52. Adrianna

52

ADRIANNA

" Y ou," I breathe, staring at the woman in front of me before my gaze darts to Bozzelli once again. She just killed her. No care, no concern, no guilt. Just… dead.

The mysterious woman from the cell is as crazy as I recall.

"Me," she sings with a flourish, earning my attention again as I shake my head in disbelief.

"What is this?"

"Don't you want to know who I am first?" she retorts, planting her hands on her hips as she assesses me, and I shake my head.

"Introductions usually come before someone dies, not after. I'd rather understand what your plan entails, the smaller details make no difference," I retort, irritation coiling through my bones as I glare at her.

Gone is the delirious state I've been in, and in its place is the alertness I've been desperately searching for.

"I'm Clementine," she offers, ignoring me, and I sigh.

"I'm aware. My father said as much," I grumble, refusing to look his way in case it draws her attention toward him, but all it does is goad her.

"How would he know me? Don't you want to know?" she pushes, shaking out of her jet-black cloak and letting it pool at her feet to reveal a shimmering deep purple dress beneath.

"I'll find out once you've been dealt with."

She takes slow, measured steps around me, like I'm the prey and she's the predator. "Don't be sad about my presence, it's because of you I'm here, after all," she states, lacing her fingers together in front of her as if she's all sweet and innocent, when we both know she's not.

Not with a comment like that, not after the last time I saw her.

My brain whirls to life, raking through all of the things she said, until it settles on a thought, and my gut twists unbearably tight. "What does that mean?"

My pulse quickens, my mind already knowing the answer but refusing to acknowledge it.

"Addi! Addi!" My father's voice carries through the haze that twists Clementine and me together, and my gaze darts to his. "Addi, where is the amethyst? Your amethyst?" he clarifies, and I gulp.

"Gone. Shattered."

Clementine starts to clap, loud, thunderous claps that vibrate around the entire room before she leans in, hand covering her mouth as she whispers loudly. "Hint. Hint. You broke my prison."

Everything stops as she confirms my fear, and my hands ball into fists at my sides as I force my instinctive reaction to stay at bay. The entire kingdom is watching now and I can't react how they're used to The Council acting, even if I really want to.

"Who are you?" I ask, finally relenting as she bounces on the spot, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder as she giggles.

"I am Princess Clementine Reagan, sister to the previous King, your father, August Reagan." She inches closer until we're chest to chest before she delivers her final blow. "And now that the crown is back on the table, in the grasps of a fae no less, it's mine for the taking."