Page 86 of Knox

Twenty-One

Adrian’s heart raced as he pulled up to the mansion they all knew Caelen was hiding in. If he’d had any doubt about this being the right place, those were quieted at the sight of Caelen’s devoted followers swarming the lush grounds. They stood like sentries, their gazes fixed on the approaching car with nothing but hostility.

"Looks like they were expecting us," Lyrian murmured from the backseat. "We couldn’t break through this crowd before."

"Well, we’re going to break through them now," Adrian said with a confidence he didn’t feel. "We have to get Daniel out of there. And we have to stop Caelen."

Knox rested a hand on Adrian’s shoulder. "Don’t worry," he said. "I’ve never felt so powerful. Nothing can stop us now."

A wave of energy pulsed through their bond, and Adrian couldn’t help but be swept up in the intensity of it. Their connection was so new he wasn’t used to it yet, but it was so solid. And it assured him that Knox wasn’t lying.

There was a lot of power there.

Power that Adrian had given Knox.

What a strange thought.

Taking a steadying breath, Adrian pulled into the circular driveway.

He could do this.

Theycould do this.

Almost immediately, Caelen’s followers began to converge on the car, their shouts and jeers muffled by the glass. Hands slapped against the windows, making Adrian’s nerves spike.

Zev leaned forward from the backseat. "I hope you know what you’re doing," he said, eyeing the growing crowd warily.

Knox’s eyes slipped shut, his features smoothing into an expression of focus. "I do."

The world around them seemed to ripple and distort. Adrian blinked, and suddenly, the frenzied mob outside had frozen in place, their faces twisted into eerie masks of unmoving rage. Adrian stared at them, bewildered, until Knox spoke again.

"Caelen’s influence is a lot stronger than it has any right to be," the incubus murmured. "I can’t hold them for long. We have to make a break for it."

Adrian nodded.

He did not want to leave the car, but it was now or never.

"Let’s move," he urged, pulling the keys from the ignition.

The car doors opened in unison, and they stepped out, moving swiftly across the grass. The stillness of the trapped mob felt likewalking through a surreal dream, but Adrian knew it was Knox’s magic holding the illusion steady.

He looked toward the mansion. There’d be more of Caelen’s followers inside. Not to mention, once the illusion wore off, the frozen mob outside would chase after them as well.

Lyrian and Zev seemed to exchange a look, coming to the same conclusion.

"You two go ahead," Zev urged. "We’ll keep them from going after you."

Adrian looked at the fae, not liking this plan at all. "You couldn’t defeat them before."

"We don’t need to defeat them," Lyrian threw in, using that overly careless tone of his. "We only need to distract them. Don’t worry about us."

Adrian opened his mouth to argue, but his words were caught in his throat as he noticed some of Caelen’s followers beginning to stir. Blinking, their eyes regained focus, and they started moving again.

"Get going," Zev prompted, stepping in front of Adrian to intercept a burly, angry-looking dude.

Knox grabbed Adrian’s arm, pulling him toward the mansion and away from the attacker. "We need to move now."

Adrian’s feet stumbled into motion, propelled by Knox’s grip. He didn’t want to leave his new friends behind, but what else was he supposed to do?