Adrian clenched his jaw, and his hands tightened around me, as if he feared I would run. I was still considering it. “I never said that.”
“Is it not implied?”
“Do you think I would cast you aside if you could not do it?” he asked, angry.
I didn’t, but it still hurt that he had not spoken of this before.
“Do you truly believe I want you for no other reason?”
“Why did you not tell me you needed my magic before now?” I asked. We had been so honest with each other about everything, why was this any different?
“Because you showed no signs of having magic, and why would I place the burden of my curse upon you?”
I bit my lip hard and looked away from him, frustrated with myself and with this situation.
“Ravena said I wrote The Book of Dis to destroy you,” I said. The words were like blades scraping my throat, and yet Adrian did not seem at all surprised.
I felt his fingers against my jaw, forcing my gaze to his.
“I have no doubt that you did,” he said.
“Adrian—”
I did not know what to say.
“If you do destroy me, it will be because of Dis,” he said. “You’ll remember that, won’t you?”
“What are you saying?”
“I am saying I am no longer the favorite of the goddess’s creations.”
I started to speak, to ask for more, but there was a knock at the door, and Adrian permitted them entrance. I had expected Vesna and Safira, so I was mortified when Tanaka entered our room. I drew close to Adrian to maintain an ounce of modesty—an action Adrian apparently found humorous because he chuckled.
I could not tell if Tanaka was nervous or embarrassed or if he had merely overexerted himself in an attempt to reach our quarters. Either way, he was red in the face, and he paused to clear his throat.
“Your Majesties,” Tanaka said, bowing. “Gavriel has arrived from Lara. He brings urgent news.”
Despite my efforts to hide my nakedness, I pulled away from Adrian, straightening.
“What news?”
“I am afraid your country is under attack,” he said.
“By whom?” I demanded.
“Alaric of Hela,” said Gavriel, who entered behind Tanaka. He was clad in armor and dirty; even his hair, usually blond, looked almost brown. I was surprised by his sudden appearance in our room and crossed my arms over my chest. “They invaded in the night. I suppose they took your father’s long absence as an invitation. Though that is not the worst of it.”
“What is the worst of it?” I demanded.
“Alaric has been turned,” he said. “And so has his army.”
Adrian and I exchanged a look. We both knew who was responsible.
Julian.
Of all the kings to turn, I had not expected Alaric. He had never petitioned Adrian and had been vocal about his dislike for my father’s surrender.
Adrian rose from the bath, water streaming off his skin.
“Give us a moment,” he said. “As you can see, we are not in a state to entertain this news. We will meet you in the council room shortly. Summon Daroc.”
“And Killian,” I added.
“Of course, Your Majesties,” said Tanaka.
They bowed and the old man cast a furious look at Gavriel before they departed.
“You are surprised,” Adrian said as I got to my feet. “You did not expect this behavior from Alaric?”
“No, not in the least. He has never supported vampires of any kind. When my father decided to surrender to you, he was the most vocal against it.”
“Sounds like Julian swayed him,” Adrian said and grew quiet.
“Or forced him,” I said. “Do you think Julian is using Alaric?”
“Yes. Hela is a large country with a large army. Likely Julian will allow Alaric to lead until he grows tired of him. Then he will kill him…but by then, he will have an army big enough to come after me.”
I let Adrian’s words sit in the silence between us. All I could think was that we had to stop him at Lara.
“What are we going to do?” I asked, though I did not expect a quick answer. Revekka was in a fragile state, not only due to Ravena’s spells but the shifting loyalties of its people, who grew wary of our leadership day by day. Still, I had to defend my kingdom. Lara was mine by right, and I would be damned if I witnessed a king of the Nine Houses take what was mine.
Adrian looked at me, the tips of his fingers caressing my cheek.
“We will fight for your throne.”
Twenty-Four
Adrian
My gaze strayed to Isolde as we made our way to the council room. I worried for her and all the change she had seen in such a short time. I had been the catalyst for all of it, but she stood beside me, stoic and proud and beautiful, giving no hint to the internal turmoil of her mind, which I heard as her thoughts raced from Lara to Sorin, from Ana to Ravena, from her own power over magic to her power over shifting to when she would fully know her potential as a vampire.
She worried about me and she worried about Dis.
I could offer no comfort, save that I would not leave her side, but that all depended on how long Dis allowed me to be…me.
As I thought about the control she might leverage, my teeth clenched so hard my jaw ached. I could feel her influence now and then, teasing the edges of my mind. That was how I knew she was unhappy with me—she had never attempted to control me before, but I had done something she did not like, though what exactly it was remained to be seen.
Gavriel, Tanaka, and Killian waited in the council room.
“I apologize for what happened earlier,” said Tanaka as soon as we entered.
“It was not as if I did not invite you into our room, Tanaka,” I said, my eyes shifting to Gavriel, who offered no apology. Clearly, he had enjoyed the sight of my wife.
“I merely thought the queen would want to know the state of her homeland as soon as possible,” Gavriel said, his gaze lingering on Isolde. If Killian had not also been glaring at the vampire, I might have thought I was being overprotective.
“As urgent as this news is, I think we can all agree it is best given when we are clothed,” I said. Gavriel swallowed and averted his eyes.
Before I could say anything else, Daroc arrived, and his presence halted all my words.
He looked devastated.
It was the only way I could think to describe him. His face was drawn with shadows, which pooled beneath his eyes and carved the hollows of his cheeks, but it was his expression that was most unsettling. He usually looked callous or angry, but there was a complete lack of emotion within his gaze that made me think he no longer possessed his body.
He approached us and was silent, but I was still watching him, wary, and I noticed the blood on his coat. He had taken out his aggression on something—likely a wall—and while the cuts had healed, he still bore the evidence of it on his clothes.
“Tell us what happened, Gavriel,” Isolde prompted when I was too distracted to speak.
We listened as he detailed Alaric’s attack on Lara. It happened three nights ago. It had been swift, and Castle Fiora fell quickly. I noted how Isolde exchanged worried looks with Killian.
“We were not prepared. And even if we had been, we did not have the numbers to fight such an army. Alaric is clearly out of control…there were women and children among his ranks.”