The Shadows That Dwell Within (The Warrior Queens book #1) (#Wattys2016)

Chapter 13 - Adelaide

Hours later, Adelaide woke up with piles of blankets. Anya sat next to her, clutching a blue pendant. The pendant struck a chord of familiarity with Adelaide, but she couldn't place it. 

"They're coming for you" Anya said.

"Who is?"

Anya's lower lip quivered. "The men in black. The ones that can walk through walls".

A spike of fear pierced Adelaide's chest. "Are they Erebus's followers?"

"I don't know" Anya said. "I'll show you them".

Adelaide threw her blankets off and the cold air hit her. Suddenly she wanted to crawl back into bed but Anya's frightened face stopped her. Together they crept along the corridors of Elysium until they reached Brenda's office. Adelaide could just see through the blinds. Brenda sat at her desk and there was a man standing in front of her. He had dark shoulder length hair and he had a red ensemble similar to the Amitician AIA uniform. Although she only saw him from behind, Adelaide knew exactly who he was. How could she forget the man who she married?

"I told you to not to harm Adelaide. And what do you do? You torture her" Erebus yelled.

"I was doing you a favour. Don't pretend like you actually care what happens to her" Brenda snapped.

"Contrary to what you might think, I don't wish Adelaide any harm" Erebus replied.

Brenda raised an eyebrow. "No one would blame you. She left you for the AIA. Became a Warrior Queen. But she's not your queen anymore. Does that hurt? Does it break your cold dead heart?"

"That's enough" Erebus shouted. "No one touches one hair on her head and Adelaide stays here until we find the caveam".

Brenda slunk back into her chair but tried to regain her composure. "And if I don't agree with your methods?"

"You will if you value your children's lives" Erebus said.

A shiver ran through Adelaide. Anya was crying but had a hand on her mouth.

"Nothing's going to happen to you, I promise" Adelaide said.

Anya nodded but she didn't seem to believe it. Adelaide walked Anya back to her room and then put a protection spell on the door. She then glanced at the door beside Anya's room. She guessed she should show Anya's brother, Officer Cadalian the same courtesy. After all, he did stand up for her when his mother tortured her. She put a protection spell on his door and made her way out of Elysium.

Mirosson mentioned the Enchanters slept in a place called Lethe. All Adelaide had to do was find it. She wandered up the tunnels until she was stopped by a female guard.

"Are you lost?" she said but she didn't look concerned. Her eyes were cold.

"I was working in Cocytus late and I didn't go back with the others. I tried to find my way but I got lost" Adelaide babbled.

The guard's eyes narrowed. She didn't seem to recognise who Adelaide was or that she was supposed to be sleeping in Elysium.

"I will escort you to Lethe but the next time I find you wandering the tunnels at night I will shoot you on sight. Understood?"

Adelaide nodded and followed the guard to Lethe. There all the prisoners that lived in the labyrinth were sleeping on the floor all curled beside each other. Even with all the prisoners tucked into a ball, there was barely enough room for everyone.

Adelaide walked over and lay down as if to go to sleep. When the guard went away, Adelaide crept to the entrance and smashed the fire alarm button with her palm. A siren wailed out, sounding like the cry of a million war prisoners. The Enchanters awoke and scrambled to the door in a frenzy. Adelaide stood at the doorway and held out her hands.

"It's a false alarm" Adelaide cried.

The crowd looked confused, there was some muttering as people began to recognise her.

"I'm sorry I had to wake you all like that, but I for one am sick of being punished because I have a gift. I refuse to be beaten down any longer. I say we fight back" Adelaide shouted.

The people looked afraid and uncertain.

"They'll surely kill us".

"We're too weak".

"They see us as a virus" Adelaide continued. "Something they can't control or get rid of. So they have to contain us. But we're so much stronger than they are. Why do you think they have to poison us? Because we're too powerful for them".

"What you're suggesting is a suicide mission" one of them spoke up.

"Yes it's impossible".

Adelaide sighed. She knew it would be difficult to boost morale, but there was no way she was giving up.

"Do you know what they said to Henry B. Salinger, inventor of the airship? They said, humans were never meant to fly. They said something that heavy could not be airborne for long. These same cynics claimed Concordia would go to ruins under a woman's rule. Ten years later, Queen Evangeline's country is the 3rd richest country in the world and has one of the lowest crime rates in the world. With hope and determination, the impossible is possible".

The room was so silent Adelaide could hear her voice echoing through the tunnels. Every eye trained on her, every ear ready to listen, everyone was hers. It was like being injected with adrenaline – Adelaide was dizzy from the rush. Her every nerve was electrified as she spoke her next words.

"Do you know what they said to me the day I showed up at the AIA? Victoria said I wasn't cut out for it. That I just wasn't meant to work there. Now I realise that not just a select elite, but everyone is destined for greatness. Some choose to ignore it, others embrace it".

"If we all stand together, no one can stop us" someone shouted.

The crowd's cheers rang through Adelaide's ears. Her elation was cut short with a single blow to the head. Knocking her to the ground. Knocking her to unconsciousness.

Will the Enchanters ever escape the camps? Don't forgot to like/comment if you like what you read.