Page 116 of Dark Embers

“He’s gone,” Celeste assured me. “He ran to the platform and jumped onto the subway as it left. What happened? None of this makes any sense.”

I eased myself into a sitting position against the wall of the entryway. “He was trying to take me to Hadrian. When I refused, he grabbed me. He was going to drug me and take me by force.”

“What?” Celeste gasped.

“Where are the guards?” I asked, gesturing to the empty space around us.

“Well, Kendall told me that he foresaw an imminent attack on the other side of the Dome,” Celeste explained, flustered and confused. “I gathered all our able-bodied personnel to the site, but there was no sign of danger. Even with my powers focused on this evening, I could sense no attack, which didn’t make any sense. So I asked everyone to stay put while I searched for Kendall to ask for more details, but...”

I shook my head, clenching my jaw. “He planned this.”

“Why?” Celeste asked, her red hair somehow looking even more fiery. “Why would he do this? Why would he take you to Hadrian?”

My chest burned with the painful knowledge I still struggled to accept.

“He said his mother knew my mother a long time ago, that my mother was Hadrian’s lover, and apparently his willing test subject. Hadrian’s not after me because he knows about the prophecy. He’s after me because I’m his daughter.”

Chapter 41

Julian

I’d been summoned to Hadrian’s trophy room again, and I found myself stepping slowly down the staircase. I was always grateful to have some time away from Piper again, but meeting with the vampire leader wasn’t something I ever looked forward to.

I hadn’t even seen Hadrian since we’d returned from Chicago. The attack had taken place two evenings prior, and we’d retreated to Heritage Prep soon after the failed attempt to snatch Arya.

I’d had no choice but to join in the attack. Hadrian had been displeased with my inability to track Arya down, so after the attack on the other mer girl turned out to be misplaced, he’d ordered all his top members to accompany him to Chicago and wait for the real thing.

I’d tried to mislead them, but Marguerite had spotted Arya crossing a street with her friends, foiling my attempts. I’d engaged in battle with her friends, admittedly going easy on them. But I didn’t dare interfere. If my treachery had been so much as suspected, Hadrian would have slaughtered me right there.

While I only narrowly escaped the deathly fire of the phoenix girl’s inferno, it had been just the saving grace I’d prayed to the heavens for, forcing us to flee.

That whole fiasco could’ve gone so wrong. While Arya’s siren moment had been something to behold, she’d been entirely lackluster the rest of the fight. In fact, if it hadn’t been for her friends, Arya would be in Hadrian’s custody right now.

I couldn’t help but wonder how Caesar would feel if he knew I’d been part of that, and the thought caused guilt to twist in my gut.

I finally reached the Great Hall, and my boots noisily clacked against the polished stone floor.

The tall doors leading into the trophy room were wide open, like the mouth of a great beast waiting to consume me.

At last, I entered, and the doors behind me boomed shut like thunder.

“Welcome, my friend,” Hadrian said in his typical cool voice. “Please, have a seat. We have much to discuss.”

I walked toward Hadrian’s table, trying my best to avoid looking at the mounted shifter body parts plastered against the walls.

I hated these meetings. Hadrian was so casual all the time, I never knew if I was about to be reprimanded or rewarded. Perhaps Hadrian just wanted a status update on Piper as an Initiate. Finally making it to the fine wooden chair beside Hadrian, I slid into it, sitting up straight.

“I know you don’t care for blood straight from the person, so I had a cocktail of sorts made up for us to share,” Hadrian said, punching a button on the table in front of him.

A circular slat of the wood lowered and slid back into obscurity, and up spun a glass pitcher holding an enticing crimson liquid, along with two empty glasses.

“It’s a mix of six different initiates, all different races. Freshly extracted.”

“After you,” I implored, not trusting what thiscocktailcontained.

Hadrian smiled a toothy grin, then pointed a finger at me. “Smart boy.”

Boy?Hadrian’s passive-aggressive insult defined his arrogant elitism.I tried my best to hide my annoyance.I’m far older than you.

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