Soul Chains

Chapter 17: Hidden Strengths

We take Adrienne back to Reine and Dimitri's village, where we place her in a holding cell that temporarily eliminates abilities far away from the village area itself in a small prison beyond the courtyard. Adrienne narrows her eyes and crosses her arms as she stands on the other side of the bars.

"What?" Adrienne snaps, "are you just gonna keep me here pretty and waiting for Coralyinn?"

"No," Dimitri scowls and crosses his arms against his chest, "we want to know what your plans are."

"One of you already knows my plans," Adrienne's lips curve up into a smirk as her eyes lock on me and I shudder.

"What is she talking about?" Dimitri asks, narrowing his eyes at me.

"She tried to kidnap me before, okay," I hold my hands up in defense, "no need to accuse me of anything."

"No games," Dimitri scowls, walking up to the cage and placing his hands on the bars, "we aren't afraid to kill you if we have to. Tell us Coralyinn's plans."

"You really think I'm just going to hand over everything?" Adrienne scoffs, "Coralyinn is going to kill me either way, so why would I help you?"

"Has Coralyinn gathered any links?" Reine asks.

"What don't you people get about the fact that I'm not going to help you," Adrienne sighs in frustration.

"We can protect you from Coralyinn," Reine continues, "if you tell us--"

"Look," Adrienne seethes, "you need to back off--"

"Fight me," I blurt out and the entire area goes silent, all eyes darting to me.

"What?" Reine's eyes widen.

"Fight me," I say once more, raising my head high, "if you win, you get to walk free. If I win, you tell us everything you know."

"Are you crazy?" Dimitri scoffs, "that's going to get you killed."

"I know," I take a deep breath, "but I'll do it."

"Gabriel, don't--" Reine starts.

"You have an agreement," Adrienne purrs.

My eyes stay locked on to Adrienne's as Reine sighs and reluctantly unlocks the cage as Dimitri and Renee grab on to Adrienne's arms. Adrienne's lips curve up into a smirk once more and she chuckles as she gets escorted passed me. You see, the thing is, if I carry energy in the chain, wouldn't that make me valuable? I know Adrienne wanted me before, so there's no way she'd actually kill me. At least, that's what I'm hoping. I don't know why she agreed to fight, but it's my last ditch effort. Maybe she thinks she can run off, but somehow I don't see that happening and she knows it.

The thirteen of us end up in the courtyard where Dimitri and Renee keep hold on Adrienne as the others get situated at a safe distance and Reine closes her eyes and holds out a hand, forming a wall of silver energy that arcs slightly over them and protects them.

"You can let go of me now," Adrienne says once I'm standing across from her and Dimitri rolls his eyes before letting go and making his way over to Reine and the others.

Adrienne raises a brow at Renee, who wearily releases her other arm and jogs over to the others.

"Now," Adrienne smiles lethally as she summons two sai and stares me down, "let's fight."

I inhale sharply, taking a deep breath as I summon my katana with closed eyes before letting them flutter open again.

"You got this, Gabriel!" Melantha cheers from the sidelines.