51. Adrianna

51

ADRIANNA

O n a scale of one to ten on how plans go, this one is failing miserably.

It’s been twenty-four hours. Twenty-four fucking hours since I stepped down from the podium, my challenge hanging in the air like a pall over the kingdom, and they haven’t made a single move.

Not one.

Now I’m starting to feel stupid. Like I’m the problem in this equation. But that can’t be right, can it?

“Maybe we need to act like we don’t care if they come or not. Maybe we need to be seen on the streets of the City of Harrows to lure them closer so we can lure them out,” Cassian states, looking directly at me from his seat across the table, ignoring everyone else in the royal council room. But that doesn’t stop them from interjecting.

“No way. That would be extremely dangerous,” Arlo insists, exasperation ghosting over his features as he shakes his head, and Cassian turns to him with a deathly look darkening his eyes.

“ She is extremely dangerous,” he states, pointing a finger in my direction. “She can also handle herself better than the rest of us,” he adds, painting me as the warrior he always seems to see me as.

Arlo’s jaw falls slack, slams shut, and repeats three times before his gaze settles on me. “Addi, I?—”

“Maybe he’s right,” I interrupt, an apologetic smile on my face. “We still don’t know where they are, they haven’t shown themselves at our doorstep yet. Maybe what will really piss them off is seeing how unfazed I am.” My words linger in the air as his face slumps, his chin finding his chest as he sighs.

“I can’t advise you if you won’t listen to reason, Addi,” Arlo insists, placing his palms flat on the table as he looks up through his lashes at me. Before I can respond, Flora places her hand on top of his, squeezing for good measure before she speaks.

“That’s exactly what it is, Arlo. She doesn’t have to take it.” She nods at him even though he’s not looking before she casts her attention my way. “Go with your gut, Addi. It’s brought you this far already,” she insists with a soft smile.

Wiping a hand down my face, I avoid the desire to press my fingers into my eyeballs to ease the tension rising through me and pinch the bridge of my nose instead. It does little to alleviate the stress.

The table remains silent, waiting for my call to action. Tilting my face, I lock eyes with Cassian across from me first, my eyes drifting to Raiden beside him as Brody gives me his usual charismatic smile. Arlo is still looking down as Flora tries to silently console him, while Beau and Kryll sit to my right, looking to me for the answer.

Lacing my fingers together, I think about the situation on a grander scale. Not just about my safety, but the kingdom’s. We can’t keep waiting for them to make the next move. It leaves them with the upper hand, and I refuse to allow it to continue anymore. The kingdom doesn’t deserve this constant feeling of walking on eggshells, waiting for another attack, more loss of life, another massacre.

No.

But if I step outside these gates, what are my intentions?

What am I hoping to achieve?

What will the backup plan be?

What steps will we need to take once we do lure them out?

My mind swirls with the endless possibilities until the answer rises from the vortex like a wraith. Suddenly, the path before us is crystal clear. I know it deep in my gut.

Rising from my seat, I’m aware my legs are still a little like jelly after last night with my men. That feeling needs to go away before I do anything. My fingers ghost over the table as I steel my spine, settling my gaze on Raiden before I speak.

“We need to lure them out, but we need to do it with a plan in place. One that covers all bases,” I state, and a malicious grin spreads over his features.

“I thought you would never ask.”

Preparing to step out of the castle feels frightening. Like I’m laying our future in someone else’s hands instead of taking control like I’m supposed to. My stomach churns, panic threatening to get the better of me, but it’s this or let Clementine continue on her war path, and that option feels far worse in comparison.

“Are you ready, Dagger?” Brody asks through the closed door, and I shake my head before remembering he can’t see me.

“Almost. I’ll meet you down there in a second.”

He murmurs his agreement and the sound of retreating footsteps dissolves in the distance as I stand in front of the mirror, assessing myself one final time.

Fuck calm, fuck collected.

That’s not what’s needed in this moment.

I need to be fierce.

I need to be strong.

I need to be powerful.

And I’m not leaving this room without that belief in myself.

As I take another deep breath, a knock sounds from the door. “I’ll meet you down there.”

No reply.

That’s probably Cassian grumbling about it to himself instead of to me, but I don’t hear the footsteps like I did moments ago with Brody.

A shiver runs down my spine as the door creaks open, the noise vibrating in my ears as it widens to reveal no one on the other side.

What the fuck?

My eyebrows furrow as I shake my head, turning back to the mirror with a sigh. My body stiffens, my words lodged in my throat as I spy the presence behind me.

“You,” I croak, my body locked in place, and not of my own accord. No. This is dark magic at play again. I don’t manage to say as much before the overwhelming sensation of choking starts at my throat, consuming me with every breath I try to take.

My discomfort only brings her joy, an eerie smile taking over her face.

“Ah, little Adrianna. I would say it’s a pleasure, but alas, it is not. I’m sure you have many questions, but none of them deserve an answer after your little charade of calling me out like that. I knew biding my time would work in my favor, and now here we are. You’re… unavailable, and what better person to take your place than me?”

Her name is on the tip of my tongue, but nothing comes out. My arms are solid at my sides, my feet pressed together as I stand ramrod straight. Completely helpless.

She inches closer, so close her chin rests on my shoulder as she stares at me in the mirror.

“Lucky for you, for my dark magic to work, I need you alive. Unluckily for you, they’re never going to know the difference.”

She holds out a black stone, murmuring words under her breath, making the gem glow bright before she slams it between my shoulders at the base of my neck. It’s the exact same spot as the amethyst, only this time it’s not to mute my powers.

No.

I drop to my knees, weak, as she produces an identical gem, murmuring the same words under her breath before she presses it against her skin at the top of her back.

Before my eyes, the world blurs as I watch in silent horror as she transforms before me.

Piece by piece.

Any sign of her is gone and in her place stands…

Me.

“It’s a shame you won’t get a front row seat to watch me tear down this kingdom disguised as you, but I promise you this: they will never speak your name again by the time I’m through.”