23. Adrianna

23

ADRIANNA

K ryll ignores my protests as he heads outside, taking the long way around to our first class. The second my feet touch the ground, I point my finger at him.

"Don't ever do that to me again!" My chest heaves as the words part my lips, but as I stare into Kryll's expectant gaze, my fury wanes.

Fuck.

Swiping a hand down my face, I turn away.

"And don't do that either," I grumble, trying and failing to take a deep breath.

"I have no idea what else I just did, Princess, but?—"

"Don't call me that. I'm mad at you," I interject, still refusing to look at him, but it's pointless. I'm already softening, despite the demand from my wolf to barge back in there and tear that bitch to shreds.

"Are you mad at me?"

The question comes from Raiden. There's a pointed look on his face as he assesses me and my shoulders slump when my eyes meet his.

"No."

"Good. Then I'll be the one to tell you that he did the right thing. I know you want her gone—shit, so do I—but I was certain you were about to shift and tear her throat out."

"I don't see a problem with that," I bite, my wolf right back at the surface again, and he understandably takes a step back.

With his hands raised in surrender, he opens his mouth to speak, but I wave him off. Turning away from him forces me to come face to face with Cassian instead.

Why are there so goddamn many of them?

His eyes stare deep into mine, holding me hostage as I will my breathing to level out. He takes a slow step toward me, then another, and another, until we're toe to toe. Just as slowly, he lifts his hand to cup my cheek.

"It's okay, wolf. She's safe. The rage isn't needed… yet," he murmurs, making me frown, but to my surprise, each breath becomes easier as my wolf simmers down inside of me. He must sense the shift because a victorious grin spreads across his face. Irritated by his glee, I whack his hand away and step back. "You're welcome," he grumbles with a raised brow, leaving me reeling with more agitation. I feel like I'm one step away from stomping my foot and sticking my tongue out at him.

"It's okay, Dagger. Your wolf is new, and she's going to want to protect you. Not just from physical threats, but verbal ones too. Besides, we all know Vallie is a bitch." My gaze snaps to his, nostrils flared in irritation, and he lifts his hands in surrender. "Not that it justifies anything. Her death is coming, and her blood is yours, you just have to make sure it's done at the right time for the right reasons," he finishes with a shrug, like we're not talking about killing someone right now.

I sigh, dipping my head so my chin rests on my chest.

If I want to be the heir of the kingdom, I can't go around killing people just because they piss me off. That's obscenely controlling and something The Council would do. I refuse to be like them. I can't. If things are going to change, they need to start with me. Not just in the words I promise but in the actions I take too. Otherwise, the role won't ever be mine, and it has to be.

"Thank you," I rasp, using all my strength to lift my head and face Kryll. A soft smile ghosts his lips as he nods.

"No thanks necessary. Honestly, it was more for me than you. My dragon was one step away from doing the exact same thing," he explains, eliminating the distance between us. The second he's within arm's reach, he engulfs me in his arms, squeezing me tight for good measure before releasing me again.

"So, are we ready for class?" Brody asks just as the bell chimes, answering for me.

Wordlessly, the five of us head inside, through the student-filled hallways as we walk toward History class. The mess in the dining hall earns me a few wary looks from others as we pass, but thankfully, no one says anything to piss me off. Or more importantly, my wolf.

The moment I step inside, my back stiffens at the sight of Vallie in the front row, but at least for now, my wolf doesn't rise to the occasion. Taking my seat, Kryll flanks my right side and Brody my left, nestling me between them as the professor turns to face the class.

Her eyes snag on mine for a beat, a hint of surprise at my arrival, but she quickly shakes it off as she shuffles a stack of papers and addresses everyone.

"Good morning, students. I hope you've all had a pleasant start to your day. We're going to spend the next lesson going over how The Council came to be." Her smile widens, and I can't tell what part of her sentence intrigues her. Does she like The Council, or is she simply a history buff?

Fuck if I know, but I don't need any more surprises.

Stop overthinking everything, Addi.

With another deep sigh, I force myself out of my head and focus on the professor. My eyes track her hands, noting how animated she is when she talks. It takes me a moment to realize I'm not taking in a single word she's saying.

Fuck.

Exhaling again, I try harder.

"The people voted for The Council, a chosen democracy that was agreed upon by every origin," she explains as a projection appears in front of her. It symbolizes each origin and the colors we're wearing as it spins slowly like an orb between her hands. "Each origin selected their own representative, and not a single one has changed throughout that time."

"That doesn't make sense. Whose idea was that?" someone calls out from the back row, but I don't turn around to see. The thought triggers something in my brain, forcing me to glance back to my right, where Flora and Arlo's seats sit empty.

Shit.

I was so caught up in Vallie's drama I forgot to reach out.

