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

Chapter 28 - Victoria

"This isn't like killing animals. You would be killing people" Victoria reasoned.

"Criminals. Arresting criminals. It doesn't always come to killing" Kiyan objected.

"No it rarely comes to that. But we carry weapons around with us for a reason" Victoria said.

"And there's always the possibility you kill an innocent. Are you ready to live with that?" Raymond said.

Kiyan didn't say anything. Just stared at his plate.

"There's your answer" Victoria said, taking another bite of her food.

Later that night Victoria brought food to Adelaide given that she couldn't come to dinner. As she carried the tray of food up the spiral stairs, she thought about what Kiyan had said. What did Adelaide think about his ambitions? Did she know about them? Was it her idea? A sickening thought occurred to Victoria. Would Kiyan be coming back to Concordia with them?

Victoria pushed the door open with her back and spun round to find the room empty. Her heart lurched. The door to the en suite bathroom creaked open and Adelaide stepped forward and took the tray from Victoria. Adelaide then sat down and dug into her meal.

"Did Kiyan tell you about his ambitions to be an AIA agent?" Victoria asked.

Adelaide stopped eating. "I thought he was just joking" she said.

"He was asking me about how long I've been training. He sounded pretty serious" Victoria shook her head.

"Now I've thought about it. I don't see the harm in him trying it out. He'll soon see it's not for him and quit" Adelaide said.

"So it's settled? Kiyan will be coming back to Concordia with us?"

"Of course" Adelaide coughed. "He's not really an Amitician and he doesn't have anywhere else to go"

Victoria sighed. "If we must".

"You still don't trust him. Do you?"

"He knew about my father" Victoria hissed. "Don't you think that's a little strange?"

"You're father has made a number of enemies. He was never the most...approachable man".

Victoria didn't show it, but Adelaide's comments stung. She knew it was true, and it wasn't like she was ever close with her father, but he was the only family she had. For years she'd believed she was an orphan and being reunited with her father was both a blessing and a curse.

"If he had grown to hate the AIA why would he want to become a part of it now? It joins the many list of things about him that don't make sense"

A flash of annoyance passed over Adelaide's face. "Go on?"

"During the attack on level one there was only two people unaccounted for. Him and Cecelia who ended up dead on gym floor".

"But we know that was one of Dominic's followers. The message was about him"

"Adelaide, the doctors who examined Cecelia's body concluded that she had been dead hours before she was found. Before the attack even happened. Whoever killed her was already in the building before the attack"

"That doesn't prove anything" Adelaide protested.

"Why can't you see what's right in front of you?" Victoria said and with that she left the room, tired of Adelaide's nonsense.

Just as Victoria marched down the spiral steps Kiyan ran up them.

"A beast has got through the castle wards" he gasped.

"How could that be? Those wards are made of the strongest magic there is" Victoria said.

"I don't know I heard it from Raymond. He's gathering a group in the gym" Kiyan said.

"Good. And you were coming here to tell Adelaide?"

"Of course"

"Don't. We got enough trouble without Adelaide being thrown in the dungeons again. You don't want that, do you?" Victoria asked.

"No" Kiyan answered.

"Keep Adelaide from following us and I'll put a good word in for you in the AIA. The minute we get back to Concordia"

"Really?"

"Yes, but you have to stop Adelaide at all costs"

"How will I do that?" Kiyan asked.

Victoria had started to head towards the other flight of stairs.

"I'm sure you'll find a way" she said.

Priceless paintings and artefacts which had no doubt been inherited through hundreds of generations were strewn across the floor. It was a shame to see such beautiful relics in this state but Victoria had bigger things to worry about. Like the flying Cyclops rampaging towards the royal safe.

It was a stupid imp. Aimlessly circling the room. Victoria jumped on a table and slashed at its wing. This earned a wail from the creature. Another slash to the torso put it out of its misery. Black blood sprayed across the room. Victoria wasn't too concerned. The royal family certainly had enough rooms to live in. This room, along with its possessions, wouldn't be missed.

Victoria was the only person in the room until Raymond came through, a look of absolute horror on his face.

"Is that all the creatures?" Victoria said, almost afraid to hear the answer.

"Almost. There's just one..." Raymond said.

"Where is it?"

"Just outside the gate. A behemoth. I've never seen one like it. We'll need to use infernal magic" he said.

"That demonology degree is coming in handy" Victoria said as they ran outside.

Victoria stopped in her tracks. Raymond had been right. There really was nothing like this behemoth. It looked like a mountain of swamp, with eight legs protruding from it. A black fog surrounded it preventing anyone from getting to close to it.

Panic rose in Victoria's heart as she moved her way through the crowd. Panic that was dosed once she saw the bright orbs of light surrounding the monster. The light rose from the ground burst into sparks that rained down on the swamp monster. The light was blinding but beautiful. It could only be holy light.

Don't forgot to like/comment if you like what you read.