I clench my jaw, knowing he’s right but hating it all thesame. We’ll have to rely on Adrian to get us out of this, and I don’t like those odds.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Adrian placates, stepping out from the other side of the stall and positioning himself between us and the guards. “No one—” he looks at Michael, “—is killinganyone.”Then he looks at us.
“They’re manipulating them with their vile magic!” Michael spews, his face twisting. “For your safety, we can’t risk it.”
Adrian huffs, as if the notion of him beingmanipulatedwas appalling.
“Look at their ears,” Adrian snaps as he points to us. “Human.” He takes a step toward us, and the guards stiffen, their eyes flicking from him to us. “And don’t you think they would’ve used this supposed magic the second you stepped through those doors? Why are they standing there—outnumbered and with only a simple blade in their hands?”
The guards exchange glances amongst themselves.
“You know this man,” Adrian continues, gesturing to Graylen. “Clarence, you and Graylen entered into the castle the same season.” He nods his head to a slender soldier to Michael’s left. “And Toland, you were on duty for many of my meetings with Graylen while he advised me. Did he ever indicate support for anyone other than me and Crea?”
Another guard—this one in the back but towering over the others—hesitates, but shakes his head and grumbles, “No. Never.”
Adrian nods, but the soldiers don’t look fully convinced. Still, he’s already done far more than I thought he would.
What’s going through his mind about what we reported on the rebels taking the castle? Were they false reports, somehow—a traitor spreading rumors to cause chaos?
Adrian twists toward us, his eyes on Graylen. And the look in his gaze…
I still. I don’t like it.
Adrian’s brows pull together, silently mouthing,I’m sorry.
My muscles tense, and beside me, I feel Graylen do the same.
“Duke Wyman gave me a device for Amira,” Adrian begins slowly. “If it makes you all feel more comfortable, we have it with us. It stops any magical being from accessing their powers.”
Michael raises a brow. My stomach sinks.
“Say the word, and I’ll bring all of them to their knees.”The edge in Graylen’s words sends a shiver down my spine, spurring my confidence on.
“You agreed to wear it to prove you’re on our side.” Adrian nods and adds, “Isn’t that right, Lu?”
I tense at him using the nickname, but nod slowly.
The soldiers look at Michael expectantly. These soldiers should be bowing to their king, taking his word for it and listening to his command, but instead they push back—claiming we manipulated his mind to get him here.
Adrian’s eyes flare as they await Michael’s command instead of his. But he doesn’t stomp his feet and demand that he’s the king like I thought he would. Maybe Adrian does know how to play politics more than I thought.
“And the Snake?” a guard hisses, spit flying from his mouth.
I can feel a wave of heat radiating off of Graylen. He stands taller, lifting to his full height. The guard that spoke up flinches back, but stands his ground.
Adrian chuckles and says, “If you can get this thing around his neck, then be my guest.” He glances sideways at Graylen, a smirk on his face as he slips into the role of Adrian the King. “You all know how the Snake feels about doing something he doesn’t want to do.”
All of the soldiers shift, some shuffling their feet and others paling at the reminder of Graylen’s past.
“There’s twenty of you and one of him,” Adrian adds when no one speaks. “Are you afraid ofoneman taking down all of you—trained soldiers wielding the steel of the king’s army?”
I fight back a smirk. Graylen could send them to their miserable afterlife before they could even think of raising their swords.
“Fine,” Michael seethes. “But we’re watching you, Snake.” He shoves a finger in our direction, then looks to Adrian. “Put it on her.”
Sheer determination ripples down my spine as I straighten, even as the whisper of fear swirls alongside it. I can do this. Ihave to.
Graylen growls and shifts closer to me, his shoulder blocking half of my body from them.
