Page 2 of Restored

Adriel glances at King Sandor, waiting for the order to stop, but he doesn’t move, watching the man with a blank face as his lip tips up in the corner.

He is going to kill him.

I tense, ready to push myself into the street. I could create a distraction, and then run. Maybe I’d make it back to the castle unrecognized before they could catch me.

A cold sweat drips down my back and just as I go to push off the building, Sandor gives the command to stop. I sag with relief as Mr. Buford sputters and gasps, wheezing air into his lungs.

“As you well know, I could kill you for such an injustice, but I am a merciful King. Pledge your loyalty to me. Allow me to command your power like it is my own and you live.” My head spins and the world tilts.

Mr. Buford straightens, lifting his chin, and dread courses through me.No.“The Gods giftedmethis power,and it ismineand mine alon—” His sentence is cut off in a garbled noise as King Sandor drives the tip of sword straight through his throat.

I slap my hand against my mouth, fighting back the scream and the bile that coats my tongue. He yanks his sword back and Mr. Buford falls to the ground with a lifeless thump. His blood swirls in the puddles of water. Power swells inside of me, raging and thrashing against my ribs.

My head spins and my knees go weak as I fight to stay upright. My throat threatens to close as panic overtakes me. I struggle to control my raging heartbeat and hysteric breaths.

I pinch my arm and squeeze my eyes shut. Flashes of my father’s lifeless, open eyes replay in my mind, my mother’s screams ring in my ears. My toes curl inside my boots.

“Drag his body back to the castle and string him up. The people of Bellehaven need a reminder of what is expected of them. Such blatant insolence will not be tolerated.”

I need tomove. Get ahold of yourself.

I hear the guards shuffling in my direction and beg my body to cooperate. I force myself to slink noiselessly, step by painstaking step, away from them until I come to the open alley. I sprint down it shakily, but as fast as my feet will carry me.

I don’t stop until my lungs are burning and my legs are aching. I lean against the cool, rough brick of a closedbakery, trying to catch my breath. My head spins from exerting so much power and energy.

I’m at the edge of the town and the castle is in full view. Ineedget back to my room; I’ve been out for too long and used all the luck the universe has spared for me today.

I see the open moonlit field. I wait breathlessly to make sure there are no footsteps and then race through the thick grass. The long blades slap against my skin as I weave, navigating in the dark as the light from town fades.

As I near the castle, the crunch of boots and hammering of steps draw my attention. I duck and peer up through the vegetation. My stomach plummets when I see a limp figure dangling from the main entrance, swaying in the cool night breeze.

Nausea threatens to overwhelm me. I fist the dirt at the anger and sadness that fills me. Another innocent life, wasted.

I force my eyes away and crawl, dragging my body through the dirt until I am met with the familiar chilled stone of the castle. I fumble around in the dark until I feel a stone give way beneath my touch and lean against it with my quivering arms. A small passageway appears, and I slip through, shoving the entrance closed behind me.

The King may have started to catch onto my nightly antics, but thankfully, he hasn’t found this servant passageway yet. I mean to keep it that way.

I press my hand against the damp walls, the sticky scent of earth strong as I push through the darkness. It is so inky black I see nothing but keep trudging ahead.

After several minutes of stumbling along the corridor, my shoulder hits the entrance to my room. I lose a relieved breath as I stumble through and squint as my eyes adjust to the light.

As soon as the door closes, I replace the picture that hangs in front, concealing it from the rest of the world, and rest my head against the wall to catch my breath and calm my racing heart.

“Naughty, naughty.”

I jump at the voice, swallowing the yelp that lodges in my throat. My head snaps up in search of the source, but there’s no one to see. It appears I am alone.

“Maddox.” His name comes out as more of a plea than I mean it to as I sink to my knees.

He blinks into focus, pushing up from where he is lounging on my bed. His face pinches in concern as he rushes over to me.

“Lay, are you alright? What’s wrong?” His hand comes to my shoulder as his eyes search my face.

I wrap a shaky arm around my middle and squeeze my eyes shut against all the horror that keeps replaying in my mind.

“Mr. Buford.” I wince as I say his name.

“Who?” Maddox asks confused.

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