The Fire that Ignited the Storm (The Warrior Queens book #2)

Chapter 3 - Victoria

"You have a meeting to attend at two" Arthur said.

"Come to my office at four o clock" Victoria said, handing her a VIP card so she could enter the AIA headquarters.

The reporters had a point. How could the AIA guarantee the safety of the public? Of the Enchanters being targeted? Short answer. They couldn't. But she couldn't say that to her father. She especially couldn't say that to the queen, who was sitting directly across from her. Queen Evangeline always wore the finest gowns, always in Concordian blue. The mesh of jewels weighed her neck down. The queen's hair was greying with age and time had taken its toll on her face. She always had a warm composure but her eyes demanded a satisfactory answer.

"We could put more agents out patrolling the street. That way we can minimise the damage caused" Victoria suggested.

Abel shook his head.

"I have always said there is one surefire way to eradicate these madmen" he said.

Queen Evangeline's smile dropped.

"Mr Elderwen we have spoken about this. I feel it's just too dangerous"

"Your majesty please. Give it some consideration. If we had snipers, we could so easily take out suspects"

"Father you cannot be talking about bringing guns back into the country" Victoria exclaimed. "Surely you remember the massacre of the Havensborough temple?"

"Yes and wasn't there just another one?" he countered.

"What if there was a way to make the Enchanters feel safe without violence?" the queen said.

"Like an Enchanter's sanctuary?" Victoria said.

"Yes. Somewhere they can go and be protected"

"There is no way the AIA could offer 24 hour protection" Abel said.

Victoria sat back, feeling deflated.

This meeting, like the meetings before it, was going nowhere. Her father was a stubborn man and Victoria couldn't help but feel intimidated by the queen. There were some things that never changed. The whole ordeal had exhausted Victoria. All she wanted to do was go home.

Lorna Davis would be waiting for her in the office. Victoria sighed. She didn't need this. Not with the added stress of Adelaide's disappearance. She couldn't pinpoint the exact reason she'd gave Lorna the chance. What she'd said was true. The public did deserve to know the truth – even if the truth was terrifying. There was an aura of honesty around her. Victoria liked to think she was a good judge of character, but she'd been wrong before. This girl could be like all the other reporters – just looking for a story to sell, to sensationalise to the point where it might as well be a work of fiction.

Victoria walked into her office to find Nicholas already there.

"I heard you were meeting with a reporter" he said. "It's not like you to give them the time of day"

"She seems genuine. I trust her" Victoria said, placing her notes from her meeting on her desk.

"Okay but just be careful" Nicholas said putting a hand on her shoulder. "You know what happens when we trust the wrong people"

"I know you're just looking out for me but you're a pain"

Nicholas smiled. "I know"

"Please don't say you came here to say that".

"No I didn't. I came here to tell you that Adelaide and Kiyan were last seen walking to the AIA basement" Nicholas said.

Victoria blinked, trying to digest the information.

"What was Adelaide doing with Kiyan? She should've been teaching the trainees"

Nicholas shrunk in on himself, as much as someone as tall as him could.

"I took over the class for her" he said.

Victoria threw him an annoyed look.

"Nicholas"

He threw his hands up.

"What? You were being too hard on her"

"And you're too soft" she countered.

"Look, I'm just worried about her. During the earthquake the old walls of the basement collapsed"

"You don't think she could be trapped under there?"

He looked at the wall, away from her.

"It's a possibility" he said, solemnly.

"Then why isn't there a search party down there right now?" Victoria demanded.

"I can't authorise that. Only you or your father can do that and your father is not the biggest fan of Adelaide at the moment"

Victoria signed the paper Nicholas was holding.

"Okay you need go now because I have another meeting"

Not long after Nicholas left, Lorna showed up. She looked like every other reporter apart from the beret atop her red wavy hair.

"Please sit down" Victoria said.

Lorna reluctantly took a seat across from Victoria. She clutched her pen and paper.

"I think I speak for everyone when I say what in heaven's name is going on?" Lorna said.

Victoria cleared her throat.

"There are people with only hate and anger in their heart. They call it patriotism. They're looking for someone to blame for every secret, every death. They feel the need to take revenge but have nothing tangible to blame. Erebus is already dead, Brenda has disappeared without a trace. So they shift the blame to Enchanters. They claim the attacks never would've happened if there was no magic to create the beasts. The fact the Enchanters were forced to do it makes no difference to them. There is no reasoning with these people".

"I don't understand" Lorna said. "Are you saying the Camicazi are back?"

"I don't think they ever went away. Sure we demolished their hideout, arrested and executed half of their members but there's always been hate against Enchanters. One of the queen's advisors was known for his anti-enchanter comments. He mysteriously went missing a month ago. When the violence against Enchanters peaked. I can't confirm it is the Camicazi – I can only speculate"

"Our readers want to know the truth" Lorna said.

Victoria sighed.

"I can only tell you what I saw"

"What did you see the night of the fire?"

"There was so much destruction. My job requires me to come across the worst kind of people. I've seen violence and blood – so much of it that it keeps me up at night. But these people, there was something different about them. They were violent – yes but they also strongly believed in what they were doing. And they held themselves with such high regard. As if they were doing good. As if beating that shopkeeper to death was a sure way of getting into heaven"

"Do you believe in angels, Victoria?"

"After what I've seen – how can I?"

It felt strange to admit it out loud. But also a great relief. The angels she'd looked up to in her darkest times no longer felt real to her. All the peace and safety she felt when there was a higher power looking over her. It all had been stripped away from her. The real world had killed her delusions – and any childhood innocence she had left. At least Victoria did not need to lie to herself anymore.