In The Mist of Shadows

Chpt. 27

Everything in Adela, in the world stopped.

She knew Roen wasn't dead, knew for some reason he couldn't get through but she didn't know why. And now she did. His face was as bloodied as that night she saw him and on his neck was a jagged scar where they did in fact slice it. But her father must have healed it, making him suffer as he waited for Adela to take action.

"Make your choice wisely, or I won't stop the blood from falling this time."

"And what choice am I supposed to choose?" She managed to choke up. But she still stared Roen in the eyes, the defeated eyes that looked as though they wouldn't fight death.

"Come home and close the rip, never to enter Prythian again, leaving this so-called family."

She looked to him before going back to Roen. She reached out to him, the action an effort as her body was so tired. "I'm sorry." She spoke before leaving his mind. She saw a tear falling as he closed his eyes, truly ready for death. But he wasn't going to die, that wasn't what she was apologizing for. She was sorry that Roen was never going to see his home again.

"You once told me this realm's High Lords, and Lady were at war with each other, not knowing who to trust. You were wrong. This realm is nothing like Ells, here their High Lords and Lady keep to their own regions but are willing to lend a helping hand when it comes to saving their home." She looked back to Tarquin who was just as dirty as his warriors who were just as dirty as her family and Court. "This realm is one for anyone to find their place in it, to be whoever they are destined to be..." Even though she has only saw what she spoke of in the Night Court she knew with out a doubt the rest of this realm followed in suit. "This realm is also home to my destiny, my family, my mate! You cannot and will not take that away from me!"

Adela lowered the wall blocking her family and the males from harm. Her father smiled in delight as he was readying himself for another wave of war, until Adela looked at him and smiled back. Before her father could slice Roen's neck his eyesight was blinded from Azriel's shadows. Two males, Rhysand and Cassian held him with considerable strength as Adela winnowed behind him and swung a blade, an Illyrian blade toward his neck. She did it with the same force that shattered an oil lamp against Cassian's head, the same force that imbedded a fire poker in her brother's arm, the same one that shattered a sword and plunged another fire poker so deep within that soldier's head after he killed her mother. And with a guttural scream Adela severed his neck clean off his body. All the Illyrians felt a cringe in their chests, knowing an Illyrian blade cannot do that alone. Only one with such immense power can make it do that.

His head thudded against the ground and rolled mere feet away before his body finally fell. And to Rhysand, Cassian, Amren and Azriel's surprise she took some of the blood that spilled from his body on her fingers and wiped two lines of it on her forehead. All the soldiers, maybe they were truly warriors from Ells fell on their knees, heads down... Bowing, bowing to their...

Queen.

Fear rose in her family's chests. She couldn't take this position, she couldn't go back and leave them. She couldn't be their Queen as she is already the Night Court's Queen. "Rise." Her voice sounded through the warriors of Ells... Her warriors. They all rose and with a simple finger point to the rip they hung their heads low, somehow still feeling guilt for bringing war, no matter how quick to this realm.

But her family saw her stop one warrior in particular, one she spoke to with... Forgiveness. They saw the male hold his hands up and shake his head. But with her hands on the male's arms and her speaking lovingly to him they watched him slowly take out a blade. Her family picked up any weapon they could find and was going to stop the male, but she merely held her hand out and the male sliced a quick cut before drawing two lines on his forehead with her own blood.