Horse Stone (Book 1 of Ilyrian Series)

Chapter 60

I looked at her with an open mouth and blinked. I blinked again and still stared at her, shocked and not knowing what to say. My mind was blank, and I was numb while I looked at her, not knowing what she meant by calling me "Your Majesty" when it was my father who was in charge.

Vanar nudged my shoulder, but I didn't turn to look at him or made no move to show that he had gotten my attention. He huffed and nudged me harder, but again, I didn't look at him. Finally, he grumbled something under his breath before he looked at Adrianna with a small scowl on his face. "You broke her," he said and nudged me again.

"Hmph," Adrianna said. She cocked her head and studied me with a calm, cool, collected look on her face. "I am surprised that you were able to use this spell with little to no consequences to yourself." She raised an eyebrow in question, and I had a feeling that she wanted me to tell her what had happened.

"Uhhhh..." I cleared my throat and licked my lips while I shifted on my feet and cleared my throat again. I had no idea why she still called me queen, but I knew that I had to answer her question first before I could ask mine. "I passed out and then woke up in the school's clinic." I shrugged and cleared my throat for the third time in a row. "I had felt drained and everything because I had used the magic that I didn't know I had."

Adrianna nodded and looked at the book. "I am amazed that you were able to do this spell, Hadley," she said. She cleared her throat and flicked through the book to see if she couldn't find something, and I couldn't help but wonder what she was looking for. "You are very powerful indeed."

I dipped my head and felt happy and pleased that I had gotten such praise from someone like her. My cheeks felt red and hot, and I blushed.

Adrianna cleared her throat again and looked at me. "I want to say that the creatures you faced with this spell are very dangerous and very powerful. They could have killed you in a split second."

I stayed silent and nodded. I had a feeling that they were very powerful creatures and could have killed me in a split second, and a part of me couldn't help but wonder why they didn't kill me then.

Vanar nuzzled my shoulder, and I looked at him, confused. Wisdom and sadness filled his eyes, and I had a feeling that it was almost time for me to go. "It's almost time for you to go," he said. "The spell is ending soon."

I pressed my lips into a thin line and nodded. I looked at Adrianna and cleared my throat. "Vanar doesn't have his horn where we are from," I said and cleared my throat again. "Is there a way that I can get it back for him?"

Adrianna nodded and closed the book. She handed it to me, and I took it from her with a small nod in thanks. "There is," she said. "However, I am not allowed to tell you how. All I can tell you is that you have the strength and the power to get it back for him." She paused and cleared her throat. "Never underestimate your power or worth, Hadley. Is that understood?"

I hesitated but nodded, choosing to stay silent. I knew that I was going to underestimate my power and my worth and had a feeling that I would for a long time after this.

Maybe when Dr. Weiner knows that I know everything, then I would let him know my fears...

Vanar pressed his cheek against mine, the straps of his bridle digging into my skin, but I knew that they wouldn't leave a mark.

I closed my eyes and placed my hand on his nose, enjoying the warmth that he emitted.

Or I could always talk to him...

Adrianna looked between the two of us, and a look of wisdom appeared on her face when she focused her gaze solely on me. "Use him to your advantage," she said. She looked at him, and something like sadness filled her eyes while she studied us. "He will hold onto your secrets."

Vanar reached across me to touch Adrianna with his nose. He didn't move from his spot, and it was as if he knew that I needed him more than she needed him. He breathed in and breathed out while he nuzzled her hand, and a look of understanding appeared in his eyes.

"Yes," she mused while she rubbed Vanar's nose. "You can always talk to him." Her eyes became glazed over, and they were filled with tears. She cleared her throat and let her hand fall to her side while she looked at me, her eyes clear, and there was no trace of tears that were there a few seconds ago.

I hesitated but nodded. "I do have another question that I hope you can answer for me," I said, and she hummed to tell me to continue. I cleared my throat and shifted on my feet, praying that this wouldn't hurt me in any way. I had no idea if that man would know I had uttered his name, and for some reason, I prayed that he wouldn't. "Who is Richard?"

Vanar didn't tense behind me, but I could tell that he was shocked when that name left my lips. He reared his head back and snorted while he looked at Adrianna, whose eyes had gone softer as soon as that name left my lips.

"How do you know that name?" she asked, and I shrugged and smiled apologetically.

Something in my chest tightened after I said his name, and I knew that it would be best for me not to tell her how exactly I knew Richard's name. "I can't say," I said apologetically. I cleared my throat and shifted on my feet while I tried to describe the feeling that I felt after I uttered his name. "It feels like..." I sighed and shook my head, giving up on explaining the tightening in my chest with another sigh.

Adrianna's eyes grew softer with knowledge, and I had a feeling that she already knew what I was trying to say, as if she had that happen to her before. "It feels like your body is warning you not to say anything about how you know that information?" she asked, and I nodded.

"Uh... ya," I said before I cleared my throat. "How do you know?"

Adrianna smiled and nodded. "I feel the same tightening in my chest, sometimes," she said. "Use that to your advantage, Hadley, for that will be your warning cue in everything that you do. Is that understood?" She raised an eyebrow in question, and I nodded in understanding.

The wind started to blow around us, and I had a feeling that it was time for this spell to end.

Adrianna took a deep, shuddering breath and backed away from us. She smiled and bowed her head. "Good luck, Hadley," she said in her firm yet soft voice. "You will need it for whatever you are supposed to face."

"Wait," I said, and my eyes grew wide as everything started to disappear in a flurry of colors and darkness. I covered my eyes a bit and waited for Adrianna to answer my question that I had asked before all of this. "What about Richard? Who is he?"

Adrianna smiled and shook her head. "I can't say," she said, her voice getting drowned out by the wind. "However, you already know. Good luck."

And with that, everything went black and disappeared as I fell into a pit of darkness that I could not explain.