Primal Kill (The Order of Vampires #5)

Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

“ W e have to stop.”

Adriel slowed the moment she realized Juniper had paused to catch her breath. Startled to find her doubled over, gripping her knees as she panted, she asked, “What’s wrong?”

“ What’s wrong? We’ve been running at full speed for over an hour. I don’t have shoes. My feet are blistered and bleeding. I can’t go any further.”

They’d hardly traveled at half speed, but Adriel supposed the pace was a lot for Juniper. Her gaze darted to the distant woods in the direction they’d come. “We can’t slow down.”

“I need a break, Adriel! I’m not as fast as you.”

They were hardly making headway. “No breaks . If we don’t keep moving, he’ll catch us.”

The witch caught her arm the moment she pivoted. “You aren’t listening. I can’t. I’m not like you. My body hurts, and I’m hungry. I can’t keep holding the protection spell and running like this.”

Without the spell, Cerberus would track them. It was an infuriating limitation but the only thing allowing Adriel to escape at the moment. She was also in need of rest, so her thoughts were not as guarded as they should have been, but the protection spell made up for what she currently lacked.

Perhaps it would be wise for both of them to find a place to rest if their strength was mutually waning. With wide eyes, she scanned the woods. She didn’t dare open her senses for fear of her mate slipping inside of her head, especially if Juniper’s spell was weakening.

Despite her exhaustion, it still felt too dangerous to stop. “I could carry you. Could you do the spell then?”

Juniper looked up at her—slack-jawed with a fist wedged into her ribs. “We need a better plan.”

“The plan is to keep moving.” They needed to run and keep running. “If you can’t keep up, then I need to leave you here.”

“We’re in the middle of nowhere!”

“I told you I would be running all night. I warned you.”

“If this is the extent of your plan, you’re going to be running for more than a night. Where are we even going?”

“North.”

“North where ? Do you even have a destination in mind? What happens when we cross a state line and then another? Eventually, we’ll end up in Canada. How do you expect to get past border patrol?”

“I can use compulsion if necessary, and there are Amish sects over the border.”

Juniper scowled at her, the pale moonlight catching her features. “They aren’t your kind of Amish. We can’t go to another order. It would put them in danger. Besides, I don’t trust the fucking Amish any more than I trust vampires.”

“Immortals.”

“Whatever.” She pushed her tangled hair behind her ears and rose to her full height. Beneath the thin material of her chemise, she was little more than skin and bone. “You’re not like the Amish in Canada. And you have some insane psychopath chasing you. You’ll lead him right to them, Adriel. Is that what you want? They’re unarmed, mortal, and helpless pacifists.”

Juniper’s devotion to protecting the innocent surprised her. She’d assumed the witch would be more self-serving. But she was right. If they stopped at another sect, it would only lure Cerberus and put innocent souls in danger. Her mate would slaughter anyone who stood in the way of what he wanted, including Juniper.

Though their alliance was short-lived, Adriel was startled by such a realization. She did not want the young woman risking her life.

“This is wrong.”

“What are you talking about? We don’t even have a destination, so going the wrong way is impossible.”

“That’s not what I meant.” As much as Adriel appreciated the spell and the witch’s help, doubt and guilt resurfaced. This mission was a death sentence. “You shouldn’t come with me. It’s dangerous?—”

“Really? This again?” Juniper flung out her arms. “We’ve been through this. You’re not ditching me in the middle of nowhere. You need me. And before you argue that you don’t, let me point out a few things.”

“I’m only trying to protect you, Juniper. You’re young?—”

“What does age matter? You’re no bigger than me?—”

“It’s different. I’m immortal.”

“So is the ex you’re running from.” She glanced back at the dark woods. “You said yourself that he’ll hurt you if he finds you.”

“He’ll hurt me, but he’ll kill you. Death is a mercy he’d never allow me to have.”

“He doesn’t own you, so he can’t allow shit, Adriel.”

“That’s not how matings work. Once he finds me, he’ll take control of everything. He’ll make me suffer and think nothing of killing you.”

“I don’t care how it works. It comes down to what you want and how hard you’re willing to fight to get it. Do you want to run forever?”

“No.”

“Do you want him to catch you? ”

“Of course not. That’s why I need to keep moving.”

“Look at yourself, Adriel. You’re exhausted. Without me, you’re as good as caught. He’s, like… I don’t know the words you guys use, so sorry if I say this wrong, but he’s super old and strong, right?”

