Dmitri hugged Adrianna tightly and said, "It's not easy to take down your alpha. I have charted out my plan pretty well. Also, Cy and Vikra won't dare to come out now. I have heard that there has been a decrease in neotide-related accidents. I believe that something is probably going on in their area of the forest and Vikra's not in a good place right now, so don't worry."
Adrianna smiled and hugged him back. Dmitri surely knew about everything happening in the forest. She looked at him proudly. Then, she narrowed her eyes, "Which girl have you been looking for?"
Dmitri smacked his head. Why did he suddenly think about that girl who he had been looking for? He laughed and said, "I'll let you know when I find her."
"You better let me know when you find her because I will personally kill her!"
Her statement made him laugh all the more. "I love when you get jealous!"
She escorted him to the portal, talking the entire time until they parted.
Adrianna looked at Fleur and said, "Let's go to the prison."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course!"
"Okay, give me a moment. I need to report this to Isidorus."
Fleur walked through the portal and came back in five minutes after receiving permission from Isidorus. When Fleur came back, she came out of the portal holding the leash of a tall, white colored horse with a tiny black spot on his forehead. Adrianna was mesmerized by the horse. He was so beautiful that she held her breath.
"You will have to ride on me to the prison," she heard the horse say.
"Adrianna, you will have to ride this horse to the prison," said Fleur.
"That's what I just said."
Adrianna chuckled. She mentally communicated to him, "What's your name?"
"I am Nallbo."
"It would be my honor to ride you Nallbo," said Adrianna aloud as she went and stroked his mane.
Fleur was surprised, "How do you-". Then she lightly smacked her head. "I forgot you could hear them."
Adrianna climbed onto Nallbo gracefully as though she already knew how to mount a horse. Nallbo turned entered the portal. The other side of the portal opened into the Malintosh Prison. It was a vast expanse of land which was guarded by lightning ropes all around. The sky above was grey and the clouds were roaring with thunder and there were occasional strikes of lightning, reminding everyone there how grim the place was. It had just rained so the ground was wet.
"Remember not to let go of my reins at any point of time while you are in the prison," said Nallbo.
Adrianna nodded.
They entered the main building. Adrianna noticed that, along with Fleur, there was one more person who followed her. She looked at him closely and was shocked. It was Ein, the guard who had caught her sister Kayla. He nodded as soon as they locked eyes. Both Fleur and Ein were on their brooms.
Adrianna saw that the cells of the prison weren't made of the usual material consisting of bricks and steel, but rather, each cell was lined with tiny leaves that were growing over the lightening ropes. Adrianna was surprised that the tender looking leaves didn't burn when touching the lightning ropes.
"They are special leaves which don't burn so easily. Otherwise, if the prisoners fall onto the lightning ropes, regardless of whether on purpose or by mistake, they may burn their skin. The leaves offer protection and, at the same time, don't let the prisoners escape. All the prisoners here don't have their wands. Their wands have been confiscated by the ministry," explained Fleur as they headed further into the prison.
As Nallbo trotted forward, Adrianna could see the prisoners through the small gaps in between the leaves. She looked up and saw that there was no rooftop, only a mesh of white light.
The prisoners who heard movement outside came to look at the visitors. Some of them started shouting and howling. "Let us out! Please! This place will suck our souls! Let us out!" It was frightening and Adrianna started feeling dejected.
"Let's head back," she said to Nallbo.
"Don't you want to see her?" asked Nallbo.
"Who?" asked Adrianna.
Nallbo didn't say a word and quietly trotted a bit further. He stopped in front of a cell from where Adrianna could hear a woman crying. Adrianna's miseries knew no bounds as she stared at the inmate being held in that cell. She was shocked beyond words as her eyes became wide. As soon as she saw Adrianna, Kayla rushed towards Adrianna and cried, "Take me out of here, please!" It seemed as though Kayla couldn't recognize Adrianna.
Adrianna looked at Ein with tears in her eyes. Ein lowered his head and said, "I am sorry my queen, but an attempt to kill the queen of the wizard kingdom results in the death penalty. I have kept her alive to suffer the consequences."
Adrianna couldn't fathom who was suffering more - she or Kayla - as she watched her stepsister beg her to get her out. "I want to meet her," Adrianna declared.
"We are not allowed to open the prisoner's cells," replied Ein.
Adrianna's tears rolled down her cheek.
"Do you think that after meeting you she will be happy? She is in that prison because of you," said Nallbo as he turned back towards the entrance of the prison.
"Stop Nallbo. I want to see her."
But Nallbo didn't stop. "It's no use Adrianna. They will never let her out."
Adrianna looked at Ein and said, "Then kill her. It would be better than having her suffer from so much torture."