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

Chapter 24 - Victoria

Commotion roused Victoria from her sleep. There was loud banging and shouting. She'd recognise that voice anywhere. Nicholas. Victoria jumped out of her bed and ran out the room. She got downstairs to find a group of people running out the hotel with a bag that was unmistakably Victoria's. She sprung into a stealthy run, but then stopped abruptly. Nicholas got up, brushed himself off and shook his head. When he turned around, she noticed the gash on his cheek. Victoria went up to him and punched his arm.

"You went after them by yourself?" Victoria cried.

"Well someone was having their beauty sleep" Nicholas said.

"You could've woken me" Victoria said.

Nicholas snorted. "Yeah, that'd be a trick".

They made their way up to the rooms to find Adelaide turning her room upside down.

"No. No. Where is it?" she chanted.

"They took most of our stuff. Whatever you're looking for it's gone" Victoria said.

"You still have your clothes and the other things in your wardrobe and we still have some supplies you'll be fine" Kiyan said.

Adelaide sighed. "My jewellery was in that bag".

Why would you bring your jewellery to Shinama?

Two days later they set off for the fortress. After a long and bumpy ride, they finally had to stop for a rest. Nicholas and Kiyan were talking about the differences between Amiticia and Concordia. Adelaide was leaning against the vehicle, her arms crossed. She had been unusually quiet all day.

"Hey you're not too upset about a couple of pieces of jewellery, right? You could buy them all back if you wanted to" Rosaline said.

"It's not that-"

"What under heaven's kingdom is that?" Nicholas cried.

Victoria walked over to where Nicholas was standing. There on the ground was a fox that looked like it had been shredded.

"It looks like it was a fox" Victoria said.

Kiyan looked pale for some reason. Surely he'd seen a dead animal before? He worked in labour camp where Enchanters created those horrible beasts. He'd fought a demon alongside them. What could be so bad about a dead fox?

"What could've done that?" Kiyan said.

"A lupine beast" Adelaide chirped in. "They resemble wolves but they're much larger. So are their razor sharp claws. They can snap a person's head off with one bite".

"That's not helping" Victoria said.

"And they travel in packs" Adelaide added.

Nicholas howled in imitation of a wolf. Victoria rolled her eyes but a smile crept onto her lips.

"I hope it's still funny when a beast is gnawing your leg off" Victoria said.

That night they set up a tent to sleep in. Victoria shivered as goose bumps appeared on her arm. The desert might have been scorching during the day but at night it was bitter.

"I wish we could've built a campfire" Victoria said.

"But that would require wood" Nicholas said from behind the car boot.

"And it would probably attract predators" Victoria said.

"Probably" Nicholas said, handing Victoria a water bottle and a sandwich. "Can I ask, how did we end up on first watch?"