Page 60 of The Court of Truth

My dragon sighs, a hint of irritation clinging to him. “No, Brody, I needed a few more minutes,” he grumbles as my gut twists.

“Told me what?”

Even under the moonlight and the dim glow from the street lamps, I can see the trouble in Brody’s eyes. “I’ll let Kryll tell?—”

“You can tell her now, ass,” Kryll interjects, neither of them easing the tension rippling through me.

“Cansomebodyjust tell me? You’re driving me insane,” I grumble, my gaze flicking back and forth between them desperately.

“Clementine left a warning for you.”

The answer doesn’t come from Brody. It doesn’t come from Kryll either. Spinning on the spot, I come face to face with my vampire, the answer having come from him.

Instead of being able to bask in the sight of him, I’m caught up in his words. “A warning?” I ask, hating that there’s no moment to say hi and greet each other like two people in love, but I have to vow to myself that I can save all of that for later.

“I can show you,” Raiden states, offering me his hand, and I slip from between Kryll and Brody to lace my fingers with his. He tugs me into his side and I rest my head on his shoulder for the briefest of moments, like it’s soft and intimate between us, before I stand tall and focus on my surroundings.

Thankfully, we’re nowhere near the lake that haunts the shadows of my memory on a daily basis. Instead, we’re in the heart of the village, where small homes with thatched roofs line the streets with a few taller buildings looming in the night sky.

It’s quaint. Even at this time of night. Even after the tragedy that unraveled last night.

Turning the corner, we take a narrow back street before it opens up into a large square. The streets are quiet, not a mage in sight, and I instantly see why.

My heart stops in my chest, my blood running cold as I blink at the warning left in Clementine’s wake.

I tug my hand free from Raiden’s, all but gliding toward the threat. The town’s library is drenched in blood. Crimson letters spelling out the pain she promises to cause as I’m left to gape at the carnage.

Follow the Queen and more pain shall follow.

Take the path to greatness, or risk more peril.

Go home, Adrianna, or more bloodshed will come, and it will be at your hands.

My fingers tremble, a mixture of pain and rage consuming my every thought as I shake my head in disbelief.

Pain. Bloodshed.

Pain. Bloodshed.

Pain. Bloodshed.

She’s already caused enough of those things; too much, really. How can I stop her from creating more? She can’t continue like this. She can’t remain one step ahead, but I can’t seem to figure out how to gain the upper hand.

A hand on my shoulder pulls me from my spiraling thoughts and I manage to redirect my stare to lock eyes with Brody.

“What did the mages say?” I rasp, and his eyes dip, a sense of shame licking at his touch for the smallest moment before his gaze finds mine again.

“They’ve requested that they handle the disaster themselves.”

Fuck.

“They don’t want our help.” It’s a heavy statement, strong enough to break me as I grapple with the fact that this woman is causing this pain because of me. Because I have the crown.

A sliver of a thought sweeps through my mind and I almost cave to it before I quickly push it back down again. Handing her the crown won’t satisfy the wickedness inside of her. All it will do is provide her the power to cause an unlimited number of catastrophes.

“What do we do now, Princess?” Kryll asks, boxing me in with Raiden on my other side. I look at each of them, silently trying to take in as much strength as I can, but it feels like my world is caving in, my vision darkening, and there’s only one person I need to find. One person whose advice can ground me.

“I need to speak with my father.”

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