Blood Royals Bonus Book: Adryan & The Throne Book 2

Chapter 30: The Legend Of Adryan Part 2

Selina's POV
"What did you see? What are we walking into?" I asked Keli.

He went down to check what's happening at the base and whether it's safe to bring Adryan down there.

"The Adairs are at the base. They are waiting for us."

I glanced back at Adryan. He is holding on to the roughly edge of the cliff that is our final descent down to the base. "He looks very alive. We can't pass him off for dead anymore. What will we do Keli?"

"Wolves attacked us on our way back. We couldn't save Adryan from being ravaged by them. His body is in a state that can't be viewed." Keli suggested.

"They will insist. There's nothing that they want more than to see Adryan dead. They won't care what condition he is in." Nova addressed us. "I think we should go back without him. All of us."

"We can't leave him here. He is not back to full strength."

"We go back without him and we say we had to bury him in the ice. It's a white wilderness. We don't have to say where. They won't go digging for him."

"We can't leave my husband."

"I agree. I don't want to be left behind." He spoke up from behind us. We moved closer to her. "Mother is right, they will want to see the body. Let them see me dead."

"Adryan, we can't sell you off as dead! You died eight days ago. You should be decomposing by now."

"The wild boar Keli killed is decomposing isn't it? It smells. Smeer it's blood and waste all over me. Make it look good. I'll smell so horrible they won't linger long enough to notice I'm not dead."

We looked at each other.

"It could work." Keli agreed. "Are you two on board?"

"I think it's risky. But I trust you." I looked at Adryan. "I'll back you anytime."

"I think it's a bad idea and we should leave you here. But when have you ever listened to anything I've told you?"

"Well, it's decided. Let's make a believable corpse out of me."

*
Snow is not the only thing cloaking the military base. A heavy shroud of silence echoes in the frigid evening air as Keli and a soldier who volunteered to help me carry the makeshift wooden stretcher walk between the gathered crowds.

Their valiant General who was once strong has come home dead and they can't seem to believe it. As the somber procession makes its way towards the heart of the compound, Queen Mother is not failing at expressing her grief. Samira has come to support her. I refuse to be touched, keeping a cold void expression. They don't know me to cry.

The sky hungs low with gray clouds, mirroring the mournful mood that envelopes the entire scene. The sound of muffled sadness and the slow, measured footsteps of the honour guards approaching us are the only audible echoes in the air.

I stopped in front of the honour guards. Behind me, Keli and the soldier assisting him. The stench from the dead boar is quite noticable. Everyone can smell the decomposition. I wonder how Adryan must be feeling under the blanket we have wrapped him in. He is quite the actor just like his mother.

Patrick Adair, the Duke of Cray Thera waded his way between the honour guards to meet me. His son is dutifully beside him. They howed their heads.

"Selina-"

"My husband is home." I interrupted the Duke. "We are exhausted from a very long journey. He needs to be buried."

"I understand that this has been difficult for you."