this time of night. Even after the tragedy that unraveled last night.

Turning the corner, we take a narrow back street before it opens up into a large square. The streets are quiet, not a mage in sight, and I instantly see why.

My heart stops in my chest, my blood running cold as I blink at the warning left in Clementine’s wake.

I tug my hand free from Raiden’s, all but gliding toward the threat. The town’s library is drenched in blood. Crimson letters spelling out the pain she promises to cause as I’m left to gape at the carnage.

Follow the Queen and more pain shall follow.

Take the path to greatness, or risk more peril.

Go home, Adrianna, or more bloodshed will come, and it will be at your hands.

My fingers tremble, a mixture of pain and rage consuming my every thought as I shake my head in disbelief.

Pain. Bloodshed.

Pain. Bloodshed.

Pain. Bloodshed.

She’s already caused enough of those things; too much, really. How can I stop her from creating more? She can’t continue like this. She can’t remain one step ahead, but I can’t seem to figure out how to gain the upper hand.

A hand on my shoulder pulls me from my spiraling thoughts and I manage to redirect my stare to lock eyes with Brody.

“What did the mages say?” I rasp, and his eyes dip, a sense of shame licking at his touch for the smallest moment before his gaze finds mine again.

“They’ve requested that they handle the disaster themselves.”

Fuck .

“They don’t want our help.” It’s a heavy statement, strong enough to break me as I grapple with the fact that this woman is causing this pain because of me. Because I have the crown.

A sliver of a thought sweeps through my mind and I almost cave to it before I quickly push it back down again. Handing her the crown won’t satisfy the wickedness inside of her. All it will do is provide her the power to cause an unlimited number of catastrophes.

“What do we do now, Princess?” Kryll asks, boxing me in with Raiden on my other side. I look at each of them, silently trying to take in as much strength as I can, but it feels like my world is caving in, my vision darkening, and there’s only one person I need to find. One person whose advice can ground me.

“I need to speak with my father.”