Page 17 of The Court of Truth

He kisses me before I can say anything back, before his touch leaves my skin. I blink my eyes open, not even sure when they closed, only to find him gone.

“I’ll leave you guys to it, but if you need me to aid with anything, you know where I am,” my father states, squeezing my arm in comfort, but before he can head for the door, I stop him in his tracks.

“I could probably use a little bit of your knowledge and wisdom right now, Dad.”

His kind eyes find me, but they quickly shift to Arlo. “I’ll help set her up, Arlo. You head for the advisor’s office. Make sure to take a right, the left will have you searching for hours in the wrong direction,” my father offers, amusement lacing his words as Arlo spins on the heels of his boots and stomps in the other direction with a shake of his head.

And now there are three.

My father, Nora, and me.

“Why is everyone doing something… grand, but me?” I blurt, my gut twisting in knots as I try to remain positive, but something doesn’t feel right.

A sympathetic smile graces my father’s lips as he joins Nora and me, and he plants his hand on my arm, attempting to comfort me. “Take it as a sign that you chose well, Addi,” he offers, and I find myself frowning once again.

“Huh?”

“Truly, the more you’re doing, the less you’re delegating to those around you. Which means you can’t trust in them like you need. The greatest honor comes from knowing your inner circle is strong, unwavering, and dedicated,” he offers as Nora reaches for my other arm, attempting to comfort me too, but the both of them together only seem to make me feel claustrophobic.

“I don’t think I like it,” I admit, stepping out from their hold as I fold my arms over my chest, the weight of the crown on my head feeling heavier than ever as I pout like a damn child.

“That’s because you’re a control freak,” Nora declares, and I can’t even deny it. It’s true. I know I am, which only makes this harder.

“I am n… so what if I am?” I grumble, my fingers flexing at my sides as I try to will away the itch of irritation under my skin, but it’s no use.

“Let’s get you to your office, Addi. Maybe once you’re in your seat, you might feel differently.”

I doubt it. I highly freaking doubt it, but I take his offer and head toward the door with him.

“It feels wrong to not be taking immediate action,” I mumble, my chest easing just a little at the admission, and the smile on his face is a knowing one.

“It’s far from it, darling. Place the crown on your head, and instead of feeling the weight of your new role, embrace it. You don’t get to be Addiorthe queen whenever you want, they’re one and the same now. It’s just that sometimes you don’t get to handle a situation as you initially anticipated, but trust me when I say these meetings will be important. No monarch wants to be their own demise. Trust me, I should know.”

11

ADRIANNA

“I’m thankful for your time, Queen Adrianna, but I’m sure you can understand that we’re more focused on the actions you’re going to take and not just the words that are leaving your mouth.” His face remains neutral, giving nothing away as his eyes bore into mine.

I keep the smile plastered on my face despite the bubbling in my veins. “I completely understand, Vampire Holloway. The new times that we face aren’t going to be easy, but it’s going to be a journey worth taking for all.” I don’t know where the polite tone is coming from, but here I am, once again trying to inject positivity into another origin. Especially to a man who insists I address him by hissuperiororigin as well as his name.

I can definitely see where Raiden got his traits from, but now, facing his father, even through this device, I can see how muchmyvampire has changed. I could list off a million of the differences, but zoning out is not in my best interest right now.

“As the cliché goes, actions speak louder than words. I await your first moves,” Holloway states before the projection in front of me disappears, and I’m finally alone.

Slumping back in my seat, my crown threatens to fall as I glance up at the ceiling, and I consider letting it tumble, but just as it slips, I grab it, holding it in front of me with a new sense of wonder. I’ve been tucked away in here all day. I’ve been treated to three bottles of water to stop my mouth from drying out from all of the talking, but otherwise, the only way I know the day has escaped me is the fact that the sky is painted in an array of pinks, purples, and oranges, letting dusk claim us before night falls.

A gathering of fae from Foley Hill. Check. Joyous and hopeful? Check.

Mage Morgan. Check. Anticipation and a premature sense of disappointment already? Check.

Cassian. Check. Sweet words of encouragement since no other wolf pack leader was interested in speaking with me? Check.

Shifters from across the kingdom. Check. A falcon, a duck, and a jaguar. It almost sounded like the start of a poor joke, but instead, it was a mixture of judgment and elusiveness that I struggled to navigate.

Mayor Phillips. The leader of the humans up in Summer Oak was pompous and confusing, and I’m certain he didn’t actually hear anything I said, but he was polite and cheerful enough.

Finally,VampireHolloway.

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