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

Chapter 40 - Rosaline

Abaddon's manacles snapped and it rose into the sky like a giant bird of death. The ground beneath disappeared and they tumbled into a bottomless pit. With only the stars surrounding them, Rosaline felt like she had no substance to her body – completely weightless.

Finally she reached the ground with a shattering thud. Rosaline felt like every bone in her body was snapping. Every move was agony. She turned her head and saw Dominic holding Adelaide's staff. He then threw it to the ground and turned to Rosaline.

"Get up" Dominic said.

"That's what I've been trying do to" Rosaline shouted.

Rosaline attempted to push herself off the ground but her bones felt like they made of liquid. She collapsed face first into the dirt. She lay there for a while soaking in her own humiliation. A hand grabbed her arm and tugged her upright. She scrambled to her feet and realised with a start it was Dominic who helped her.

"I can't unleash that monster upon Amiticia" Dominic said. "I won't be responsible for the end of the world".

It's a trick, was Rosaline's first thought. What choice did they have? It wasn't like the situation could get much worse. But why would Dominic want to help them all of a sudden?

"We can't destroy that" Rosaline said.

"Don't you get it? Its resistance is down. We can send it back to its own realm" Dominic said.

"How?"

"You're the one who fights imps all the time" Dominic shouted.

Because of you, Rosaline wanted to scream. But that wouldn't help. It was true they had fought many imps but imps had weaknesses. Fire imps had water, ice imps had fire. What was the opposite of demonic magic? White magic.

Rosaline racked her brains. Whose weapons was enchanted with seraphic magic? Rosaline glanced over at Adelaide's discarded staff. Enchanter's staffs had to be charged with seraphic magic. Rosaline grabbed the staff and threw it with all her might. The staff bounced off Abaddon's head.

The demon glowed red and exploded like fire. Pure liquid magic rained down on them. It was like her skin was being coated in acid. Every inch of her stung. She looked around and everyone was already on their feet. Apart from Victoria. Rosaline jogged over to where she lay. She froze when she saw blood seeping from a tear in Victoria's jacket. It was a harsh reminder of her own injury. Nicholas was already right beside her, frantically searching threw his bag pack.

"She was hit" Nicholas said. "Her injury is pretty bad I-I don't know what to do".

"I'll find Adelaide" Rosaline said grabbing the staff that had somehow managed to survive the explosion.

Rosaline ran over to the pier, her every step sent another surge of agony up her leg. Adelaide lay unconscious. Kiyan leaned over her. This felt all too familiar.

"What happened?" Rosaline exclaimed.

"I tried to revive her. I really did but she's been out for 6 minutes" Kiyan cried.

Rosaline went pale, her vision wobbled and her bones liquefied. Her voice came out shaky and small.

"Well try harder".

Rosaline squeezed her eyes shut. She couldn't lose them both today. No. It wasn't fair. Since when did that matter? Just because Rosaline wanted something, wished with all her might didn't mean it was going to happen. Thinking the world worked like that had really been quite childish.

When Rosaline opened her eyes, Adelaide was awake. She sat upright and began coughing and spluttering.

"Addie. What happened?" Rosaline said.

"The d-demon is it-"

"It's gone" Rosaline said.

Adelaide looked relieved. Then her face darkened when Dominic came into view.

"The demon is gone. It's over" he said walking along the pier.

Adelaide shakily got to her feet with the help of Rosaline and Kiyan.

"It's never over. Not for me" Adelaide said.

"No really. I'm done. I don't want to bring anymore darkness into this world" Dominic said.

"That's a goddamn lie if I ever heard one" Adelaide shouted.

"Addie, he helped us" Rosaline said.

"So? You can't just say you're sorry and make it all better. It doesn't work like that. You deserve to be punished" Adelaide said, plucking her staff out of Rosaline's hand.

Dominic eyes widened and he took a step back.

"Not by you. You're a good person. That's why I loved you"

Adelaide raised her staff and swung it knocking Dominic off balance. He fell to the ground with a thud. He made no attempts to fight back and his followers were nowhere to be seen.

"Adelaide have mercy, please" Dominic pleaded.

"Mercy? I don't have any mercy or freedom or innocence because you took that away from me. Do you have any idea what it was like looking behind every corner, hiding for years, terrified you might find me? No. No more".

Rosaline looked for any compassion in Adelaide's eyes. Instead she found emptiness. Dominic's face was a mask of panic. He backed away but made no attempts to run. With one motion from her staff, Adelaide brought years of fear, anguish and anger and unleashed a fiery tirade that cut through Dominic like a knife through butter. The impact knocked him off the pier. Dominic's body made a sizzling noise when it hit the water. He thrashed around in the water, his body still on fire but not quite burning his flesh. Whatever magic he possessed finally gave in and the flames scorched his body leaving only ash behind.

Rosaline felt bile rise up her throat. For a moment, no one spoke. Rosaline could only hear her own heart pounding.

"Victoria is hurt. She needs your help" Rosaline said.

Adelaide's eyes widened in fear. She dashed along the pier, but Rosaline did not follow. The sight of Adelaide struck terror within Rosaline. Adelaide had killed before, but she'd never been so...brutal. Never had there been such a coldness surrounding Adelaide, an anger so raw she was impossible to reason with. Not that Dominic was a saint. As he begged for his life, it was almost as if she fed from his desperation. Not only that, she didn't seem to regret it. But would Rosaline? Did she regret the things she had to do for the AIA? As the sirens wailed in the distance, Rosaline let herself wonder if they really were the heroes.

Is Rosaline right to question their morality? Did Dominic deserve the end he got? Don't forgot to like/comment if you like what you read.