Page 99 of Knox
Adrian felt tears prickling at the corners of his eyes. "But what about you? I can’t just leave you alone."
Evelyn chuckled softly. "Oh, sweetheart. I’m old, not helpless. All I want is for you to go and find your happiness."
"I don’t know when… or if… I’ll be able to come back," Adrian admitted.
Evelyn’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears, but her smile remained steady. "You’ll find a way," she said with certainty. "And when you do, I’ll be right here, waiting to hear all about your adventures."
Adrian hugged her again, tighter this time. "I love you, Gran," he murmured into her shoulder.
"I love you too, my dear boy," Evelyn replied. "I’ll pack you some sandwiches for the road. Who knows what the food is like in Veridia?"
Chapter
Twenty-Five
The drive to Lancefield passed in a blur. Adrian’s mind was focused on one destination: Bellhammer Square. It had only been a few days since he’d last been there with Knox, watching the incubus battle a massive troll. Now, it felt like a small eternity had passed.
As they approached the square, Adrian’s heart began to race. Police tape cordoned off the area, and debris still littered the ground. The cleanup crews hadn’t reached this part of town yet. Adrian parked the car and got out, his eyes scanning the square.
"Are you sure about this?" Lyrian asked, his voice laced with concern.
Adrian nodded, determination etched on his face. Without hesitation, he stepped over the police tape, ignoring the potential consequences. Right now, nothing mattered except finding a way back to Knox.
His feet carried him across the square, memories of that night flooding back. The chaos, the fear, the exhilaration of watchingKnox in action. Adrian’s eyes darted around, searching for something, anything that might help.
Then, in a corner of the square, he found what he was looking for. The exact spot where Knox had shoved the troll back through the portal. Adrian’s breath caught in his throat as he approached. There was nothing visibly different about this particular patch of ground, but he could feel it. A faint tingling in the air, a whisper of something otherworldly.
He didn’t know when exactly he’d become sensitive to magic, but he could feel it now.
He knelt down, his fingers brushing against the rough pavement. "This is it," he said. "This is where the portal was."
Lyrian joined him, the siren’s eyes narrowing as he examined the area. "You’re right," he murmured. "There’s still a trace of magic here. It’s faint, but it’s there."
Adrian’s heart leaped. This was it. Their chance to reopen the portal, to find a way to Veridia. To Knox.
"Step back," Lyrian said. "We don’t know what might happen. Or what might come through the portal once we open it."
Adrian nodded and stepped back as Lyrian instructed, his heart pounding in his chest. He took the siren’s warning seriously, but whatever came through that portal, it would be worth it if it meant a chance to see Knox again.
Lyrian carefully pulled the shards of the artifact from his pouch. In his hands, the broken pieces began to emit a faint, pulsing glow. The air around them seemed to thicken, charged with an almost electric energy that made the hair on Adrian’s arms stand on end.
He watched as Lyrian arranged the shards in a rough circle on the ground.
"Adrian," the siren said, "I want you to focus on your connection to Knox. Maybe we can use that to connect the portal to where he is."
Taking a deep breath, Adrian closed his eyes. He pushed everything else from his mind - the sounds of the city, the chill in the air, even Lyrian’s presence. He focused solely on Knox. The warmth of his touch, the intensity of his gaze, the depth of their connection.
As he concentrated, Adrian felt the necklace with the symbol of the Night Court grow warm against his chest. His eyes flew open in surprise, but he quickly shut them again, trying not to let the unexpected sensation distract him. He tightened his grip on the pendant, using it as an anchor for his thoughts of Knox.
He could feel magic build in the air around them, like a storm about to break. He kept his eyes closed, pouring all his concentration into his memories of Knox, willing the portal to open and lead him back to the incubus.
Suddenly, a gust of wind whipped around them, and Adrian’s eyes snapped open. In front of him, the air shimmered and warped, twisting into a swirling vortex of shadows. The portal had opened.
Adrian’s breath caught in his throat. This was it. His chance to find Knox. He took a step forward, ready to plunge into the unknown.
But before he could move any further, the portal pulsed, and something began to emerge.
Adrian’s heart leaped into his throat.
