She wasn’t sure when she had fallen for him, nor whether it had grown slowly or happened all at once. He had told her she had the potential to ruin him, and Adriana realised that he had power to utterly destroy her in return. She knew, with absolute certainty, that she was perpetually and destructively in love with him.
“You needed the push,” he whispered, his thumb stroking her cheekbone. “And it is fortunate that I very much enjoy the sight of your angry frown.”
She laughed at him, resting her cheek against his palm. Her eyes began to droop, her body sagged against his as the events of the night caught up to her.
Xander gathered their clothes off the floor, giving Adriana a chance to see the brands on his back for the first time. She could spot the Lamia’s eclipse that sat between his shoulder blades with an intricate swirling pattern above it like a tiny galaxy—the mark of a Manipuli. His Nocte brands that covered his arms, chest and shoulders seemed to stem from his back, as if they were shadows growing from the moon that covered the light of the sun.
He turned back to her and picked her up in one arm, her body instinctively wrapping around him. Without a word, he walked them out of the kitchens and up the stairs. She had no idea if he knew which room was hers, but before she could direct him, she fell into a deep sleep in his embrace.
Chapter twelve
Midnight
Adriana
The old grandfather clock in the hallway chimed eleven, its mournful notes echoing through Amara House and making Adriana wince. Her heart hammered a frantic rhythm in her ribs as she continued down the staircase, earning a loud creak as she shifted her weight onto a floorboard that had decided to be particularly noisy.
She cursed herself for not remembering that specific creaky step. It had been weeks since she’d had to sneak out at night. Usually it was only Striga in the house, with the occasional staff member that may decide to spend the night rather than return home to the village, and so she did not have to concern herself with such trivial matters. But her father had returned from hislatest business trip that afternoon, and, although Adriana knew he was a deep sleeper, she didn’t want to take any chances.
With swift steps she made it down the rest of the stairs and set about wrapping her scarf around her to avoid the cold chill of the night. Xander would likely be waiting outside for her, as he always was whenever they’d planned to meet, but tonight was laced with an edge of nervous excitement.
The two of them usually spent their nights wrapped up in one another, whether it be in either of their beds in their respective houses or in the barn, which seemed to be Xander’s favourite. But tonight Xander had promised something special to bring in the start of the new year at midnight, something that hinted at a future beyond stolen moments in moonlit barns.
As Adriana secured her gloves with the small buttons around her wrists, she crept towards the front door, her movements as silent as a falling leaf. Just as her hand touched the cool brass knob, a raspy voice shattered the silence.
“Evening, Adriana.”
Her blood ran cold at the sound of her father’s voice behind her.
“Shit,” she breathed out, not bothering to turn around as she still gripped the door knob, clinging onto her chance of escape.
“Such vulgar language, daughter!”
“My apologies, father.”
Adriana begrudgingly let go of the door and sheepishly turned to her father. He stood with his arms crossed in front of the dimly lit doorway to his study, his figure illuminated by a single reading lamp that sat upon his desk.
As her eyes slowly drifted up to his, she almost stumbled in shock at the playful expression he wore. She had expected him to be furious at finding his only daughter sneaking out of the house in the middle of the night, and unchaperoned, too. Whilst Sebastian Clarke was not a man who clung to traditionalvalues, he still sought the respect of others, and having an unruly daughter certainly challenged that.
“Your mother was the same,” he chuckled. “Something about Amara women, all of you possess such fierce foul mouths.”
“Well, we are all descended from Striga, after all.”
“Indeed you are. I think the second biggest mistake was letting that crazed woman stay in this house when I took over.”
Adriana couldn’t help but smile at her father’s dry humour, or at least she hoped he was joking anyway. As he walked towards her, she noticed how tired he looked. His eyes carried more weight than usual, the lines in his skin seemed more prominent and his hair seemed so much greyer than when he had set off on his trip.
“What is your first biggest mistake?” she asked.
Sebastian smiled, though it didn’t quite meet his eyes. That was usual for him, Adriana knew that.
“Not telling your mother just how much I loved her each and every day. And not telling you the same, not telling you how proud I am of you.”
Adriana cast her eyes down, shifting uncomfortably at the sudden declaration from her father. They were not the type to regularly talk about feelings, and although she knew her father loved her, he had rarely ever said it.
“You look so much like her,” he continued. “I could not protect her, I could not save her, and I feared that as a father I would fail to protect you, too. I know that Striga has been a wonderful teacher to you, as was Thomas. And as much as I like to pretend otherwise, I know you will never be a mere Lady of a household. You are too important to that magical world of yours. But I do not want you to believe for a second that you are not important to this world as well.”
Adriana sniffed as her eyes began to sting with tears. She wasn’t used to her father being so open with his feelings orhis willingness to discuss her magic. They rarely spoke of her powers, and as much as Adriana had longed to talk about them to her father as a child, she understood why he distanced himself from a world he was not a part of.
