Spirit of Shadows

| Chapter Twenty Six |

"So you've been trailing us for how long?" Kachina asked Adabelle bitterly.

I watched as she added a small cube of sugar into her coffee cup, swirling it around aggressively with a small stir stick. She had run out of green tea, which didn't help her mood improve in the slightest.

"Ever since the, uh, incident." Adabelle said, casting a quick glance toward me as she rose the cup for a small sip of coffee.

I tried not to act as if she was showing me pity with her fragile stare, but it was there alright. Every time I caught her looking at me, her aqua eyes would always soften at my expense and I hated it.

"You know," I began, steadying my voice, "you don't have to pity me."

Everyone paused and flicked their gazes toward me. Under different circumstances, I probably would've shied away from their shocked expressions, but this time I did not. I held fast and continued to watch Adabelle's reaction.

The girl didn't seem shocked at all, which seemed to piss me off even more. She could at least have the decency to act sorry.

"Alright." Was all she said, taking another small sip of her dark coffee. I remember, seeing as though she didn't add any cream or sugar. Ironically, It was bitter, which I was learning was much like her.

"Anyways," Matthias began, clearing his throat. "Where have you been?"

"The brothels, brother." Adabelle replied with a clipped tone. She set the coffee cup down roughly on the small saucer, making the table shake slightly.

"Don't you dare use that sort of tone with him!" Kachina said, standing from her chair and pointing an accusing finger at Adabelle. "He has been worried sick about you ever since I've known him! Even when Em had met him, he had been doing nothing but looking for you!"

I couldn't agree more with Kachina's words but I bit my lip and waited for Adabelle's reaction. Surely, this would blow up into a huge fiasco.

Matthias tried to cut into the conversation, probably to do some damage control, but Kachina didn't give him the chance.

"Don't. Matthias. Don't you dare say anything to defend her. Let her speak on her own behalf."

I glanced from Kachina, whose eyes were alight with barely contained fury, to Adabelle. The blonde haired girl's face gave away no expressions. I couldn't tell if she was sad, angry, or humored by Kachina's lecture.

Or, well, that was until she had pushed her own chair back slowly. She rose up and dusted off her dirty maroon-colored, brothel uniform. Then, she casted her focus toward Kachina.

"I know exactly who you are: Kachina. A forbidden Spirit trainer, unwanted daughter to your parents, and unsurprisingly, an illegal citizen to Mistshore."

Kachina's mouth dropped open at Adabelle's harsh tone but the girl didn't let her speak up quite yet.

"And do you know who I am? Go on and take a guess because I already know that you have seen my powers at work by that pub earlier and I'm sure you've figured it out by now. Since I left Betty's so easily with your friend here.

Kachina stared in shock at Adabelle and Matthias had, had the same reaction.

"Uh, a smart ass?" Jonah asked innocently.