Shattered: The Gregorian Chronicles Book Two

22: Two Great Fools

"Lucas? What do you mean?"

Rissa sighed, unsure of how to proceed with her explanation.

"Lucas disappeared last night. I searched the entire castle for him, using methods I am not proud of. I do not know where he has gone, and I do not know if he'll be back. I'm terribly sorry Adriana, but I was not sure how to tell you."

Adriana was unsure of how to react to this information, for conflict was arising inside of her. On one side, she was incredibly saddened by Lucas' disappearance, yet something inside of the Light Princess was nagging at her. Lucas had made his feelings for Adriana quite clear on many occasions, beginning even before Dawn had turned Dark and Lucas had made his reappearance into Adriana's life. Yet while her reasoning in distancing herself from Lucas at that time had been because of a prophecy, she had wanted to distance herself at thisi point because of James. No one was able to make her as happy as James, and it had taken an accident for her to realize that. With Lucas gone...iit would cause the decision between the two to be far less painful.

"Adriana?" Rissa looked concerned, "You haven't said a word in some time. I'm terribly sorry about Lucas, I wish I could have done something—"

"It's quite fine." Adriana replied, regaining her regality and standing up to her fullest height, which only put her at Rissa's shoulder. "I am grieved to hear of Lucas' departure, yet I'm sure he has good reason for leaving. Thank you for telling me of this." She took a deep breath, surprised at the steadiness of her voice. She had thought she cared about Lucas a bit more than she was feeling. "Now where is James?"

Rissa looked slightly stunned by Adriana's lack of remorse for her missing friend and former mentor, yet she did not ask questions; the less distraught her niece was, the less guilt Rissa would feel about her Banishing Lucas.

"James is in the infirmary. Although he seems to be recovering his strength quite well and should be out and into a regular life very soon."

Adriana nodded slightly towards her aunt, grateful for the information yet still slightly confused. If James was about to be released from the infirmary, would he regain his memories? If he weren't about to recover his memories, Adriana hardly thought Jasmine would be inclined to release him.

"Has he remembered anything? Does Jasmine expect him to make a full recovery of his memories?"

Rissa looked slightly pained before she answered, causing Adriana's breath to catch in her chest. There should not have been any reason for the Sorceress to be wary of answering such a simple question.

"Jasmine has done all she possibly can, Adriana. She has been worrying over James' condition and blaming herself for what happened, and I cannot bear to see her in such a state over something that had nothing to do with her in the first place—"

"I mean no disrespect Rissa, but you can cease in your pretending. I know you do not honestly care for James or Jasmine, and your saying this simply to cause me to not be upset is silly. I wish to see James."

Rissa seemed slightly taken aback by Adriana's calm tone and indifferent expression, and nodded slightly before retreating back into her room, listening to Adriana's footsteps slowly fade away on the castle floor.

***

"Your Highness? We've gathered the horses."

"Your steed is prepared, Your Majesty."

"Your army awaits, Princess."

"We are prepared for what lies ahead, Dawn." Brenda was the sole Banished person the Dark Princess allowed to call her by her first name. The young woman approached Dawn's throne after a long line of different servants had already left, informing the young villain of the completed preparations. Dawn looked up from her lap quickly, where she had idly been playing with her fingers as she waited for her escorts to assist her in exiting the castle.