31. Adrianna

31

ADRIANNA

C hanting rings in my ears as my body vibrates with the remnants of the magic coursing through my bones. It's all I feel, all-consuming, and completely out of control.

One word repeats in my mind.

Protect.

Protect. Protect. Protect .

I must protect Flora.

I must protect Arlo.

I must protect Kryll.

I must protect Raiden.

I must protect Cassian.

I must protect Brody.

I must protect the kingdom.

My sense of purpose is grounding even as it leads me into the depths of an unfamiliar darkness. The light courses through my veins as it projects around the room, engulfing those whose names swirl in my thoughts with a beam so bright that it's almost blinding.

I'm rooted to the spot, fingers tingling with my fae magic as Flora calls out my name, breaking through the fog I'm engulfed in.

My gaze snaps to hers, watching as she squints, and I quickly realize it is only me who can see through the light I'm generating; the rest of them are completely lost to it.

"Do it, Flora," I yell, my chest heaving with every word, and even though she can't see me, she doesn't waste a moment before springing into action.

Raiden, Kryll, Cassian, and Brody are still connected to the stands, locked in, with a sense of bewilderment tainting their perspective along with the light.

"Do what?" Brody hollers, wanting to be a part of whatever the fuck this is, but there's no time to answer. Flora is already swirling into action.

Her hands lift at her sides, her fingers twitching, and I immediately recognize the move for what it is. She's searching through the minds she can reach around her. As if sensing my thoughts, screams break through the air a moment later, and I watch in satisfaction as Holloway, Kenner, Orenda, and Vallie's fucking uncle, whose name I don't even know, drop to the floor.

She sifts through their minds enough to break them into squealing animals writhing at the intrusion, but stops before she might regret it. I've watched her slay frenzied vampires, but this is different. The Council isn't supposed to be the enemy, yet here we are.

"Holy fuck," Raiden grunts, jolting back from the stand as he shakes his hand, and my shoulders sag in relief. She broke whatever magic was holding all of them in place.

Without missing a beat, the four of them start to charge toward the fuckers holding us captive again, but my magic doesn't like that. It swells through my body, making me grunt as I lift off the floor. The light extends from me, projecting into a physical bubble that wraps around not just me, but those I want to protect.

I'm nothing more than a vessel for the protection my magic insists upon, but in doing so, it protects those on the outside of the bubble from feeling the wrath of my men.

"What the fuck?" Cassian snarls, practically punching at the light engulfing them before he whirls around to look up at me. "Make it stop," he barks, his anger not at me but at The Council as they slowly start rising to their feet outside of the protective bubble.

My response lodges in my throat, every inch of my body lost to the magic that burns to make them disappear, simply to protect.

That damn word.

Protect. Protect. Protect.

"Alpha," he warns, but Kryll quickly shoves him to the side, looking up at me in concern.

"Knock it off. She's not in control right now," he bites, his worried eyes crinkling further as he takes me in before he turns toward where The Council stands cornered in the room.

"We need to do something. My father is still chanting, likely trying to place the puppet magic over our fated mates bond," Brody states, raking his fingers through his hair nervously as he watches his father's eyes close and his lips move.

"That's what she's protecting us from," Flora states, earning a whimper from my lips, and I finally understand the magic floating through my body.

That makes a lot of sense, but I'm much more used to defending myself physically, not like this.

"It's okay, Adrianna. We've got you. Just like you've got us," Raiden breathes before nodding at Kryll. One movement between them and a whole conversation is held without a single word being spoken.

I blink once, my magic trying to decipher what's needed of me, when Kryll stretches his arms out wide, shifting into a beautiful white dragon before my eyes. A piece of me warms at his presence, as if I've been longing for him, but as his wings expand in the small room, he knocks me to the floor. I brace for impact, but arms pin me to a hard chest before gravity does its job.

My glow is gone, the barrier between us and the enemy vanished, but the magic is still simmering inside of me, coiled tight around my bones.

Gaping up at Cassian, his eyes burn deep into mine as he remains silent. A harrowing noise comes from Kryll as his claws scratch against the floor.

"Now, Kryll!" Raiden shouts, pulling me from my intense stare-off with Cassian as my dragon stretches his wings out wide, sending the walls blasting into rubble effortlessly.

"No!" Holloway cries, scrambling toward her son with her vampire speed, but she quickly drops to the floor, another crying and writhing mess, as Flora steps out from behind Raiden.

My vampire stares at her with slightly widened eyes, finally realizing that it was her that brought them to their knees to begin with. "Thanks," he breathes, the impressed tone undeniable, making Flora smirk.

"Let's get out of here before we start thanking each other, yeah?" Flora says, amusement coloring her words.

"Once they're dead, we'll have a fucking party," he retorts, turning back to his mother with a snarl on his face, but I can still hear Orenda.

His chants vibrate in my ears, broadcasting their plans on a loop, and it reignites the light inside of me. I already know what's going to happen, and my vengeance isn't going to be satisfied. The thought is another reminder that my magic is in control and I'm just here to be used at its will.

I'm nothing more than a blinding light a moment later, only this time, I can move, but the pull is out of my control as I barrel toward Kryll. The second I touch his scales, a warmth blossoms in my gut.

His eyes find mine and his soul connects with the swirling mess inside me, and it's as if he understands completely. Hands upon hands touch me despite the burning light and I gasp, losing my balance at the euphoria that dances through my body.

I can feel them. I can feel them all—my Kryptos.

The tingles zapping through my bones intensify as my mind is overwhelmed with an array of thoughts until the chants I hear are no longer Orenda's but Brody's.

A weightlessness washes over me as my mind goes quiet and the world around me shifts. Everything is a kaleidoscope of colors, flickering through my senses until it all goes dark.

As I fall into the depths of exhaustion, my light accompanies it.