“Yes.”

“Older and stronger than you?”

“Much.”

“So eventually, he’ll run you down. If he’s stronger, faster, and crazy enough not to give up, then sooner or later, he’ll catch you.”

“What’s your point?” Adriel snapped, not appreciating how her tension and fear rose with every accurate statement.

“My point is we need a better plan than running our feet bloody and brainwashing our way over the Canadian border. Your mate may be old and powerful, but you’re female, and females are clever. If you had a halfway decent plan, you wouldn’t have to exhaust yourself running for your life.”

They were wasting time. “This is the plan I have! I don’t have the luxury of pausing to think! Don’t you get it? Every moment I waste debating if there is a better way, he gets closer to catching me!”

“You have no target! What’s your end game? We need to move toward something, or this insanity will never end.”

“The target is north! ”

“That’s too broad and too far! There has to be a closer destination. A hideout. Someplace safe. A hidden space I could spell and protect so we can rest. I can’t keep actively using my magic if there’s no end in sight, and you need my magic if you want to beat him.”

“I don’t know any place like that! I’ve lived on the farm for too long. That’s all I know.”

Adriel’s voice trembled as her fear got the better of her. With such a sheltered existence, she knew nothing of the modern world. She only had the good sense to fear it.

“Well, I can assure you it’s not safe here in the woods. We’re wide open and unprotected. We need walls and a door.”

“Again, I don’t?—”

“I get it.” Juniper held up a hand. “Your home was on the farm. Blah, blah, blah. Adriel, if you want to evade this guy, you’ll have to throw out your old rules and find some balls.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means you’re a freaking vampire. Act like it.”

Her eyes widened in horror. “I am no such thing! I’m immortal?—”

She waved away the technicality. “Tomato, tow-mah-tow . I’m not the only one with powers. Use yours so we can find a place to hide.”

“What do you expect me to do?”

She pointed to her forehead. “Do that mind thing you guys do! I know you can bend people’s wills and make them forget. We need a place to stay. Let’s find a house. You can do your dazzle thing or glamour or whatever the term is to the owner. And then we can freaking rest and regroup.”

“Are you suggesting we steal?—”

“Borrow.” She gathered up her straggly brown hair and twisted it into a knot on top of her head. “We need to find a house that looks safe. Something with some property, maybe some sensory lights, and a camera system with security would be sweet.”

“I’m not familiar with such things.”

“I am. I just need you to do a little mind voodoo to get this ball rolling.”

“It’s not voodoo.”

“I don’t care.” Juniper glanced back at the woods. “Do you feel him? Is he close? It’s been a while since the earth shook. How does he do that?”

“If I use my senses to find him, he’ll be able to track us, so I have no way of knowing how far he is. And I don’t know how he’s able to shake the earth. We all have different disciplines. When in a temper, he’ll pounce, and the impact is startling. Sometimes, the earth splits open, as you saw. He’s also clever with fire.”

The Cerberus she knew several centuries ago was terrifying. This one was somehow worse. Just as Juniper pointed out, he was also older, which made him stronger. And, after what they’d done to him, he was undoubtedly angrier.

Juniper swept away a dark strand that escaped the knot on the top of her head. “Then you’re going to just have to trust my survival instincts. Which way is civilization?”

Adriel listened for vehicles and pointed east. “If we leave the shelter of the forest, we’re more likely to be seen.”

“We’re also more likely to blend in and disappear. It’s a big world out there, and the one thing I know about modern American culture is that no one gives a shit about anyone else, so it should be easy to hide.” Juniper started eastward. “Come on. Step one is shelter. Step two is getting us some normal freaking clothes. Step three is food—and not your kind.”

They walked for several miles before reaching the road. The noise and vibration of modern civilization interfered with Adriel’s senses and left her on edge.

When they first emerged from the woods, homes were cluttered like broken teeth in a crowded mouth, and the air smelled of chemicals and decay. Already, the pulse and tempo of modern living had Adriel on edge.

Few animals explored this far into the mortal population, doubling her concerns. While immortals were said to be natural predators, modern civilization had a way of making her feel like prey.

“This is a bad area,” Juniper explained as she scanned the houses. “We need something a little more upper-crust. ”

“Upper-crust?” Adriel tilted her head, frequently confused by the girl’s English vernacular.

“Look!” Juniper pointed to a strip of shops in the distance.

