37. Adrianna

37

ADRIANNA

F or the first time in my existence, I come to a stop without nausea churning in my gut. My arms are tightly locked around Raiden’s neck, and it takes me a few moments to bring myself to release my hold, but I don’t feel the urge to keel over and spew my guts out.

Success.

Raiden grins down at me, a rare sight, one I want to capture and cherish forever. But it doesn’t linger long enough for me to think more about it as he moves us again. It’s only a few steps this time, no speed necessary, before the telltale chime rings out and my heart clenches with excitement and relief.

“I hope this is okay,” he breathes as I turn, taking in the familiar surroundings of Pearl’s.

As if sensing her name in my thoughts, the woman appears, her smile spreading wide as she takes us in before she eliminates the distance between us.

“Take your booth. I’ll lock up,” she orders, but I don’t take a step, noting that it’s empty here. I don’t normally arrive close to lunchtime; it’s usually much darker outside before I dare come here, but I’ve never seen it empty.

“Lock up?” I repeat, watching as she flips the sign in the door to ‘closed’ before the click of the lock securing in place echoes through the space.

“I haven’t seen you in forever, Addi. The last time I did, you weren’t the kingdom’s queen. If I let people in now, you won’t get a moment’s peace, and I’m aware of the mess going on right now—the media isn’t exactly being quiet about it—and you deserve a few moments of peace.”

“Thank you,” I breathe. The words don’t feel worthy of the efforts she’s willing to go to for me, but they make a smile curl her lips, so I nod, heading toward our booth before she tosses another demand my way.

Raiden falls into his seat across from me, the tension at his shoulders easing with every breath. I don’t think I’m the only one who needed this, but I opt to keep that fact to myself. I feel like there’s so much to say, but I don’t have any words. For the first time in over a week, my mind has been quiet, and I bask in the relief it offers me.

The silence stretches between us, and even when Pearl drops two sodas off at our table, she doesn’t break the peaceful silence with words. Soft music plays in the background. Pearl has turned it down, so it’s barely more than a hum, and I’m not sure what it is, but that doesn’t stop me from tapping my foot to the bass.

It’s only when steaks are placed in front of us that we focus on the present. I break the silence to murmur my thanks, Raiden right behind me, but for the first time, Pearl doesn’t saunter off with a wave.

No.

She adds a seat to the end of the table, and that’s when I notice there’s another table setting.

One for her.

“What?” she asks, grabbing her utensils to cut into her steak, and I grin.

“Nothing,” I quickly answer, following suit, and my heart does something weird in my chest as I bask in the moment.

It’s one I never imagined happening and not one I specifically expected, but having her sit with us sparks an undeniable response from me. So here I am… enjoying myself with the vampire who hated me so viciously and a woman who played such a big part in piecing us together.

Who would have thought it?

Not me.

Especially not as I sit here with the weight of a kingdom on my shoulders.

As if sensing the bubbling emotions floating through me, Pearl grins. “My two favorite customers are in with not another soul in sight. It’s about time I’m able to take a moment to enjoy your company. Besides, the media looks like they’re giving you one hell of a time.” Mention of the media has my muscles tensing, but Pearl doesn’t look up from her plate to see. Raiden’s leg extends under the table, pressing against mine in comfort as she continues. “Plus, someone needs to keep you humble now that you’re a queen.”

I snicker. “I’m quite sure all the drama surrounding Clementine and her threats is keeping me as humble as possible.”

Her eyes meet mine, disappointment and concern flickering through her gaze as she peers at me. “There’s no denying the fact that you've got your hands full.”

I smile softly, nodding at her words as Raiden clears his throat. “The entire reason we’re here today is because this is one of the few places in the kingdom she has right now where she won’t be treated differently for being queen.”

Pearl’s smile spreads from ear to ear as she sits tall in her seat. “My door is always open to you, both of you. Now, are we going to sit here and pretend you’re not the queen of Floodborn Kingdom or would you like some advice?”

I blink at her, letting her words settle in my gut as I consider her offer. The idea of pretending I’m not queen for thirty minutes is enticing, but that’s not my reality, and I’m slightly intrigued by what advice she may have to offer.

“I’m the queen whether we pretend or not,” I muse, and she nods in understanding.

“Okay, it’s not going to sound like advice at first, but if you’re committed to listening, you have to give me a chance, okay?” She almost seems nervous, but I nod all the same. Clearing her throat, she glances at Raiden for just a second before settling her eyes back on me. “I knew you were Adrianna Reagan the very first time you walked through those doors.” She points behind her, but I don’t look away, my chest tightening as I stare wide-eyed in shock.

“You knew?” I breathe, and she nods.

“What you don’t know is the fact that your father would bring you in here once a week when you were small. Twice if you all were celebrating something. You look the same now as you did then.”

“And how’s that?” I rasp, my words barely audible in my own ears.

“Proud, strong, and determined.”

I run my tongue over my bottom lip, confusion fogging my thoughts as she reaches a hand out to mine, but I take it back, denying the touch. Hurt blossoms in her eyes, but she plasters a smile on her lips in an attempt to cover it.

“Why didn’t you ever say anything?” I ask, feeling Raiden’s leg against mine more than ever.

Pearl shrugs. “I didn’t realize that you didn’t remember at first. Then I saw the way you would hide, from everyone and everything, and it began to make sense. I made a promise to myself that day. I always had a fond and respectful appreciation for your father, no matter what the media said at that time. He was a good man, an honorable man, and no amount of foul words from the media coverage would change that opinion.”

“I can’t figure out why you’re saying all of this now,” Raiden interjects, and she turns her sad smile his way.

“Now with you, Raiden, things are entirely different.”

“What do you mean?” he asks, brows furrowing as he discards his cutlery to fold his arms over his chest defensively.

“I knew your mother and father. I knew how terrible they were. Yet you came in here a different person. With Addi, it was natural to remember the small girl that would come here and the fact that she came from a good home. With you, I had to see past your home to find the decent vampire inside.”

I snicker, breaking the moment and easing the tension as I shake my head.

“If you say something mean about me being a decent vampire,” Raiden warns, giving me a pointed look, and I cover my mouth in a bid to suppress my laugh, but I fail miserably.

“You two are perfect for each other. The balance you didn’t know you needed. But to get to my point, what I’m saying is, the media will paint whatever picture they like. I’ve seen their incessant hounding about how you’re going to handle the current situation, and let me tell you, as a citizen of this city, of this kingdom, I can see how foolish it would be to tell them anything. I can also see that some impulsive hag of a princess thinks she can saunter in here and claim things that aren’t hers, but I’m sure you’ll handle that too when the time comes. All this to say: don’t be who the media wants you to be, don’t be whoever the hell this Clementine thinks she can make you be. Just be you. Being yourself has gotten you this far, Addi, queen or not.”

Just be you.

Queen or not.

My heart races, adrenaline coursing through me as I nod.

She’s right. She’s fucking right.

And it’s about time I did something about it.