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

Chapter 2 - Adelaide

Adelaide sat in her isolated booth and watched the jury stream in. She knew this day would come. The AIA could not turn a blind eye. Not to the murder of a fellow AIA agent. Adelaide tried to feel something. Guilt, sadness, anger, regret. Those were the emotions she had been through. Now there was nothing but emptiness.

Raymond had betrayed the Falcons. Adelaide had no way of proving he was working with Dominic. All the proof Adelaide had was what he said the night she electrocuted him. Her word were not worth much. Kiyan was there too that night, but she didn't want to drag him into this. That kid had seen enough horrors in his life. Plus the credibility of his statement would be doubtful. Photos of Kiyan and Adelaide dancing at ball had been circulating the newspapers for months now.

Since then, she had been in the Royal Concordian High security prison. Adelaide had seen enough jail cells to last her a lifetime. She just hoped she would be allowed to keep her medal of valour. And her job.

Adelaide could feel cold eyes bore into her. She searched the crowd and was met with a woman's ice-cold stare. The woman's hair was greying and there was something familiar about those eyes. So full of anger and disgust. It was like looking at Raymond. It was his mother. Staring at her son's killer. She had every right to be angry. Adelaide sank into her chair. What was she supposed to say? I'm sorry I killed your son?

Nothing Adelaide could do or say what ease the woman's pain. So why bother with the trial? Why didn't they just lock her up and throw away the key?

The guilt she felt was nothing compared to what she felt when Prosecutor Adrossi walked in the room. That angular jaw of hers always reminded Adelaide of someone she once knew. That stare always sent a shiver down her spine. What was Adrossi doing in Concordia? Had she come especially for Adelaide? That woman was determined to put Adelaide away.

"Greetings ladies and gentlemen. I have come from my humble hometown to prove to you all that Adelaide Wicardowen deserves to be locked up for good" Adrossi began.

Adelaide felt sick, a nausea that crept up on her every time her marital name was mentioned.

"Adelaide killed Raymond Delango on July 5th 520 ATC. This is as true as the colour of the sky. Now I could show you key evidence, eye witnesses but I'm not going to".

This earned a look of confusion between the judge and the jury.

"The truth is, we don't need any of that. All we need is Adelaide's confession" Adrossi was practically gleaming. "Perhaps Mrs Wicardowen would like to enlighten us on what happened the night of Raymond Delango's death? Though I've heard she's not quite the speaker she used to be"

Adelaide cringed as she referred to the speech problem she had ever since she was revived - the night she almost died, the night she raised Abaddon, the night she killed Dominic. Victoria and Rosaline had reassured her it would get better with speech therapy, but Adelaide wasn't so sure. It was like having her weapon taken from her – she felt defenceless and vulnerable.

Adelaide took a deep breath and said:

"I would like to be referred to as Ms Sarscoshi".

"You bear no claim to that name. You threw away your family name the day you married Dominic" Adrossi said. "Now did you or did you not kill Raymond on the night in question?"

"Yes, yes I did" Adelaide said and then turned to face Mrs Delango.

"Raymond didn't deserve to die by my hand but you have to understand why I did it. Raymond had been working with Erebus, the king of shadows himself – I couldn't let that stand. He was deceptive and assaulted people to get his way-"