A Game Of Changing Tides

Chapter Twenty-Two

1868, the First Witch's Island

Adelyn couldn't see the stars.

Just beside her, Nina snored the night away, completely carefree. Adelyn had noticed that, even when sleeping, she looked far from vulnerable. Nina's face was hard-set, ready for a fight, just like it always was.

Above them, there were no clouds, nothing there that would usually block her view of the stars. And still, no matter how hard Adelyn squinted, there were none. The night sky was a brilliant black, and without the aid of twinkling lights above her, Adelyn could barely see her own hand in front of her face. The night had only gotten darker as time went by, until she could see nothing at all. It was as though the sky had forgotten them.

Adelyn wondered what would happen if she died there. So far the odds had not been in her favor. She thought of Harlem, and wondered if he would make it out of Greywells captivity. She thought of the three girls she shared a room with back at Anne Martens, and she wondered whether or not they'd noticed the frilly pink bag missing yet. She thought of her mother, and she wondered if she would see her again, once her heart stopped beating.

From the other side of the clearing, Adelyn heard a lighter ignite. Her eyes shot up, looking over at Nik, who's face the flame cast shadows upon. Relief flooded through her, warmth in her veins.

She'd been on edge all evening, and she figured she would be all night. Sleep was the last thing on her mind right then. Instead, she worried about what might lurk in the dark. It was a thought she found herself thinking often.

The sound of the trickling stream was a lull to her. A song that, at any other time, would have put her to sleep in an instant. She felt Nina shift beside her, turning onto her side. It was peaceful, despite the fear that had settled in Adelyn's stomach.

Somewhere in the trees, Adelyn heard something snap. It was the smallest sound-- so small that Nik, who sat not too far away, didn't so much as look up. But Adelyn had heard it, clear as day. She swallowed.

Her muscles clenched, and she laid completely still, listening. It was only a second later that she heard it: the faint sound of breathing. It was loud enough that it could have been right next to her ear. A shiver crept down her spine, and she lifted her hand, feeling the air behind her head, just in case. It was empty, and cold.

It grew quiet again soon after, but the damage had been done. Adelyn's eyes stayed wide, and her arms crossed over her chest. Eventually, Nikolai's light went out, and the dark clearing grew darker.

It was only once Nik had fallen asleep that she heard it. Somewhere in the trees, someone was screaming.

Adelyn shot to her feet, pulling the knife from her boot. Nina hadn't given her much of a weapon, but it was enough. Her eyes shot around the clearing, seeing nothing but barely-there outlines of trees and shrubbery. She considered waking Nik, or even Nina, but she soon decided not too. She didn't need them everytime trouble came her way.

Adelyn set off into the trees, her knife raised and ready. The screaming continued, filling her ears with ringing. It was a man, that much she could tell. It sounded as though the person was in pain.

Adelyn moved her feet faster, squinting in the dark to see ahead. The screams grew louder, but they still seemed so far away. She could barely see anything other than shadows and outlines. A dizzy, omniscient feeling swept over her,

The screaming suddenly stopped, and Adelyn's feet slowed to a halt. She stood alone, her back against a tree, and stared ahead. She could hear nothing; not the steady flow of the stream, not the obnoxious sound of Nina's snoring. It was silent, and Adelyn didn't like it one bit.