74!

BRIANNA

“What's taking so long, Akire?” I asked her as we haven't heard from anyone for the past thirty minutes.

“I don't know ma'am, the thirty minutes is up,” she said and I scoffed.

“Of course, that's the reason I'm asking,” I snapped.

“Hey, he will be alright,” Layla said, holding my hands.

“You don't know that, Layla,” I said, shaking my head.

“He is going to be alright, Bri,” Trish said to me. “His head is straight and there is no reason to worry,” we heard Akire cough slightly and I rose up.

“Is there a reason to be worried?” I asked her.

She sighed and nodded. “Well out with it,” Layla said to her.

“Adrian has been spotted in a nearby village,” she said and my blood boiled.

“How close?” I asked her as my hands tighten into a fist.

“Close enough, your grace but the Elite Guards are on it,” she said and touched her ear.

“If Adrian is here we can find him,” Layla said and I raised my eyebrows.

“How?” I asked her.

“Location spell, all we need are the ingredients,” she said and Trish held her hands.

“You can't perform magic on a royal family,” Trish said to her.

“Not when that royal family is also your blood,” Layla snapped, taking her hands off Trisha.

“You haven't been crowned or even announced as the late King's daughter. You could be executed according to the law,” Trisha tried talking her out of it.

“Liam won't let that happen to me,” she said, looking out the window.

“Don't put him in that position!” Trish snapped at her, turning her to face us.

“We will get him, Layla,” I said to her.

“Yes, we,” she pointed at us. “Adrian will be able to evade those Elite Guards if he doesn't kill some first,” she was so angry.

“I know,” I took her hands. “We are going to find him,” I said, firmly to her and she nodded.

“His Highness is back and is ready for the funeral,” Akire said to us and I nodded.

We walked out of my chambers and headed out of the palace. I could see the numerous casket on a huge trunk in front of the palace gate.

“We will be walking to the Royal river, Duchess,” Trisha whispered to me and I nodded.

I saw Liam and I exhaled in relief. He was with Mason and Ethan along with Beta Chris and Desmond.

We are honoring the dead today, everyone we lost in the war including the King and his Queen.

Liam and I started the walk to the Royal river with everyone else behind us. The roads were packed with maximum security and a lot of guards.

The people also came out in their numbers, bowing their heads as the King and Queen caskets passed by them. Paying respect to their King.

They all bowed as Liam walked by them and I could see it was making him uncomfortable. He is not yet used to it.

I took his hands. He looks at me, smiling. “Thank you,” he whispered.

“Of course,” I said, flipping my hair backwards.

“Will the elite guards be able to catch him?” I asked him and he looked at me.

“That's what they are trained to do,” he said, looking straight ahead.

“Okay, what if….”

“Not now, Brianna,” he said, cutting me off. “I will not dignify Adrian by speaking about him while I bury my parents,” he said and I nodded.

“Noted,” he took my hands and pressed his lips against it. We got to the Royal river and the priest began the ceremony.

Each family member of the fallen was asked to stand in front of the caskets.

There were a lot of whispers when Layla stood beside Liam close to their parents' casket.

The King and Queen's caskets were covered in gold and lots of rose flowers. It was what's fit for a King and Queen.

Each of the caskets were thrown in the river. The rest of us held our hands up, praying to the moon goddess to protect them on their journey.

Liam walked over to a woman and two teenage boys. It's his late Caller's family. I inhaled deeply, looking at the woman.

She must have been crying for months wondering if her husband's body was ever going to return.

Now she has to cry all over again just to see him go. She looks pale and not well nutritioned.

I signal for Trisha to come over, “we should get baskets of fruits to her,” I slightly pointed at Liam's callers wife.

“Understood,” she said as we walked into the royal hall as the names of the deceased were put on the walls.

“Wow, so many names,” I said, out loud.

“I could find your parents name, your grace,” Akire said to me.

“Please do that,” I said, nodding at her.

She walked ahead of me, searching and scanning each name then turned to me.

“Over here, your grace,” she said loudly and I walked towards her.

I gasped as I touched the names on the wall. This is the first time of me seeing this and fully realizing how dead they are.

“I hope you are with your friend now,” I said, touching my father's name. “We made peace,” I whispered and touched my mother's name.

“I only spent a few hours with the queen but she was beautiful. In and out and I know that's exactly how you were. I hope you all are together protecting us and waiting for us as well.”

“I will be joining them soon,” I heard Beta Desmond's voice and turned.

“Beta Desmond,” I bowed a bit. “You shouldn't say those words,” I said to him.

“I miss my friends and I know my time is close,” he said to me.

“What about Ethan?” I asked him.

“Ethan knew how to take care of himself the minute he could. He doesn't need me anymore. He has his mate and his King,” he said looking at me.

“And you don't,” I said, finally understanding.

“Now, you understand,” he said and I nodded. I was about to speak when Akire and some of my personal guards walked up to us.

“What's going on Akire?” I asked her.

“It's Adrian ma'am, the elite guards tracking him where found badly beaten and injured,” she said to me.

“Adrian might be strong and powerful but so are those men. He couldn't have done that alone,” I said to her.

“No, he couldn't,” Beta Desmond whispered.

“Of course, Beta. That's why we have to leave now. He might be anywhere,” she said.