Dmitri watched everything with a rising sense of horror. He ran to the lake to jump in it, but Liam caught him from behind. "Adrianna!" he shouted.
Adrianna was once again struggling inside water and now in the hands of Raz. Raz took her down. His eyes were blazing hot. "You are not going to escape this time," he said and opened his mouth to eat her. In the next moment, to Adrianna's horror the monster swallowed her in.
Adrianna could listen his laughter while inside his belly. She was infuriated as she found herself surrounded by the disgusting liquid inside his belly. She concentrated on her inner energy and brought out a thin copper light from within. She formed a ball of that light and threw it at the walls of his stomach. Immediately, the walls started melting because of the heat the light generated.
Raz felt slight pain inside, which increased in a few seconds. "Arrrggggg!" He couldn't bear the scorching heat and pain. It was as if a lightning had struck him inside his body. Within a few minutes, his body exploded into a thousand pieces akin to a shattered mirror as Adrianna emerged unscathed from inside him. One could hear his loud, painful hair-raising shriek from afar.
Adrianna swam to the place where the potions box was still buried. She dug it out and went upwards. When Fleur saw her, she pulled her out once again. This time Dmitri knew that she was safe and the monster had left them forever.
When Adrianna walked back on land with her head held high, everyone out there was awestruck. She gave the box to Fleur. Nate had been revived. He looked pale but he his eyes met Adrianna, and they were shining in heartfelt gratitude.
Dmitri watched her from a distance, too guilty to go to her and beg for her forgiveness . He lowered his head in shame and self-blame. Fleur had created a portal through which all of them went back to Dmitri's mansion.
Ookashi jumped with ecstasy when she saw Nate. She hugged him tightly. "Take me with you next time wherever you go," she said with tears streaming down her face. Ookashi thanked Adrianna profusely and everyone else and the couple left for their home.
---
When everyone was gone, Adrianna left to take a shower. She came out to find that Dmitri wasn't there. She just went to her side of the bed and dozed off. Afterall, the day had been one of the most adventurous days of her life till date and that was saying something with everything she had to deal with on a daily basis .
The next day Adrianna decided not to go to the academy. It had been a wild day for her and she needed a lot of rest. She wanted to see Dmitri, but she wondered where their relationship was heading to and couldn't help crying a little. He hadn't entered the bedroom at all last night. Was he avoiding her to that extent? It wasn't her fault that Raz kidnapped Nate, and even if he had, she had rescued him and Raz had been eliminated forever.
She went down to have breakfast and still there was no sign of Dmitri. She went out to look for him and wondered if he was walking in the gardens but he wasn't there either. While walking near a fountain, she heard some voices coming from behind a large bush. Adrianna stopped to hear the voices and realized they came from Cora and Keisha who were giggling merrily as they conversed.
"I was so surprised today, Cora," said Keisha in an excited tone.
"Why?" asked Cora.
"Yesterday evening Dmitri came over to my place and he left today in the morning. I have come back with him to meet you."
"Really? Oh, that is indeed good news, Keisha! I think he is just too tired of that bitch!" replied Cora with a scorn. "I knew that she just brings bad luck everywhere. Ever since Dmitri married her, he hardly found any solace, like there is something or the other bad that keeps happening around him. I am sure he is fed up with her. Now, he will know why I had warned him so right in the beginning when they were getting married!"
"He was looking very sad, Cora. I am sure he had something on his mind. I tried to ask him and also read his thoughts, but he had blocked everyone out. However, he ended up sleeping in the guest room."
"Good, good. Very nice Keisha, I am happy. You should make sure that he spends more time with you."
Keisha squealed with excitement.
As they walked and talked a little more, they finally saw that Adrianna was standing right over there. She must have listened to them. Keisha felt so good and satisfied inside that she proudly walked past her along with Cora who ignored her.