Large, brightly colored signs marked the roads. The sun was up and the traffic had intensified over the last hour, but even under broad daylight, Adriel couldn’t see whatever hope Juniper found.

“What is it?”

“That building over there, they rent cars. Come on.”

Adriel hesitated.

“What’s the problem, Ade?”

She looked down at her black dress. The dirt and blood were only slightly noticeable, but Juniper’s pale, threadbare smock showed every soiled stain. “What about our clothes?”

Juniper briefly glanced down and grimaced. “I…I can’t think about that right now. Shelter first, then we can worry about a wardrobe change.”

It wasn’t fashion that worried Adriel. It was the need to stay inconspicuous. Their filthy, blood-stained, smoke-ridden attire screamed for attention, and wasn’t the point blending in?

Juniper seemed unconcerned. She crossed the parking lot, swiftly walking toward the store where several modern vehicles were parked.

“I’m not sure how the whole glamour thing works, but just follow my lead and step in when I give you the signal. ”

“What signal?”

“I’ll look at you.”

Juniper’s plan didn’t seem any better than Adriel’s. “Won’t they expect payment?”

“Not if you do your mind control thing.”

“But that’s dishonest.”

The witch’s rapid steps halted, and she pivoted. “Are you serious? Adriel, look at me. I’m in a smock. I’m barefoot. I’ve been living in a freaking underground dungeon for two years, suffering whatever the hell that deranged order of yours decided to do to me. I’m over your version of right and wrong. Fuck honesty. I’m done playing nice. We need a goddamn car, and you’re going to make them give us one. Hang up whatever ethical issues you’re having and get with the program!”

“But…”

“No buts.” She walked quickly toward the store. Unsure how far her protective spell reached and unwilling to find out, Adriel hurried after her.

The glass door of the establishment magically parted and beeped as they entered. The hum of electricity buzzed to the overhead lights and strange devices on the counter. Adriel was unused to such technologies and wondered how mortals tolerated the constant beeps and buzzing.

Smooth tile turned to flat carpet underfoot, and a man stepped out of the back office, chewing something and wiping his mouth with a napkin.

“Can I help you?” When his glance finally took in their appearance, his eyes widened, and he looked around nervously. “Are you ladies actors or something?”

“We need a car. Something that gets good mileage.”

His stare dragged over their dirt-stained clothes, lingering at the sight of dried blood crusted to Adriel’s neck. She self-consciously covered her throat with her hand.

“Should I call the police?” He reached for the telephone.

“No,” Juniper snapped, buying them a few seconds. She shot Adriel a sharp glance and whistled. “Now. Do it now.”

“Oh.” Adriel was shoved toward the counter to meet the man’s gaze. Unsure what Juniper wanted her to achieve, she first focused on buying time. “You will not call anyone.”

His hand retracted.

“Tell him we need a car,” Juniper instructed, glancing out the window nervously.

Morally torn, she forced the words out. “We need a vehicle. Which one works best?”

He pointed toward the storefront window. “I have a decent hybrid Prius. It has a combustible engine and an electric motor?—”

“We’ll take it.” Juniper jumped back from the window and was at the counter, her fingers tapping incessantly on the smooth surface. “Tell him to give us the keys.”

“Find us the keys.”

Without another word, he turned to a cabinet on the wall and removed a small black device.

Juniper snatched the device. “You have to erase his memory. And ask him if there are cameras.”

“Are there cameras recording us?”

He nodded and pointed to the corner of the storeroom.

“Tell him to erase the feed.”

“I want you to erase any recordings of us.”

“I’m not supposed to mess with?—”

“Do it,” Juniper snapped at the man, then looked at Adriel. “I thought they couldn’t object to compulsion? Isn’t that how this works?”

Adriel wasn’t used to compelling mortals to do her bidding, so she supposed she wasn’t using a strong enough command. Lifting her chin, she pushed further into the man’s mind. “What’s your name?”

“Matt.”

“Matt, you’re going to destroy any traces of us being here. Then you’ll forget that you saw us. You came to work, ate your breakfast in the back, and had a slow morning with no customers.”

His eyes glazed over as he turned to the computer and pressed several keys. Juniper backed toward the door, and Adriel followed. As they crossed the threshold, the monitor beeped again, but Matt never looked up from his task .

“Come on.” Juniper rushed out the door, jogging toward the cars in the lot. A horn chirped, and lights flashed on a small vehicle. “There’s the car. Get in.”

