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There was no speed limit for him and Adrian. There was no speed limit for me either. But I knew how to steer cars smoothly and not like... whatever the fuck this was.

“Anyway.” He took a very sharp turn, and Larissa had to hold on to the door to keep from being catapulted around.

The frightened look she gave me was divine and distracted me.

“I have a clear order from above that you are to stay away from the Quatura.”

A clear order from above was a code phrase for Nicolaj Drama.

“In my experience, that applies especially to you, Larissa.”

She blushed visibly.

Everything in me knew that Larissa would not obey, especially after the chat messages from Julie and Bayla, who had called a group meeting for today.

A lot had happened in the last few weeks. Larissa's friend was supposed to be a Senseque. At least, that's what Director Copeland and the Quatura who were holding her mother captive believed.

And despite all that, they wanted to meet up.

Jesus Christ, these girls.

My inner rebel wasn't afraid to continue participating. A little adrenaline wouldn't hurt, and I needed the town tea with all the insider information that came with it. Besides, I couldn't let Larissa go there alone. Especially not now.

“And even if Nicolaj told you otherwise, you know to stay away from the Blair Quatura.”

I sat up straight, looking back and forth between Bastien and Adrian in confusion.

“Nicolaj…” Adrian began, visibly tense.

Bastien interrupted my blood brother, something only he, as his trainer, and Nicolaj were allowed to do, and it was extremely entertaining, even though I didn't understand what they were talking about or what Julie Blair had to do with it.

“I know. And I don't agree with him sending you to deliver a message to the Quatura via third parties.”

Alarm bells immediately rang in my head.

“What message?” asked Larissa, staring ahead in alarm.

“Julie Blair isn't just anyone. She's the girl from the prophecy,” growled Adrian, who seemed to be on the verge of losing his patience but, as always, was able to hide it well.

The puzzle in my head finally fell into place.

This ridiculous prophecy that reminded me of the horoscopes Olivia always read...

“That ludicrous prophecy,” Bastien blurted out.

He, Camille, Laurent, and I were among those who didn’t believe in the contents of this witchcraft, but Nicolaj seemed obsessed with it.

“The Quatura and those they serve will be our downfall if we don't kill this child.”

Those words from our last unpleasant dinner echoed in my ears over and over. And the fact that Adrian was loyally devoted to his stiff-necked father didn't make it any better.

He would do anything for that man, lick the blood from his boots. And that was exactly what worried me.

Adrian said nothing more, just looked out the side mirror at the forest road that led us to the university.

Suddenly, the feeling in my stomach returned.

“And now to you.” Our eyes met in the rearview mirror, and I knew immediately what was coming. “I don't know what drives you, but I strongly advise you to stop messing with the Senseque.”