1. Adrianna

1

ADRIANNA

" S o what will it be, Princess Adrianna? You, or little Princess Nora?"

The question hangs in the air, coiling around my limbs like an impenetrable wind that makes it impossible for me to move.

I knew coming to the academy and putting everything that I am on the line would come at a price. I was ready for it, expecting it even, but I didn't anticipate their desire to drag my sister into the same depths of Hell.

That was their mistake.

They can come for me and everything I stand for, but Nora? No fucking way. She's off limits.

My shoulders roll back, relishing the burn through my muscles as I focus on every detail of the room. All eyes are on me. Professors, council members, and the assholes who consume my every thought.

I take a deep breath, accepting the fire that rumbles in my chest as I do it again and again, all while casting my gaze over every single person here.

Kryll is closest to my left, a part of the circle that the guys and I create. His head is downcast, eyebrows furrowed as he looks up at me through hooded eyes. There's a darkness there. One I'm not familiar with, but it seems to have the ability to validate every ounce of my feelings that threaten to spread from my fingertips and take control of the room.

Cassian stands beside him, teeth bared and claws protruding from his knuckles, his wolf sits so close to the surface that I'm certain he's going to completely shift at any moment. His dark gaze is fixated on his father, a distaste for him that burns brighter than my own hatred for my mother blazing in his eyes.

Beside him, Brody stands with his shoulders slumped, a dejected energy vibrating from him as his finger taps on the sphere his hand is pressed against. He knew. He knew. He knew. I can't focus on that right now. Whether he knew or not, my attention must be on Nora, and her alone. The longer I stare at him, the harder it is, but I force myself to look to my right.

Raiden. Disgust has my teeth grinding together as I take in every inch of the vampire who stands as tall and sharp as ever. He looks just as he did the first day I met him, just like the day he stood in my bedroom, having tricked me with roses to break past Brody's spell. Arrogant. Self-righteous. The entire reason Nora is here.

I glance at my sister, my heart aching when I spy her eyebrows pinched with worry. Not for herself. Never for herself. Always for me.

It keeps me going, casting my stare to Raiden's mother, Professor Holloway, who stands poised, just as elegant as her son as she folds her arms over her chest and arches her brow at me, waiting expectantly for my answer.

My chest heaves, the inability to contain the fury that sparks through my veins revealing the truth of my feelings.

Fuck.

Sneering at Councilman Orenda, Brody's father, and the man whose magic dances in the air, I regard him with a solemn reality. His unkempt white hair and eyes filled with wisdom are a lie. There's a devilish evil inside of him, one that wants to bend me to his will, or my sister if I put up too much resistance.

I bite back a scoff, my nostrils flaring with rage as my gaze settles on the final person in the room.

Kenner.

Fucking Kenner.

Somehow, my hatred for this man seems to know no bounds, growing with every breath I take as he smirks. Fucking smirks. Like he has all of the power, all of the knowledge, and the right to reveal truths about myself. Truths he has no business knowing.

My eyes narrow, thoughts of my mother flashing through my mind as his words play on repeat. Wolf. Kenner Wolf.

I blink. Slowly.

"Tick. Tock, Adrianna," Kenner sings, but when I shift my stare again, it's to Nora. He doesn't deserve the satisfaction of harnessing my attention. "What will it be? You or Princess Nora?"

Yet again, the words fill the air, spiraling out of control, but this time, they don't pin me in place, they ignite the fuse, desperate to burn bright.

My shoulders drop, my knees loosening just the slightest touch as my fingers flex.

"I choose neither."

The words are nothing more than a whisper, but as quiet as they are, it's enough to trigger the power inside of me, forcing my hands into the air as my magic explodes from my palms.

I hear nothing but the pounding in my ears, and the visual I'm treated to is nothing but a sliver of delight.

Energy charges around me as Professor Holloway's mouth snaps open in horror, a presumed cry bursting from her lungs as she dodges my flames. She rolls across the floor, ducking behind a desk in the far corner of the room as quickly as her vampire speed will allow. My head tilts, searching along the tendril of power whipping from my other hand, cascading wicked winds toward councilman Orenda, whose lips move as he tries to hold my abilities back.

I watch the moment he realizes I'm stronger than he anticipated, the moment he understands that whatever he's muttering means nothing against the battering gale that swirls around him. Three beats of my pulse ringing in my ears and he's gone, opting to use a transport spell instead of a protection chant.

It's satisfying. Almost .

Turning my attention to Kenner, I retract my magic, letting it build in the palms of my hands. His eyes dance an unusual green, with flecks of gold dashed across his irises. A sense of déja vù washes over me. I've felt my magic rage like this before. I was staring him down then too.

My spine stiffens, dark memories threatening to consume me, fueled by the intrusive thoughts that claw at my resolve, penetrating my strength and leaving behind a lingering venom of self-doubt.

Not this time.

My back arches, struggling under the weight of the power that tingles over my fingertips, and I scream, the sound impossibly grating to hear, but the rumbles I feel in my chest at its shrieking, pain-filled sounds fuel my magic nonetheless.

Air and fire swirl as I take aim, projecting the magic at my target. A smirk tips the corner of my lips, watching as it barrels toward Kenner, but it's a second too late, and the relief of his demise is lost as he darts for the door before it explodes in his face.

My anger reaches new heights as the magic disperses and I'm left looking at my palms in disappointment.

"Addi." The word sounds distant. Lost. Hopeless. "Addi." There it is again. I blink. Again and again. My name is repeated, each time growing more urgent and concerned, bringing me back to reality. "Addi!"

My gaze falls to Nora, her voice loud and clear in my ears. Quickly darting my eyes around the room, I note there's no threat, except the four guys that stand in a mixture of disbelief and awe, so I rush to my sister.

Her arms drape around my neck as I fall to my knees beside her. My eyes drift closed for the briefest moment as I absorb every ounce of her. Her familiar lavender scent fills my nose, offering me the smallest comfort of home before the sound of footsteps pounding in the distance begins to inch closer and closer.

Rounding on my feet, I spin for the door, magic instantly at my fingertips as the sound of the kiss of Amethyst clattering to the floor dances in my ears.

Vallie's father steps through the open doorway, his face red with fury as he snarls, instantly pointing a finger at me the second his eyes settle on mine.

"You," he growls, his canines elongating as his pupils dilate.

He takes one step toward me. One single, yet quick vampire step toward me, before I unleash my magic once more. Fire, fueled by a barrage of tornado winds, blasts toward him, exploding out in front of me in less than a second as haunting screams echo around the room.

His cries fall short as the red embers of fire die down, leaving the remains of his lifeless body in its wake.