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

Chapter 15 - Victoria

Victoria

"I think you're being paranoid, Rosaline" Victoria said.

"It was just a theory" Rosaline shrugged. "How else do you explain it?"

"I-" Victoria didn't want to say she couldn't explain the situation. She didn't want to admit Rosaline's theory had crossed her mind.

"I don't think we should accuse anyone of disloyalty. We are all here for a reason. We are among the most skilled AIA agents, but this group dynamic is never going to work if we don't trust each other".

Some people at the table nodded in agreement but still eyed each other suspiciously throughout dinner.

The Falcons were seated in the seating area. After picking at her food a little more, Victoria joined them. She stayed quiet, as she had little interest in their conversations. And she knew everyone blamed her for Ritchie's death. She could feel the loathing evaporate off them.

"Casper said we're about to land and we're to be seated" Nicolas said, walking out of the control room. "Apparently Dominic crept into the control room when we were distracted by the imps. He threatened Casper and then Rosaline. He wanted to make the airship crash into the Amitician AIA building".

There was a collective gasp. As the Falcons took their seats, there was silence that filled the air. It's a talent to make people speechless - sometimes it was for all the wrong reasons.

The airship finally landed on a rough patch of the Concordian Isles. As the airship sped along the runaway, Victoria felt like she was in a washing machine with the amount of shaking the rocky pavement caused. The airship came to a slow stop and the Falcons rose.

"Where are we?" Cecelia asked.

"Summerspring Island, I believe" Nicolas answered.

Rosaline's eyes opened wide. "No. we can't land here – anywhere but here"

"What's wrong with Summerspring Island?" Nicolas asked.

"They hate me. We have to land somewhere else. I have to persuade Casper" Rosaline said getting up from her seat.

"Sit down. We've already landed" Victoria said. "You aren't saying anything to Casper because then you're going to have to tell him you were a thief".

Rosaline reluctantly kept quiet. The doors opened and the Falcons walked out to AIA agents pointing their swords at them.

"Armis, ponite. Tue es captus" one of them shouted.

"We mean no harm. Our airship has run out of fuel" Victoria said.

"Armis, ponite" they continued to shout.

"They don't speak Concordian" Victoria said to her group.

"But luckily I speak S'ian" Rosaline said, sauntering over to them.

"Sed ne a reo elit. Airship ad terram nostram, quia contritus est hic. Iniuriam nullam in animo habemus. Volumus, ut ad concordiam primum. Adesto nobis," Rosaline said.

"Scimus quid credam tibi?" one of them said.

"What did he say?" Victoria said.

"He's asking us why they should trust us" Rosaline said.

"We have the royal Concordian symbol on our jackets. That is her majesty's seal of approval. Please we will be here for less than a week" Victoria said.

"Sed in symbolo nostro regnum Concordii tunicas. Quod sigillum regis majestatis probat. Hic minus placet hebdomadam erimus" Rosaline translated.

"In deversorio manere, ut L denarios. LXX certus ut vestri airship" he said.

"He said it's 50 coins to stay in a hotel and another 70 to get the airship fixed" Rosaline said.

"Thank you" Victoria said.

"Gratias" Rosaline replied.

A local shopkeeper, who spoke Concordian, came out to see what all the commotion was. When Victoria explained what happened he pointed them in the direction of the nearest hotel. It was seven miles away, so The Falcons boarded the train, while the airship was left with mechanics.

The hotel was a decrepit building in the corner of little row of shops. It was painted a disgusting slime-green colour and some of the windows were smashed in. Inside wasn't so rundown. White and gold flowers adorned the hallways and fresh cloths had been draped over the tables – as if there had just been a wedding reception.

The Falcons were led to the newer rooms the hotel had to offer. Although it stank of paint, it looked clean enough. Victoria sat on the edge of her bed and turned to Rosaline.

"How do you know S'ian?" she said.

"This is the island where I was born. All the islands around here still speak S'ian. I didn't learn Concordian until I moved to the Concordia main land" Rosaline answered.

"All this time I didn't even know where you were from" Victoria said.

"I said I was from Concordia. This is still technically part of Concordia".

Victoria nodded.

"I failed everyone today. Especially Ritchie. What am I going to tell his daughters?"

"Everyone who joined this mission knew how dangerous it was. You can't keep blaming yourself"

"I know but lately I've been feeling like something isn't right. Nothing's the same. Not since Adelaide disappeared" Victoria said.

"If Adelaide hadn't gone missing, we would've killed Erebus by now" Rosaline replied.

Victoria was silent. The fear for Adelaide was always there. Even when Victoria was distracted, it was still there, still dormant. Talking about it awakened the terror in her soul. A constant dread that weighed on her heart and seeped her world in black.

"She's not coming back, is she?" Victoria whispered.

"Don't say that. We have to keep hoping" Rosaline said.

"We all have things we hope for. Wishes that will never come true"

"No"

"Rosaline, you saw those injuries Adelaide had. There is no way she would be able to live this long without treatment. It's been nearly six weeks"

Saying the truth out loud was like being set free. The truth was best for everyone. Not matter how much it hurt.

Rosaline's face was scrunched. "If she's dead, then it's my fault. I'm the one who left her".

"You weren't the one who was leading their dark minions against us. Erebus is".

"That means he killed Adelaide" Rosaline said shakily.

"Then we make him pay for what he has done" Victoria said.

And she meant it. She would kill Erebus if it was the last thing she did.

Will Victoria fulfil her promise? Don't forgot to like/comment if you like what you read.