4. Raiden

4

RAIDEN

S he's mad. She's mad, mad. I can feel it so strongly it leaves my nerve endings frazzled. I'm never frazzled. Not in any way, shape, or form. If the glares didn't show it, or the stiffness to her stance, then it would be the raw fury emitting from her, and here I am, crumbling under the anger that vibrates from her.

I can smell her rage, and I want to taste her fury, but something tells me I've got no chance in Hell right now. I can bide my time. That's fine. It fills me with irritation, but I'm learning it's just a new sensation that she brings out in me.

It takes more strength than I care to admit to hold back as she says goodbye to her family. I have questions and a lack of understanding, which heightens the tension inside of me.

For starters, I wouldn't care if my family was somewhere safe or not, just as they wouldn't care if I was. We may be connected by blood, but that doesn't generate an undeniable love or need to protect one another. We stand tall and proud together in public, to maintain appearances, of course, but we would never be bonded tightly like this.

King August Reagan stares at his eldest daughter in awe, his eyes glossy with a love I can't even begin to comprehend from a parent, while his bottom lip trembles whenever she's not looking at him. His worry is raw, his love real, and his helplessness overwhelming. Adrianna's bratty sister, Nora, is completely different. She beams at Adrianna, completely in wonder at everything her idol does. Despite the danger they're in, she continues to smile through it. It's almost impressive. Almost. It's mostly annoying, along with her snarky comments.

Adrianna, however, nips at her bottom lip with worry, constantly peering between her family members as they get ready to leave. I can feel her pain from here. It's almost as strong as her wrath. Who knew beneath her hard exterior is such a soft and delicate center?

Kryll whispers in her ear, and I'm a step too far away to catch wind of what he's saying, but a moment later, Adrianna nods, waving one last time to her sister and father before turning away from them. Brody edges toward them, and a moment later, August, Nora, Kryll, and the mage are gone.

Her pain amplifies, scrunching her face in discomfort as her knees buckle beneath her, but she somehow manages to remain on her feet. Her arms band around her waist, supporting herself as she leaves me more confused than ever. She's a blessing and a sin.

I glance at Cassian, who is staring at the woman before us just as intently as I was, but before either of us can say a word to her, she spins on her heels, storming toward the gate without a backward glance.

"Hold up," I holler, hurrying toward her. If she hears me, she doesn't acknowledge it, but that doesn't stop me from quickening my pace. Just as I'm about to grab her arm, she comes to a stop, spinning her attention to Cassian.

"Can you use that wolf speed of yours and get me the fuck out of here?" she asks, refusing to look my way.

"This feels too much like good entertainment," he retorts with a shrug, leaving her to gape at him in horror.

"You're an ass."

He shrugs. "This is not new information."

"Can we get back to me?" I grumble, throwing my arms out in desperation, finally earning Adrianna's attention, but the deathly glare she hurtles my way isn't reassuring.

"You don't want that," she snarls, nostrils flaring as she takes a step back.

"Why?" I push, taking a step toward her.

"Because I'm considering all the ways I could kill you right now, some of which involve skinning you alive," she bites, eyes flashing with rage as her cheeks redden.

I cock an eyebrow at her. "That feels a little far fetched."

Her eyes widen, and I immediately understand we're not on the same page about the punishment she wishes to bestow upon me. Wagging her finger, she takes a step toward me before remembering herself and quickly inching away again.

"Far fetched? Far fetched is following someone without their knowledge and leading the enemy to her loved ones."

I rear back. "Is that what this is about?"

She scoffs, shaking her head in disbelief. "Your stalking almost got my family killed! What else would it be about?"

"I don't know, but I didn't ask to be followed," I point out, taking a step toward her, and she inches back.

"Neither did I," she snaps, her hands balling at her sides.

I wipe a hand down my face, trying to piece together how on Earth I can make it better when I had no control over it going wrong to begin with.

"How do we get past this?" I finally ask, hating that I have to, but I don't think I've ever felt this helpless in my entire life.

"There is no getting past anything," she retorts without skipping a beat.

I look to Cassian, hoping for help, but all I find is the asshole standing with his arms folded over his chest as he watches us intently, a ghost of a grin on his lips.

Fucker.

Turning back to Adrianna, I startle when I realize she has taken off again.

"Adrianna," I yell, but she doesn't stop, sauntering through the gates of Heir Academy in a flurry, and I rush to keep up. "Adrianna," I repeat, and I hear her scoff.

"Raiden," she retorts with an irritated tone.

This is bullshit.

Thankfully, the guards manning the gate pay us no mind, but I would still rather not have an audience. I wait until she's farther down the pathway before I try again, acutely aware that Cassian is maintaining a slow stroll behind me.

Asshole.

"Adrianna." Nothing. "Princess Adrianna," I repeat, trying a different tactic, and to my surprise, she whirls around with fire burning in her eyes.

"No. That doesn't work for you," she snarls, aware that I'm trying to replicate whatever her father did to get her to listen.

"Adrianna," I try again, dropping the title this time, but all she does is shake her head. When her eyes settle on mine, they feel void of everything, and it leaves a sickly feeling burning in my throat.

"How about you save yourself the effort and keep my name out of your mouth."

"I have to say, this is far more fun when it's not me getting this shit for a change," Cassian muses, coming to a stop beside me, breaking the moment.

I turn to glare at him, but he simply shrugs, unaware of the helplessness he's stoking inside of me. Looking back toward Addi, my chest tightens. "Where the fuck did she go?" I growl, earning a snicker from the asshole wolf I hate to call my friend.

"How about we head back and figure out what the fuck just happened while we give her some space to wrap her head around things?"

Since when did this fool start talking any kind of sense?

Fuck.

He might be right, though. Maybe she just needs a minute to think and realize that nothing I did was intentional. I am sorry it happened, but I'm not sorry I followed her.

Fuck.

Maybe I should have said sorry to her. It's too late for that now.

Sighing, I turn back to Cassian, who seems way too calm for my liking. "Fine, let's head back to my place and start with the secrets some of us were keeping," I grunt, stomping toward the pathways that lead to the origin buildings.

"You mean Brody?" he asks, and I scoff at his stupid question.

"Unless there are any other secrets I'm not aware of?"