“You failed me.” Adelaide sat in the large chair facing the window of the watchtower, watching Everlore burn. Behind her knelt three of her hybrids.
“My queen, she overpowered the First,” one of the hybrids hissed.
Adelaide’s face shifted into a deep scowl, her eyes burning a bright green. The death of her favorite hybrid sent waves of rage coursing through her. All she could think of was finding Atlanta Skolar and burning her alive.
“The books are gone?”
The hybrids didn’t reply. Adelaide stood up in anger, tossing the chair aside. A bright flash of green escaped her fingers and one of the hybrids exploded into a cloud of dust. The other two flinched, but were smart enough to keep their positions.
“The books are gone!” Adelaide screamed, her voice shaking the walls.
“Yes, my queen,” one of the hybrids replied.
“Where is she now?” Adelaide demanded.
“Our scouts saw her leave towards Calen,” came the low reply. “We believe she aims to rejoin what remains of the rebellion there.”
“But do not fear, my queen,” the other hybrid quickly cut in. “Her efforts will prove fruitless. The remaining Wolves and Vampires are scattered. We heard Marcus himself is on the run. She returns to a city with no hope.”
“Fools,” Adelaide spat. “She has the books. That will be enough to give her hope. I want her stopped before she gets to the city.”
“Yes, my queen,” the hybrids said in unison.
Adelaide turned back to face the flames of Everlore. Soon it would look the way it had when she’d first brought Lenore here: broken, desolate, without hope or life. A dark place for the darkest of creatures. And they would all bow to her command.
“And what about the woman?”
Adelaide turned, shifting her gaze to where the hybrids were looking. The lifeless body of Lenore lay sprawled on the floor, her blue eyes staring into nothing. Adelaide smiled. “Place her head on a stake at the top of this watchtower.” Adelaide scoffed, thinking of the child returning to find her mother. “Burn the rest.”
The hybrids nodded, quickly gathering Lenore’s body and slithering out of the room before Adelaide’s mood changed.
She watched them leave, then turned back to the window and gazed out at the flames. In the fire she saw the future, and how the rest of the world would burn in her wake. The Lunar Books would be hers, and then the entire world would be hers to rule.
But first she needed to destroy the last of Beatrice’s line, once and for all.
“I will see you again, Atlanta Skolar,” she promised the wind. “And when I do, I promise to be slow and merciless.” Her laughter shook the watchtower and soared high over the sounds of the burning city below.
THE END