"I would rather walk with a friend in the dark, than alone in the light."

-Helen Keller

There was something so familiar about him - his hesitant stance, his cold eyes, the scar that cut through his cheek. Adira had seen him somewhere before, perhaps in a forgotten memory or maybe a chance meeting one day at the Plaza. She was clueless, but she felt as if she recognized his presence.

She hadn't meant to fall asleep when she curled up on the thin, frigid mattress, but she drifted off and then he was there in her dream. He seemed so real that she could have placed her hand on his cheek and warmed his icy glare. There was anger in his eyes, but buried beneath was a layer of fear.

He was there one minute, and then he was gone, shrinking away into the distance, the floor crumbling beneath him as he tried to shorten the growing distance between them.

As he plummeted through the blinding white abyss, she had startled awake.

Her hair was damp, strands sticking to her clammy forehead and the nape of her neck. She pulled at the back of her thin grey shirt they had given her to wear, separating the now drenched material from her sweaty skin. She glanced around her cell, searching, but she was alone - cold and alone.

He was just a dream, yet his presence still filled the cell around her. If only the Pits had been a dream. In reality, she would be eating Bea's homemade dinner, then she'd snuggle up in the guest room under the warm blankets that Bea knitted herself. What did Bea think of her now? Was she repulsed that she had been housing a supposed Wielder all those years? When the Council realized that Adira was innocent and set her free, would Bea welcome her back? There was no way in hell that Bea didn't find out what happened.  Adira was sure that her face was plastered on every television screen.

"You're awake," a voice echoed into her cell. Looking over her shoulder, she peered through the bars and spotted Ryder in his cell across from her own. "You know, I slept the whole first day I was here."

Adira did not reply. She swung her legs over the side of the bed, her eyes leaving Ryder's and focusing on her feet.

"You'll need the rest, if you feel like going back to sleep" His comforting voice reached her ears, but she kept her gaze pointed down. "They will come for you in the morning."

Now, that got her attention.

"They?" she asked, glancing back at Ryder. "Who is they?"

"The guards." He walked to the front of his cell, his fingers wrapping around the black bars. "Wielders always have court with the Council the day after they are captured."

"Court?" Adira asked hopefully. "So this means I will get a chance to prove I'm innocent?"

Ryder's eyes narrowed at her. "You mean, you're not a Wielder?"

"Of course not. It's all just a big mistake."

"Are you sure? I've never heard of the Authorities accidentally capturing a human." He looked at her skeptically.

"Well, wouldn't I know if I was a Wielder?"

"I guess so." Ryder shrugged his shoulders, releasing the cell bars from his grip.

A loud buzz filled the corridor of cells, making Adira jump off of the bed. Her cell door rolled open by itself, as did Ryder's across from her.

"What's happening?" Adira asked, stepping backwards cautiously, her eyes wide with alarm.

"It's okay," Ryder urged, coming out into the corridor. A babble of voices rang through the air as footsteps echoed off the walls.  Everyone was leaving their cells. "It's time for dinner."

When Ryder saw she was making no move towards the hallway, he stepped up to the opening of her cell. A sympathetic smile curled at his lip. "The food sucks, but you need something in your stomach. You're feeling pretty empty right about now, aren't you? Hollow? Like the world is ending? Well, food will help that, no matter how bland and stale it may be."

Adira's heart warmed a bit. He didn't have to be nice, they were enemies in the Pits, but he chose to be. Perhaps everything wasn't lost. "Alright," she replied, taking a step towards him.

"Before we go, I have to confess that I lied."

Adira's eyebrows turned down, confused. She stopped in front of him as he leaned forward to whisper in her ear, as if he were telling a deep dark secret.

"The food doesn't just suck - it's complete shit."

Then during a time when Adira felt so utterly lost, and when her heart felt like it was on the verge of shattering, she tilted her head back and laughed.

☆ ☆ ☆

The eating hall hushed when she entered, every pair of eyes latching onto her. She walked to the line, Ryder's hand on her back, pushing her forward, although her feet commanded her to go back to her cell and stay there forever.

Ryder helped her fill her tray, making sure that she avoided a cocktail of mysteries and bread rolls that felt more like rocks. She ended up with a dry slice of ham, some sort of soggy casserole, and one of the last ripe banana. Ryder had pulled the last bright yellow one from the bunch for her, giving himself a brown mushy one.

The eyes of the Wielders around her still burned into her back. With her tray shaking between her two hands, she took a deep breath, and turned around to follow Ryder to a table.

Adira's stomach turned over, wanting to vomit up her food before she even ate it. There wasn't a single vacant table, which made her nerves bubble to the surface, her neck and face heating.