Kryll's hand lands on my thigh, drawing my attention to him. He must sense my distress because he offers me a squeeze as he mouths. "We'll figure it out."

I nod, but the uncertainty doesn't dissipate. My pulse thunders in my ears as I focus on the professor again, trying to listen as she speaks. "To some, it doesn't make sense, and many have different opinions on the matter, but I think what surprises me most is that it was never considered to actually find new representatives; the Heir Academy was the only option considered."

That surprises me too.

"Now, the struggle for power grows greater every day, which is why the academy was even considered at all. It outweighed the continuation of The Council by astonishing results. Why do you think The Council agreed to it if they were going to be removed from power?" she asks, her gaze trailing over the room as Brody clears his throat beside me.

"They didn't." All eyes turn his way as he shifts in his seat.

"They didn't?" the professor repeats, tilting her head for him to proceed.

"My father explained it to me," he says with a shrug, as if trying to deflect focus away from him, but instead, he seems to hold everyone's attention even more.

"What did he explain?"

Brody's lips purse, a hint of irritation flickering in the corner of his eye when Vallie's shrill voice cuts through the air.

"Well, my daddy, long rest his soul," she sneers, glaring over her shoulder at me before turning back to the teacher. "Told me that the vote was orchestrated among the people. That those who made the vote had no power to do so, so really, we shouldn't be here, and we should be thankful they didn't opt to slaughter us all as an example instead of giving us the opportunity to explore an academy." She sits back in her seat, folding her arms over her chest with a smug look on her face, leaving me completely bewildered.

The realization I had earlier over killing for killing's sake suddenly feels pointless as I glare at the back of her head.

"That has got to be the most fucked up Council offspring vampire shit I've ever heard," Kryll mutters under his breath, and I can't hold back the snicker that ripples from my stomach.

Thankfully, I'm not the only one making noise, so I don't earn any additional stares.

"Thank you for that opinion, Miss Drummer," the professor says, clearing her throat as she waves her hand to the rest of the class. "What do the rest of you think of The Council and how the academy came to be?"

"I think there have been enough power-hungry people in control of this kingdom for too long. Someone with no special abilities as the heir would create the safest surroundings, providing equality to all and preventing the magic from corrupting us any further."

Glancing back, I stare at the human guy in his cream cloak. His words are firm, his jaw is tight, and it's clear he's truly locked in on his beliefs. In some respects, I see what he's saying and how that may give the illusion of a better kingdom, but the way he speaks sends a shiver down my spine. I get the feeling his first call of action would be to kill every magical being in the kingdom, which would only bring his demise.

"Perfect contribution, Niall, thank you. How about a wolf? Give me a wolf's opinion on the matter," the professor calls out, scanning her eyes over everyone. She lingers a beat on Cassian, but the glare he gives has her moving on to the next girl in a green cloak. "Lola, please."

The girl sits farther down my row, shifting in her seat nervously as she laces her fingers together. "I think that the people in power need to change. It doesn't even have to be a wolf. I believe the kingdom deserves someone who puts this land above themselves. That takes others into consideration, not in a people-pleasing way, but in a way where we feel valued and safe. I'm exhausted, and I'm barely old enough to know what that word means, but people are dying and lives are being destroyed. Not just by the frenzied vampires that are still somehow allowed to terrorize our streets, but by decisions made by others." Pain shimmers in her eyes. There's a lot she's not saying, so much more than just the face value of her words, and it makes my chest clench with a mixture of compassion and vengeance.

"Thank you, Lola. That's perfectly expressed. Now, how about… a fae." My spine stiffens with panic. Since Flora and Arlo aren't here, the number of fae present is already low. My chances of going unnoticed are slim. Her eyes meet mine a moment later, as if sensing my thoughts, when her lips twist. "I think we all know what you think, Miss Reagan."

My mouth falls slack, unable to process what she means by that statement because it can be taken in so many ways, but before I can question her on it, another shrill voice cuts through the air once again.

"I think we all know that the fae are the last origin that should be in power. Especially not some half-bred bitch who kills innocent people without consequence." Vallie's pointed look is aimed right at me, but I don't turn to face her. Seeing her in my peripheral vision is enough for my wolf to rise to the surface again.

"I don't recall any innocent people dying at the hands of Miss Reagan. Does anyone else?" the professor asks, her question stilling my racing heart as she scans the class.

Not a single person utters a response, earning a huff from Vallie as she flicks her hair over her shoulder in disgust.

The bell tolls, drawing the class to a close, which only spurs Vallie on to stomp toward me. With her palms braced on the table in front of me, she all but sneers in my face. "You're all going to regret your decisions when my uncle officially takes my father's place on The Council. You're not even ready for the power that he has promised me."