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

Chapter 22 - Victoria

Victoria would never forget that moment Adelaide was carried off to the hospital and she could only watch helplessly. Now that Adelaide was getting better, the image refused to shift. It was still branded on her mind as Victoria walked down the hospital ward.

She'd instructed her team to restock supplies for the airship and report their progress back to the AIA. Victoria and Rosaline of course stayed behind at the hospital Kiyan tagging along. Where else would he go? Convincing the authorities they had been a misunderstanding wasn't exactly easy but who was going to argue with Adelaide Wicardowen's testimony?

"She's alright, isn't she? No permanent damage?" Kiyan said.

Victoria sighed. "The treatment for Enchanters with lead poisoning is...difficult but I'm sure she'll be fine once she gets some medication. Oh that reminds me. There's a pharmacy across the street. Get Adelaide some painkillers" Victoria said, handing Kiyan Adelaide's prescription.

Kiyan walked away looking a little disappointed. Rosaline was already hurrying along the corroder.

"I'm keeping my eye on him. If he's a spy, he's bound to slip up sooner or later" Victoria said, twisting the door knob.

Adelaide's face was pale and drawn but she still looked better than she did the past few weeks.

"Hey" she said weakly.

"Addie" Rosaline said sitting down in the chair at her bedside. "It hasn't been the same without you".

"Have there been any developments?" Adelaide said sitting up.

Rosaline threw a nervous glance toward Victoria.

"No" Victoria said slowly.

A flicker of confusion, suspicion passed over Adelaide's face.

"Oh" she said. "What about the camp? Have the prisoners been released yet? Have you found Anya?"

Victoria's heart rate quickened and she felt the same sickness she felt when she first heard the news. She didn't particularly want to repeat the incident, especially when Adelaide was in such a delicate state. Rosaline bit her lip and looked at Victoria expectedly. Victoria took a deep breath.

"They investigated it, but we were too late. Brenda and her lackeys were gone. All the Enchanters...all the Enchanters are dead".

Adelaide swallowed as she took it all in.

"All of them?" she said shakily.

"They were no survivors" Victoria said.

Adelaide was stunned. Then she said:

"I want to see it"

"What?" Victoria said intelligently.

"When I get out this hospital, I want to see what's left of the camp" Adelaide said in what Victoria called her scary calm.

"Addie, no" Rosaline exclaimed.

"I don't think that would be the best idea" Victoria said.

"Don't talk to me as I were a child" Adelaide shouted. "This is something I need to do. Besides, it can't as bad as I'm imagining it".

But Adelaide was wrong. No one could have imagined this horror. Victoria's stomach churned when she read the map and realised the different section in the camp were places in the underworld. This really was hell. How could people live here? How did Adelaide survive this place? Victoria remembered Adelaide's sunken eyes, her hollow cheeks. She was on the verge of malnutrition when they found her. And Adelaide had only been here for six weeks. What would the people who had been here for all their life look like?