CHAPTER 33
Alice Returns
“You thought you were free of me, didn’t you?”
Adrian froze onto the voice, his body reacting before his mind kicked in. Beside him, Flora tensed up, her fingers curling into fists. The air charged with something sharp and electric.
Out from the shadows stepped Alice herself, that smirk still the same–old confident, knowing, dangerous.
Jace had been leaning indolently against the door frame, and at her voice, he straightened. “Well. This is a surprise.”
Alice titled her head, her eyes never leaving Adrian’s face. “Is it? You should have known I’d come back.”
Adrian exhaled through his nose, hands tensing and releasing at his sides. “What do you want, Alice?”
She laughed. The sound was low and amused. “Straight to business. No ‘how have you been?‘ No ‘I thought you were dead?”
Flora crossed her arms. “We didn’t think. We hoped.”
Alice’s eyes flicked to her, a smirk tugging at her lips. “Flora. Still sharp–tongued, I see.”
Flora didn’t blink. “And you’re still alive. Unfortunately.”
Alice chuckled, “I missed this.”
Adrian clenched his jaw. “Say what you came to say, Alice.”
Alice sighed, as if they were inconveniencing her. Then she took a step forward. Jace shifted, blocking her path instinctively, but
Alice barely acknowledged him.
“There’s something coming,” she said. “Something bigger than Lorne. Bigger than any of us.”
Adrian frowned. “What are you talking about?”
Alice’s smirk faltered. “I came to warn you.”
Jace snorted. “Right. Because you’re just so selfless.”
Alice ignored him, eyes locked on Adrian. “They’re coming for you. For all of you.”
Flora narrowed her ey
eyes. “Who?”
Alice hesitated, just for a moment. Then-“The Elders.”
The room went silent.
Jace swore low under his breath. Flora’s lips thinned. Adrian’s expression didn’t change, but his eyes darkened.
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“You’re lying,” he said.
Alice raised a brow. “Am I?“!
Adrian took a step closer, his voice dropping “The Elders don’t move. They rule from the shadows. They don’t involve
themselves in-
Alice cut him off. “Not anymore. Not since you killed Lore.”
Jace’s head whipped to Adrian. “Wait. You killed him?”
Adrian didn’t break his gaze from Alice. “He gave me no choice.”
Alice’s smirk was back. “And now, neither do they.”
Flora blew out a harsh breath. “Why should we believe anything you say?”
Alice faced her. “Because I had the opportunity to disappear. To run. And I didn’t.”
Jace snorted. “That doesn’t mean anything. Maybe you just wanted to cause more chaos.
Alice’s expression had turned grave. “If I wanted trouble, I wouldn’t have come alone.”
That was a stopper.
Adrian watched her, the wheels in his head turning. Alice was many things–reckless, manipulative, a pain in the ass–but she
wasn’t stupid. Which meant that if she was here, warning them, something was up.
Sull
“You expect us to just trust you?” he asked.
Alice held his gaze. “No. But I expect you to listen.”
The debate continued inside.
Jace sat in the corner, arms crossed, his eyes never off Alice. Flora leaned against the wall, silent but watchful. Adrian stood in the
centre of the room, the tension in him coming off like heat.
Alice sat in a chair casually, as if she owned the place.
“The Elders want you dead,” she said, looking at Adrian. “That much is obvious. But they won’t come for you directly.
Adrian’s voice v
was flat. “They never d
Alice nodded. “They’ll send others. Assassins. Spies People you’d never suspect.” She paused. “They might already be here.”
Flora’s fingers twitched. “You’re saying there’s a traitor?”
Alice smirked. “When isn’t there?”
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CHAPTER 33
Jace rubbed a hand down his face. “Fantastic. Another betrayal. Just what we needed.”
Adrian ignored him. “How do you know all this?”
Alice hesitated.
Flora narrowed her eyes. “Alice.”
Alice sighed. “Because they approached me first.”
Silence.
They
Jace sat up. “Wait. wanted you to kill Adrian?”
Alice shrugged. “Who better than someone who knows him?”
Adrian didn’t bat an eye. “And yet, here you are.”
I fell away. “I had my reasons.”
Alice’s smirk fell
Flora folded her arms over her chest. “You always do.
Alice leaned forward. “Listen to me. You think Lorne was the last of your problems? You think his death fixed anything? It only
put a bigger target on your back. The Elders don’t forgive. They don’t forget. And now they’re watching.”
Adrian clamped his jaw.
Flora frowned. “So, what do we do?”
Alice sat back. “That’s the fun part. We either prepare… or we die.”
The night was restless..
Jace paced outside, muttering to himself. Flora stuck close to Adrian, though neither of them said much. Alice, of course, slept like a baby, as if she hadn’t just turned their whole world upside down.
Adrian lay awake, staring at the ceiling. His mind was one battlefield–after memories clashing with strategy, emotions warring with logic.
The Elders.
A traitor.
Alice.
There was never an end.
A soft rustling pulled him from his thoughts. He turned his head just as Flora sat down beside him.
She didn’t say anything
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Neither did he.
For a while, they just sat there, the silence between them heavy but not uncomfortable.
Then-
“You, okay?” she asked softly.
Adrian exhaled. “No.”
Flora nodded, as if she expected that answer.
A pause.
Then “Do you trust her?”
Adrian closed his eyes for a moment. “No.”
Flora sighed. “Me neither.”
Another pause.
Then–softly, almost reluctantly-“But do you believe her?”
Adrian didn’t answer right away. He turned his head, looking at Flora, at the way her brows knit together, the way she always seemed to be thinking five steps ahead.
Finally, he nodded.
breath. “Yeah. Me too.”
Flora let out a breath.
Again, silence settled between them.
Then-
“What now?” she asked.
Adrian’s gaze drifted toward the door, toward the darkness beyond it.
“Now,” he said, his voice low, “we prepare for war.
