Bleeding Ink

Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Drinking was never really something Adeena did to numb her absolute pain that laced its way through every part of her. This time, after seeing how beautiful and alive her grandmother was, how she herself still grieved for the loss of Adeena and Evander, the first place she went to was the closest winery and bought out several bottles of their best vintage Arloerin Starlight. Popping the cork with her teeth, she was already chugging as soon as she walked outside, all eyes on her and flickering with worry.

She needed to get drunk, needed to get so shit-faced so she could black out and completely forget out everything.

Nothing could block out her rage. Or her heartache. Not even the three bottles of Starlight.

Sophea could be rammed through with a sword for all Adeena cared. Or drowned in the glittering Lake Iris. Ooh, or she could use her dark magic just as she did with all those public executions.

That darkness was itching to come out as Adeena practically ran through the streets of Arloerin.

She needed to get away, away, away. To not think about anything at all. To not be present in a world she felt so disconnected from.

And it was Sophea's fault.

She took absolutely everything from her. Everything. Her beautiful grandmother, her grandfather and the way he used to be, the chance to grow up with these people who would defend Arloerin and everyone in it with their lives.

And most importantly, her best friend, her sister. Cleo.

Adeena already knew she would be unsuccessful in her task set forth by the empress. There were no whispers of discontent here in the western-most kingdom and their never would be. Whoever the empress was sending to Arloerin after her wouldn't find any more than she did. When she brought the news back to Sophea, what would happen to her? Would she be imprisoned for life? Would she be executed herself? Doubtful, especially since Adeena had tried it a few times herself. Death never held her too long before bringing her back from the in-between.

Or maybe she could choose to be happy. She deserved that much, right?

Maybe...maybe she could just stay here and never go back. She could send for her grandfather, have all of their things packed up, and bring him there to Arloerin. Adeena wouldn't have to be the assassin she was raised to be. She could come out of the shadows, she could have her grandmother back, and be with Cleo again, no matter how much her sister might hate her for staying away for practically all their lives. She wouldn't care, though. She would have her and their family. They could come home.

All she wanted was to really and truly come home.

Choking back her tears, Adeena's glamour waivered slightly as she bolted into a dark alleyway between a clothing shop and an apothecary before completely dropping. Her magic raged inside her with every beat of her heart, every breath she managed to suck into her lungs as she drowned. It wasn't trying to help her, though, not pull her even more under the rushing waves.

No one would see her, only hear as her sobs finally escaped. She pressed her forehead against the cool exposed stone that peeked out beneath the slightly crumbled stucco wall. No sunlight reached her, but she didn't want it. The darkness was welcoming, and she went into it with open arms just as she always did.

Usually when she went into the in-between, it was because Adeena's magic was so chaotic she needed time to reign it in without anyone being in danger. Now, though, she needed to reign in her mind, her raging thoughts that threatened to consume her, body and soul.