3 CHAPTER THREE

"Run Adelaide, Run" Reen, the little boy whom Adelaide had saved shouted just as a spear went flying.

She paused midrun, catching the spear by it's tail before throwing it towards the pint maniacs who she'd just harrassed into following her.

"Run faster" He yelled again " They will kill you if they get you".

Another spear whizzed past her ears , dropping to the ground. She ran past it.

If she died now, her mother wouldn't come for her; the vultures would be her only company in the afterlife and not even Reen, the child behind her would be there because he wasn't the person they were after.

The thought made her run faster.

Two forthnights ago, She'd entered a small tribal village unknowningly and She has been poisoned, thrown underwater, she'd never feared death untill then because realizing that even her mother couldn't come to save her made it all real.

She had realized it was final. The council throwing her out meant there was no coming back for her, no retribution for her past sins, they were done with her.

"Ha" I got them Reen cackled still watching behind them. The little boy had probably picked up the spear she'd run past.

"The smell of lavender should have warded her off " She thought grimly . It was so unlike her to refute warnings but She had walked into a place meant for maniacs who leeched off human body. The repulsing smell had almost made her turn away but then she'd seen Reen hiding behind a casket.

He had somehow called out to her for help, how she couldn't decipher and then she had done things she shouldn't have done.

"They've stopped" Reen panted when they ran past a couple of trees in a stone bared path.

Breathing heavily, Adelaide stopped and looked behind her, satisfied when they weren't anyone pursuing behind them, she glanced at Reen before looking around her .

They could be lost and Reen, he almost looked like a normal person but normal people couldn't call out to her; She never knew she could be called upon either.

He seemed like a commoner but her brief walk through his head had also been anything but settling. She had caught glimpses of the Grace sisters and also of their last protége but nothing of who the boy was except his name.

"Do you know where we are" She asked him, waiting as he looked around them and shook his head.

Again, they could be lost since they'd been running without foresight.

Adelaide swore. This was the last time she was taking off with no particular direction and she was ready to get on her knees to beg the council to take her back if she could because aside from being powerless she was lost on what to do.

She had no path.

Anger; She had refused to be angry unless faced with the source of her anger. Having no home, powers and coming realize that she had nothing to offer made her nothing special.

She turned to Reen again who was sitting on the ground now staring at her unfazed.

"Where are you from" She asked pushing aside all other thoughts and staring into his eyes. He looked hungry and his small fist rubbing over his stomach made that obvious.

"Far away" He replied still rubbing his stomach " But The villagers won't welcome me back without the Grace"

Adelaide stared on, resisting the urge to question him better. The Grace sisters where renowned in the castle. She'd met them twice and their faces had been anything but pleased when she'd snapped her fingers and everything went flying.

It had been a child's mistake but they, along with her mother had seen it as unrewarding and thrown her to the protége's ward.

"We need to keep moving" She muttered suddenly remembering they were nowhere and needed to get out of here. Pushing away the part of her which wanted to abandon him here. She knew he wouldn't last out here anymore than she could and she liked him as a companion

"ok" He nodded before getting up. " They might get us"

Six forthnights ago she had sworn she could survive out of the councils wall but now she wasn't so sure about herself. If anything, Adelaide hated being wrong.

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Her fists barely caught fire before the flame dwindled out; A show of her bereft of any power.

It had started happening before she got to the tribal village. At first she had ignored it, blaming her weak unconcetrated mind but now it was too obvious that she had either been stripped by someone or there was something wrong.

She would've been sure if she'd tried it after she'd been thrown out of the castle but she knew never to make use of her powers in non critical situations.

"It could be Eldridge" She thought abruptly. " It was probably him and if he'd done so because she'd wanted to kill him and burn the castle to the ground, the next time she would do it without pause.

Her fists caught fire again and burnt itself out.

" Weak" the thought flitted through her mind before vanishing.

Shrugging off the feeling, She Looked around the small clearing she and reen had made on the grass, she stared at the Reen curled around himself sleeping, probably very hungry but still sleeping. Looking away she forced her eyes back to her hands just as something moved around the bushes.

"Who's there" She murmured standing up and again her fist catching for but burning itself out.

"Don't fail me now" She whispered, cautiously aware that she was probably in danger.

The trees would shield her, the wind would welcome her but her powers would give out again.

"The boy" Someone hissed creepily "I want the boy"

She glanced at Reen quickly to confirm if he was still asleep before coming face to face with a cloak.

She fiercely stared at the cloak, fear and fire burning through her veins before the cloak revealed itself.

"You were doing it again" MT admitted, wavering under her stare.

Adelaide exhaled heavily, pouring out of her.

"Are you out of your mind" She seethed, and MT stepped back. She raised her palm in a attempt to choke him but her disappeared for a short while before appearing behind her.

'' I won't do it again" He murmured coyly, smiling a little bit. " I was worried about you".

Adelaide turned and calmed a little. MT was the only friend she'd made at the protege's ward. He'd kept her informed and had her back through it all, even when the others had despised her very existence.

Walking back to the clearing, she sighed before dropping to the grass "They threw me out".

"You always knew it would happen".

" Yeah" she sighed again " But they also took my powers.

MT sucked in a quick gasp, clearly shocked.

"I have nothing now Cloak and I can't go back to the castle".

"No you can't" He echoed whispering something before he disappeared Into the night sky.

A smile swept past Adelaide lips. It was gratifying to know she still had a true friend.