Adriel had never been inside a motor vehicle before. The upholstered seat was surprisingly comfortable, and her hearing was muffled when both doors shut. It was an airtight space, quite different from a carriage.

Juniper seemed to know exactly how to operate all the bells and whistles. She slid back her seat, adjusted the mirrors, then pressed a button and the car purred to life.

“You probably want to buckle up. I’ve only had about a hundred hours of driving.”

“That’s a hundred more than me.”

Juniper’s stare met hers for the briefest moment, and she chuckled. The sound was sweet and natural, utterly contradictory to the chaos surrounding them. Then the moment was gone, and they were backing out of the parking spot and whipping into traffic on the crowded interstate.

Adriel’s claws extended, digging into the hard plastic surface in front of her. “Must you be so reckless?”

She slunk low in her seat and tugged at the belt by the door as her body leaned with every turn. Her stomach rolled, and she gasped, nauseated by the motion.

Tires screeched as they nearly collided with a larger truck. Her heart thumped hard in her chest as the car barely escaped a head-on collision.

“I told you, it’s been a minute since I drove. I’m still finding my bearings.” Cars blared their horns, and people shouted as Juniper wove her way through traffic and picked up speed.

“I’m not sure I believe you’ve ever driven before— watch out!”

Another oncoming vehicle nearly collided with theirs. “Get out of my way, ass-clown!”

They swerved around several cars, picking up speed. Every muscle in Adriel’s body locked as she braced for impact, but Juniper wove fast enough through traffic that they were never hit.

“Music?”

“Pardon?” Adriel hadn’t blinked since they got on the road.

“You can unclench, Ade. I’ve got this.” Her hand flicked a dial on the control board, and a demonic sound filled the car. The screen above the buttons illuminated with the words, It’s My Life . “Perfect.” She twisted the dial and shouted with the voice wailing from the speakers, “I ain’t gonna live forever!”

She was having some sort of fit. Adriel had never heard or seen anything like it. The melodic pounding that beat through her chest electrified the air like a bolt of lightning. She wasn’t sure if she should cover her ears or roll out of the vehicle to escape the noise.

The music was utter chaos—rapid, aggressive shouting—yet Juniper seemed fully aware of the words. By her smile, she appeared to be enjoying the riotous sound. The tempo guided her speed as they wove through traffic, unimpeded by fear.

Adriel’s breath quickened as she watched in enchanted horror. Juniper came alive as she sang, her eyes vibrant, and her voice an uncaged bird that morphed into a mighty lioness.

Her hands pounded the wheel that drove the car, and she danced like a woman set free. Free of all of it. The suppression, the subjugation, the endless, crippling indignities. How did she do it? It was as if a switch had been shut off the moment the music turned on. Rage mixed with joy in equal parts. She was happy yet full of fire and vengeance.

She had never witnessed a female behaving so freely. There was no shame, only vibrance. She was loud and alive. Without the hindrance of propriety, she appeared unapologetically stronger than any female Adriel had ever met. And for the briefest moment, that gave her hope.

Adriel’s mouth curved into a smile. She might actually find her way out of this mess and survive. Perhaps it was right to trust this strange woman. Maybe they could be stronger together. A witch and an immortal, what a preposterous thought.

Laughter bubbled in her belly as a strange sense of assurance came over her amid the absolute chaos. Any belief that the female form was somehow vulgar and needed to be hidden suddenly seemed laughable in the witch’s shameless presence. Women like Juniper clearly gave no thought to such claims, while every bit of Adriel’s teachings since coming to the New World had been about kapps and coverings, modesty over comfort, virtue and duty before dreams or independence.

The Order demanded females hide any show of glory. Her life had been tied into a constricting moral corset for centuries, but the further away from The Order they drove, the easier and deeper Adriel was able to breathe.

This unmatched energy about the witch went beyond magick. Both captivating and stunning, she was radiant. Confident and wildly ungraceful yet beautiful in her recklessness, she was unshackled and limitless. It was a magnificent show that stole Adriel’s tension away. And, as she stared at the wild display, her mouth curved with a smile.

“I fucking missed music!” Juniper twisted the dial again, and the volume turned deafening. “Do you like Bon Jovi?” she yelled over the riotous noise. “What am I saying? You’ve probably never heard anything like this before.”

This was not what their music resembled on the farm. Not at all. And Adriel had a hard time categorizing it as better or worse. The panoramic contrasts were too broad for her mind to measure, so rather than judge it one way or another, she simply observed the effect it had on Juniper and laughed.

