Adrian didn't say a word while we stalked towards him. He kept his head bowed, and I could tell that he was afraid of what my spirit would do to him if he did speak. His heart pounded hard in his chest, and all of us could hear it.
"Well?" she all but purred out, cocking her head. She blinked and walked over to him until she had us standing face to face with him. "You should consider saying what you are thinking," she said. "I mean, I would gladly like to know and know if I should k-"
"Hey now," I scowled, interrupting her. "There will be no killing. We need their help. Now, do what you want to do and let me have my body back."
Tigress scoffed and rolled her eyes. However, she complied and took a step back. "I shouldn't have had to come out. You know that King Adrian, but you forced my hand to appear. For what reason?"
Adrian didn't say a word and gulped.
"Speak," she barked, and Adrian flinched before bowing deeper towards my Tiger spirit.
"She doesn't deserve to be the Queen of the tigers," Adrian said, bitterly. "Not after what her uncle did to us." He flinched when multiple people growled and bowed deeply.
"I should k-"
"Stop threatening him. That is not the best way to get his help," I said, interrupting her. "Or the others." I ignored her eye roll. "We need their help if we want to stop him."
Tigress growled, her growling resonating through our body, and it made Adrian submit deeper. "You should be pleased with your queen," she snarled, ignoring me. "She is the only thing keeping me from killing you."
No one growled when she said that, but the Bobcats moved closer, conflicted as to whose side they should choose, their king or their high queen.
"But of course, it could cause unrest through the clans." She let go of Adrian, and he fell at her feet, gasping for air. "She shouldn't have to do this," she called, holding our hand out.
The gem flew towards us and stopped in front of me. It bounced up and down, beckoning for us to take, to claim the power of the stone again.
"She should claim her birthright, but she understands she needs her clans to respect her more than she needs that." Her voice drifted into a trance-like state, and she reached for the stone before pulling her hand back with a soft sigh. "I agree with her, which is why we haven't claimed it."
"Do you agree with the trial period then?" Auntie Arie asked, and she turned our head to look at her. Auntie Arie gave her a small hesitant smile, and she smiled back.
She nodded. "I do," she confirmed. She pulled her gaze back to Adrian, who was still on his knees. "Even if I am not in your good graces, it does not mean you should blame her for the death of your parents." She raised her hand, stopping him from talking. "He had harmed her just as much as he had harmed you and them." She gestured towards the others.
"Don't say it," I warned. "I am not ready."
"Not yet, but you are close," Tigress replied. Pride filled her voice, and I felt glad that she was proud of me.
"And what did you lose?" Adrian asked.
"A stable home life," she replied. "My father, mother, and my clan." She gestured to the area where there was an empty spot. "I am sure that you have noticed the whole clan missing. Correct? Do you know how stressful that is or not?"
Adrian looked at the missing spot before looking at us. He set his jaw and looked down, and I noticed his shoulders sink. He knew what Tigress wanted to do, but he did not know if she would do it or not. "No, Your Majesty," he said. "I do not know how stressful that is on you. I do not want to find out if it pleases you."
"Don't," I said. "We have Carver and Trevor. That's all we need for now."
"He should be punished," Tigress growled, setting her jaw. She folded her arms across her chest and scowled at Adrian, ignoring everyone around her.
No one said a word around us, all of them wondering what would happen to Adrian. They knew better than to do something, knowing that the annoyance and anger Tigress felt for this man could be turned on them.
"He has been punished enough, Tigress. That is why he acted out. He wants revenge like everyone else against the man that had torn his family apart. Our job is to make sure that the kingdom stays whole and together. If we are pulled apart... then we could be killed, and chaos will ensue afterward."
Tigress smirked. "So, what do you suggest?" she asked. "Your Majesty?"
I took in a deep breath and let it out, thinking of a way that Adrian couldn't turn his back on us. "Stone?" I asked hesitantly. If I had eyebrows, I'd furrow them in deep thought, but I didn't because I was not in control of my body. "Make him touch the stone and do a different type of loyalty bond. If he disobeys or turns his back on me unless ordered, then kill him. If he doesn't, and we survive this, then take the bond off of him."
"And do what with him?" Tigress asked.
"He's free," I replied. "Because he will still have a decision to make."
"And, you are hoping that you can prove yourself to him and them, correct?" she asked.
"Yes."
"Then your wish is my command," she confirmed. "You have two options, and I hope you choose wisely, Adrian," she said, and I rolled my eyes at her, not using his title. "Are you willing to hear them?"
"Yes, Your Majesty," Adrian replied dully. "I am willing to hear them."
"One is for me to kill you," she said. She held her hand up, silencing the other growls. "The other is for you to touch the stone and submit your loyalty to me." She paused, and I rolled my eyes, knowing that she wanted him to wonder what she meant. "You will be loyal to me and do what I say. If you either disobey my orders or turn your back on me, you will be killed. Do you understand?"
"Tell him the other part," I scowled.
"Yes, I understand," Adrian said. He reached out to touch the stone, but Tigress stopped him with a raised hand.
"If we survive this, I will take the bond off of you. You will have to choose what happens after all of this."
"To you, Your Majesty?" Adrian asked.
"Yes," Tigress replied, nodding her head. "Do you agree with the terms? You will still be the king of the Bobcats for the time of the loyalty test. That is not something she wants to take away from you."
Relief filled Adrian's body, and he sagged his shoulders. He was grateful that Tigress would allow him to be the king of the Bobcats, his clan meaning a lot to him like the whole clans meant to me. "I agree with the terms, Your Majesty."
Tigress nodded her head. "Good," she said. "Then put your hand on the gem and look me in the eye. Tell me that you are loyal to me." She placed her hand underneath the stone and held it here. Power filled our veins, the stone connected to the power we felt.
Adrian nodded his head and looked up, meeting her gaze. He grabbed the stone and gritted his teeth in pain, not breaking eye contact while the pain went through his body. His heart pounded hard in his chest, and the smell of burnt flesh filled the air. "I, Adrian Dominic Raul, King of the Bobcats, submit full loyalty to the High Queen," he said through gritted teeth. "I swear that I will not turn my back to you and do what I am told to do until you release me from my bond."
Tigress nodded her head. "I will release you when you are not needed," she said. She placed our hand over his and under the stone and dug our nails into his skin, and he bit back a scream of pain. "Your trial starts now," she said. "Do not mess this chance up. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Your Majesty," he said, bowing his head. "I will not disappoint you again."