36. Raiden

36

RAIDEN

" Y ou're going to have to slow down if you want us to hear a word you're saying," I snap, irritation coiling through my veins as Bozzelli marches out of Beau's house just as quickly as she arrived.

Adrianna was the first to move, her jaw slack as she chased after the woman. It feels dumb now, not telling her at the first opportunity, but in my defense, I'm trying to figure out all of this fated mates shit because my body feels completely out of whack.

I don't know what I expected. I don't think any of us did. Yet here we are, confused again, but at least this time, the five of us are together. Extra footsteps confirm the addition of Flora and Arlo.

Everything unraveling around us is the polar opposite of what I expected academy life to be like. This shit happening so quickly in succession has thrown us, but we will rise above it. Today, we plan and strategize. We need to use our allies to get ahead of The Council. Fighting against the tide of this madness isn't an option. We have to adapt and survive.

My steps falter, my gaze shifting to Adrianna as she keeps one step ahead of me, forcing herself to remain at Bozzelli's side.

Is this what her life has felt like? No breaks, no coming up for air, no understanding which way is up?

Fuck.

No wonder she's so strong. She's had no choice but to be. Anything else, and she would have wound up dead by now. My gaze flicks to her ears, noting Kryll's magic and smiling at the restored tips, pointed and perfect.

A shove from behind, encouraging me forward, pulls me from my train of thought. I glare back at Cassian, who doesn't even bother to look my way before I quicken my pace and turn my look of disdain on the dean.

"What's all this about?" I ask, aware that Vallie apparently isn't dead, but that doesn't explain the urgency. "And either slow down or speed the fuck up so we can have an actual discussion," I add, and she sends a withering stare my way.

I don't back down. She's a vampire; I'm used to their wrath more than anyone else. Fuck, has she met my mother?

"There's no time to slow down," she bites, her nostrils flaring with irritation as I shrug.

"That's fine. I said you could speed up too," I add, tilting my head at her, but she ignores me.

"Someone needs to tell me something," Adrianna states, her eyebrows furrowing with confusion. My concern for her only grows as she rubs her lips together nervously.

Bozzelli sighs, her pace unwavering as she continues toward the academy building. "They know you're here, and they know their plan didn't work. I've been ordered to take you to the dungeon," she states, her tone giving nothing away.

What the fuck?

"Then let me stop you right the fuck there. We're not going," I snarl, furious to think this woman would expect us to go willingly. Not again, not after last time.

"Does she look like she's being held against her will?" Bozzelli asks, halting as she glares at me, and I shrug.

"That's not what I said. But you sure as hell are not putting her in any more danger. She's not a toy for you to use at your leisure," I bite back as Adrianna cuts the distance between us, planting her hand firmly on my shoulder. I can't decide if it's to comfort me or shut me the fuck up, but either way, I'm silenced.

A soft smile teeters over her lips as she stares at me for a moment, making me assume that I'm not in any immediate trouble with her before she turns her attention to Bozzelli. "He's right." Ha . "And he's wrong." Fuck. "I'm going to need more information here before I take another step. I'm not a puppet on a string. That's what they wanted, and that's what they're pissed about. I'm not going to offer you the reins instead."

Fuck yeah. My dick chooses the perfectly inappropriate moment to stir to life, but she's hot as fuck when she's assertive and bossy. I like it. I like it a lot.

"We don't have much time," Bozzelli starts, but Adrianna waves her hand, interrupting her without care.

"I thought you didn't take orders from anyone?" She cocks a brow at the dean, her words hanging in the air as Bozzelli searches her eyes. It takes a moment, but I see it—the fear.

My lips part as I take a step toward her, but before I can push her on it, she explains.

"They have my niece."

Shit. Does this woman have a family? I never considered that. Not that it matters to us.

"I'm sorry for that," Adrianna breathes, a softness to her tone that makes it clear she feels more compassion than me right now. "I understand the weight of someone using your family against you, but I'm still going to need you to explain things a little better," she adds. Her posture is relaxed and her chin is up high as she waits for Bozzelli to make a decision.

The stare-off breathes from one moment into another and I take a second to assess the crowd that stands in silence with me. Kryll's staring at Adrianna, watching her every move, while Brody is fixated on the dean, waiting for a single move out of place. Cassian is a mixture of the two, his eyes dancing between our supposed leader and our actual leader. Flora, however, stands back a step, nestled between Arlo and Beau, as their stares bounce back and forth.

Circling back to the two women, my gaze lingers on Adrianna just as she purses her lips and Bozzelli relents.

"Fine. Quickly, but please keep walking with me," she asks, earning a nod from Adrianna as they fall into step once again.

"The soldiers arrived quickly. Too quickly, and the second you were out of there, a mage who works directly with The Council hurried into the room, chanting under their breath as they approached Vallie. She took a breath thirty seconds later."

"Where is she now?" Adrianna asks, her pupils wide as she takes in the information.

"Likely with her uncle, who is the one demanding I get you in the dungeon."

Fucker.

"I'm assuming they want us contained because their plan to control our magic didn't work," Kryll clarifies from a step behind me and Bozzelli hums.

"I believe so," she admits as the academy building comes into view. She continues to scurry along until she reaches the door, where she pauses, her gaze finding Adrianna's. "I'm sorry they did that to you. I'm sorry I didn't do anything to stop them from taking you. Had I have known?—"

"Don't apologize for something you didn't do. What is meant to be will be, this is one of those things," Adrianna states, interjecting with a hint of pride in her words, and it makes my cock twitch again.

Bozzelli nods, worry flashing across her eyes for a second before she pushes at the door and steps inside. The rest of us follow her. The hallway leads to a winding set of stairs that head underground.

"Are we actually willingly going to the dungeons? For them to do what? They're not going to be painting our nails and shit, Adrianna. They're going to want to kill us. The chance to control us has passed. Now, we're too powerful, and they're going to want to put a stop to us by any means necessary," I state, raking my fingers through my hair as Adrianna looks back at me with a soft smile.

"They asked me to bring you to the dungeons, Mr. Holloway. They didn't say anything about making sure you were detained," Bozzelli states as she inserts a long golden key into the lock at the end of the hall to reveal a dark and dreary room on the other side.

I was hoping the dungeons would be a little more fanciful than what one would typically picture, but no. This is somehow worse.

"What are you saying?" I grumble, hating that she's giving me hints instead of getting straight to the point.

She rolls her eyes at me, keeping her stare fixed on Adrianna instead. "If you want to save the kingdom, start with them."

Adrianna nods, rolling her shoulders back before she steps into the dungeon.

"Adrianna," I plead, hurrying in after her.

"It's going to be okay, Raiden," she states, a smile on her lips as she turns to Bozzelli. "Just the five of us. That's who they want. Beau, take Flora and Arlo somewhere safe. I don't want them to be used as pawns in someone else's game again," she orders, and both Beau and Bozzelli nod in agreement.

The door is closed without another word, trapping Cassian, Brody, Kryll, Adrianna, and me. Complete darkness engulfs us until Brody begins to chant under his breath, and a moment later, a soft glow flickers from the four corners of the room.

"What now?" Cassian asks, hands on his hips as he stares at the small confines we now find ourselves in. But Adrianna doesn't falter; if anything, she stands taller.

"I have a plan."