“You’re possessed. ”

“Girl,” she laughed. “I’ve never felt more free! Hold on tight.” Gripping the wheel, the wild witch veered onto a ramp that led to a massive thoroughfare with multiple lanes.

Adriel’s eyes widened as the dials rose with their speed.

“Nothing beats fast cars and the right song!” Juniper yelled, pressing a button to lower the glass.

Wind filled the car, and Juniper’s tangled hair whipped toward Adriel as the witch laughed like a lunatic. The vehicle whizzed beyond the traffic, and they burst onto an open road, zipping past the trees. For a moment, it felt like they were flying.

How? How was the girl so happy when she had been a captive for years, lived in dark squalor, grieved the death of her entire family, and survived the countless inquisitions of the elders?

She recalled the marks she spotted on the witch’s neck, confident whoever bit her did not have her consent. Their laws forbade them from feeding off the unwilling, and the bishop would never have permitted such a crime. Only in extreme emergencies were exceptions made.

Abusing a helpless, shackled witch who had been promised sanctuary in The Council’s care was a moral crime. But was it sanctuary when the poor girl had been placed in bondage, tortured with fire, and held underwater? In the light of day such practices seemed excruciatingly cruel.

Shame filled Adriel as she tried to justify her silence. Females were not permitted to interfere with council business. She would have been disciplined if she tried to interfere or speak on the witch’s behalf.

Juniper had committed crimes of her own, which was why she’d been placed in a cell. The Order justified her treatment by labeling it merciful because they spared her life. As accurate as all those pieces were, looking back on the whole picture provided a different view, one ripe with inhumane offenses and gross abuses of power.

The more removed Adriel became from The Order, the more extreme those events seemed. How had she just sat there? She should have intercepted and done something. But she’d done absolutely nothing, and guilt now clawed at her in a way that marked her partially responsible for those horrific crimes.

The woman was entitled to rage, yet she showed an inexplicable resilience Adriel could only admire. How did she compartmentalize her anger? It was there, but it also made room for other emotions. Was this how she survived the past few years? Most females would have broken, but the witch was solid—slightly cracked, perhaps—but somehow holding it together.

In the presence of Juniper’s strong spirit, it was easy to contrast their differences. Beliefs that females should be gentle and obedient shifted the direction of Adriel’s life long ago.

In exchange for The Order’s protection, she and many other females allowed themselves to become less. The males held all the power.

After centuries of living such a sheltered life, fearful that her mate would one day find her, she became a shadow. Her potential was stunted like a rootbound plant in a small pot with nowhere to grow, and many of her natural disciplines were lost to disuse.

Was she truly only meant to be half of another’s soul? She always sensed she was capable of more, yet without a male, so many saw her as nothing at all. There was even a time when the elders tried to assign her to a husband to keep her on the right path in her mate’s absence. But she refused to be led and paid dearly for the little independence she gained.

Drawing back from such a dangerous thought, she frowned.

Centuries of indoctrination still filled her with nervous energy. Being outside of The Order placed her life in an unflattering light. Ashamed by her lack of independence, knowledge, and confidence, she considered how one might correct such inadequacies while Juniper displayed no such shortcomings.

The witch still wore the physical markings of her bondage, yet Adriel was the one shackled by oppression. The moment Juniper was free, she was free. Could Adriel say the same? Perhaps freedom was so unknown that it was part of her fear, and ignorance was her greatest prison.

Mortified, she wondered what ingrained compliance still limited her now. She was as helpless as a domestic bird forced into the wild—defenseless, useless.

Tightness cinched her lungs as the world rushed by. It suddenly seemed so calculated.

She stayed and obeyed because she knew no other way to live. Her fear of the outside world worked in their favor, spreading like a disease from one generation to the next. The standards for trust and obedience were so ingrained that even the slightest ripple of rebellion could feel like a tsunami of an uprising. All the more reason why The Order demanded conformity.

Adriel had been told more than once not to make waves. Some families even shunned her simply because she cut her hair, and they did not want their daughters to be influenced by her misguided actions.

She clutched her chest, thinking of all the decisions made for her and how unprepared she was to face a future in the real world. Domesticated as a bird clipped at the wings, her abilities had been bound by bonnets and Anabaptist faith.

The noose tightened around her neck as she struggled to breathe. She was immortal but so far from feral that death seemed inevitable.

