Page 22 of The Court of Truth

Vampires, fae, wolves, shifters, mages, even humans. It doesn’t matter what origin you are. The pinnacle of your abilities, or lack thereof, is the only notable difference. Everything else is the same.

Somebody always wants more. Someone always gets hurt. Something always gets in the way.

We’re all flawed. Some more than others.

“What does any of this mean?” Nora asks, glancing between her sister and father, and I get a peek behind the humor and jovial defenses that she always has in place. That’s the difference between the two of them. Adrianna hides behind stone walls made of fierceness and tenacity. Nora hides behind lightheartedness and jokes. They’re both hiding all the same, both vulnerable to the core.

“It means that if it was Fairbourne, then there’s a chance he and Clementine could still be using dark magic,” I blurt, reading between the lines that have August drowning in defeat.

“Dark magic?” Nora pushes, and I shake my head.

“I have no fucking idea what it means either, Nora, but maybe we could figure it out somewhere else? I don’t think we need to be down here to discuss the matter,” I grumble, and Adrianna nods in agreement.

Nora’s lips twist like she wants to push back. Not at me specifically, but my answer is vague and it seems she’s all too used to being left in the dark. Now is her opportunity to be present and she doesn’t want to lose it.

Surprisingly, she keeps her protests to herself as the four of us make our way back upstairs. August leads the way, silent and somber, while Nora sulks behind him. I hold up the rear with Adrianna a step ahead of me, our fingers interlocked as we take the winding stairs back up.

The kitchen finally appears after what feels like an eternity and I grumble at the gathered group that’s now formed in our absence. Food is spread along the long table where Kryll, Brody, Cassian, Beau, Flora, and Arlo are seated. They all stare at us in surprise and my selfishness spikes.

“Hey, what’s going on?” Kryll asks, jumping to his feet, but I quickly dance around Adrianna to block his path.

“Nora will fill you in,” I state, nodding at the younger Reagan sister, who gapes at me in surprise for a second before she nods. She tilts her chin up, head back, and shoulders straight. A silent thank you flashing in her eyes as I edge toward the door.

Adrianna is right beside me, hand still in mine as Cassian calls out. “Where the fuck do you think you’re going?”

“I just found our woman at the bottom of a secret passageway, slumped in a corner with tear marks down her face. She’s fine. Nora’s going to tell you that she’s fine, but I’m going all vamp and stealing her for myself for a minute. If you have an issue with it, I don’t give a fuck. Unless it’s you that has the problem,” I add, spinning to face Adrianna, who looks up at me with wide eyes as she shakes her head.

“Where are we going?”

I cock a brow at her, the rest of the room fading away. “Does it matter?”

She looks at me for a beat. Two. Before she shakes her head.

“I don’t suppose it does.”

14

ADRIANNA

Everything is a mess. My mind feels torn by the memory still playing on repeat, and I wouldn’t say I’m a coward, but when Raiden offered me an out, I took it.

Now, as he tugs me toward the exit, I can’t help but wonder what’s going on as the sense of urgency behind his powerful strides leaves me intrigued more than anything.

Am I being distracted from what matters? Yes.

As the queen of the kingdom, should I be focused on everything else instead? Also, yes.

But beneath it all, I’m still just a woman losing my footing and I need a minute to breathe.

When we step outside into the night air, I make a mental note to put more effort into being outside tomorrow since all I seem to see is darkness. It’s consuming me in every way possible, and it’s not helping my mentality. I want to feel a gentle breeze on my face, the sun on my skin, and the hope in the air that only some strong vitamin D can give me.

“Where are we going?” I finally ask, frowning as Raiden pulls me toward a carriage sitting idol by the steps.

“We’re going to do what I’ve been wanting to do for days. What I wanted to do when I started looking for you a while ago. What I still intend to do to you now,” he states, his voice firm with a mixture of frustration and exhaustion, but when his eyes meet mine, it’s only heat and need that shines back at me.

“Raiden?” I ask, confusion lacing my words, but he doesn’t respond, silently opening the carriage door and waving for me to get inside.

I peer over my shoulder toward the door we just departed, expecting someone to come barreling through any moment, but it seems his needs were heard in that room and it’s just the two of us. Turning back to my vampire, I’m startled to see patience radiating from him as he presses his lips together.

---