How was she going to survive this place? Every sight and sound was foreign. The speed at which people carried on frightened her. She couldn’t even catch her breath. It was all moving too fast. She was a helpless bird falling from the nest, plummeting to the earth with no plan or idea of how to survive out there on her own.

“Hey.” The music lowered. “Are you okay?”

She couldn’t do this. It was too much, and only a matter of time before Cerberus found her. She had centuries to sharpen her skills and hone her abilities, but she’d done nothing to prepare for this moment that she always knew would come.

“Adriel, look at me.”

The command of Juniper’s voice broke through her panic, and she glanced at her, tears of fear brimming in her eyes. How had they not broken her?

“Do you feel something? Is it him? Should I change directions?”

“No. No. Keep going.”

“What is it? You’re white as a ghost.”

Gasping through shallow breaths, she swallowed back the lump in her throat. “I just…got scared.”

Juniper’s eyes flared. “Why? What happened?”

“I…realized how little I know and… I’m so ignorant. I have no idea how to do this.”

“Ignorance isn’t terminal. You can learn what you don’t know. I’ll help you.” Juniper held out a hand.

Adriel hesitated but slowly took the offering. When the witch’s fist tightened around her fingers, lending much-needed courage, she instantly calmed her.

“Thank you.”

Juniper nodded, then returned her gaze to the road. “We’ve got this. As long as we stick together, we can do anything.”

Adriel had grown so used to living alone and depending only on herself, she didn’t know if she possessed such trust. The girl had lived a mere fraction of a lifetime, but there was something worldly and brave about her. Something trustworthy and good.

Protectiveness raced through her, and her hand tightened. She could not let Cerberus hurt her.

“We cannot underestimate his cruelty.”

Juniper frowned. “We won’t. Once we find a place to rest, we’ll work on a plan.”

Adriel already had a plan. Should Cerberus find her, she would make certain he could not hurt her, ending her life before he had the chance to punish her, thereby not giving him the opportunity to harm her friend.

She wasn’t exactly sure what had shifted, but she could no longer look at Juniper as merely a liability. Without her, she never would have made it this far. In a way, she was starting to trust her. Yes, she was abrasive and somewhat more aggressive than Adriel was used to, but maybe that was a good thing.

Juniper might be the last person to see her alive. If her days were numbered, perhaps she could teach her how to live.

Adriel’s eyes tingled with the sharp sting of unanticipated tears. She’d wasted so much time hiding and being afraid. She didn’t know how to be brave. But she wanted to try. She wanted to be more than the elders believed any female could be.

Not Cerberus’s aimless mate or the troublesome female of The Order who rejected conformity, but rather a person with a purpose. Her life and story could not merely be a footnote to his. She wanted—desperately—to be remembered for something more.

She might not have much time left, but she was finally free to live her life as she chose. The last time she’d been free, she lived at home with her family, long before her calling and before she knew what suffering truly was. She’d forced her mind to forget that carefree life long ago—forget the parents who raised her and the brothers and sisters she’d lost when Cerberus went back to slaughter them.

As she tried to recall the shape of her mother’s face or the shade of her father’s hair, only blurred images filled her mind. Her heart could not bear to think of her parents and all the siblings she’d lost. Did her mother and father blame her? They should.

If not for her, Cerberus would have never hurt them. He would have never gone back and done those horrific things to punish her. But that was how he’d always been. Cruel. Calculating. Controlling through the most vile means necessary.

His viciousness cast a shadow over her entire life. She had been younger than Juniper when she was called, but that did nothing to gentle him. He stole her away, never allowing her the chance even to say goodbye. And that night, he rutted into her in the mud and rain. That primal wound was the first, but far from the last time he made her bleed.

Adriel tipped her head back, closing her eyes, pretending for a moment that she was safe in a place where neither history nor gravity could touch her. Wind teased the short strands of her uncovered hair as the present moment sank into her bones.

This was her life. Hers.

Freedom was a luxuriously terrifying privilege to wear, one she hadn’t tried on since reaching adulthood. The idea, alone, fit awkwardly and flooded her with self-doubt.

What would her last hours look like? Would she show courage or fear?

A sense of urgency surged through her as the invisible shackles she’d worn for centuries fell away. Her choices were now her own. Her heart leapt with uncertainty as the extraordinary pressure to decide her future weighed her down like gravity. Her path ahead was genuinely unknown.