They stopped in front of the end of the last table. Ryder sat down across from two Wielders and motioned for her to sit down. She slid onto the bench seat, next to him, her knees knocking together nervously under the table. The two pairs of eyes latched onto her, running over her face, probably trying to find any weaknesses they could use against her in the Pits.

"So you're the one who broke Jag's nose," mused the male seated across from Ryder. A genuine smile spread across his full lips, revealing his gleaming white teeth. His dimpled cheeks were smooth and the same color of the espresso beans Bea ground every morning.

Adira looked into his ebony eyes. "I broke it?"

The three Wielders seated with her chuckled then he continued. "You broke it, alright. I've never heard someone curse as much as he did while he dragged you into your cell."

"He shouldn't have hit her," Ryder interrupted, ripping at a piece of dry ham with his teeth.

"Nah, he shouldn't have, but it's Jag. What did you expect from him?" When Ryder didn't respond he continued. "It was stupid to try to escape, but you're honestly the first one I've seen that looked like they had a real chance."

"You're so brave," the girl sitting across from Adira spoke up. Her pearl white chin rested in her hands, her crystal blue eyes gazing back at her through thick eyelashes. Her dark brown, almost black, hair was cut sharply at her jaw. "And beautiful. What I would give to have your hair!"

Adira's cheeks burned, her eyes cutting away from the group. She felt awkward, honestly. How could they be cheerful when they were locked underground? When they were forced to fight each other?

"Because we're all we've got," Ryder said, startling her.

"What? How - did you just read my mind?" she asked, her eyebrows rising in disbelief.

"No, I just know what you're thinking. I felt the same when I first came here two months ago."

"Two months ago.." Adira's voice trailed off as she thought. "Wait. You're the telekinetic that wrecked that bus." She pointed at him, instantly regretting it once she saw the sad look in his eyes.

"What they failed to mention was that I saved a little girl's life in the process."

Adira wanted to place her hand on his shoulder, to comfort him the way he had tried to comfort her, but her hand stayed in her lap. She glanced away from him, tuning into the conversation happening across the table.

"You need to back off this time, Obsidian," the girl said, giving him a shove. "You've been honing in on the fresh meat for years. It's my turn."

"Well, Taliyah, she might not like girls."

"Oh, please, everyone likes me."

"That's obviously not true. I'm the one the girls always go for."

Taliyah grabbed a banana from her tray and waved it in Obsidian's face. "You know what? I should shove this right up your -" Her voice trailed off when she saw that Adira was watching them. The banana dropped and clattered onto the tray.

"I'm sorry," Adira started hoping that the answer to her question was going to be no. "But were you two just talking about me?"

"See, Obsidian?" Taliyah didn't answer the question, gesturing to Adira. "Look at that blush. Stars, she is adorable."

"Okay..." Ryder interrupted. "I think you two are making her uncomfortable."

"No," Adira argued, not wanting to make any enemies before court the next morning. She held her arm out across the table, opening her hand. "I'm Adira."

Taliyah sighed before shaking Adira's hand. "Charmed. I'm Taliyah. This is Obsidian. Don't be fooled by his smile. It may be nice, but he has a dark side."

Obsidian elbowed Taliyah in the ribs before shaking Adira's hand. "Taliyah doesn't always tell the whole truth. My dark side is actually quite literal. It's what I wield-darkness."

Adira's eyes widened. She had never heard of that kind of Wielder before. She felt so powerless and puny among all of these Wielders with their own unique powers. For a slight moment, she wished that she really did have magic.

"He may be able to suck all the light out of a room, but it's not nearly as cool as what I can do," Taliyah said, shooting daggers at Obsidian.

"Oh, shut up," Obsidian grunted.

"I'm a teleporter. I actually got caught because I went on a bank robbing spree."

"Don't make it sound like you were some badass bank robber, Tali."

"I was!"

"If you were so badass, then how did you get caught?"

"They got me on a bad day." Taliyah shrugged her shoulders. "What about you Adira? What kind of Wielder are you?"

"I - I'm not," she hesitated.

"What do you mean you're not?" Taliyah asked, confused.

"I mean, I'm not. I went my whole life having no powers and then all of a sudden I was stopped by Authorities. I think two Wielders saved me - an ice Wielder and one that could wield fire I'm guessing."

Ryder stilled next to her. "What did they look like?" he asked, the tone in his voice changing from soft and comforting, to hard and clipped.

"The girl had long blonde hair and the fire Wielder was tall with brown hair?"

"Marina and Colson." Ryder let out a gust of air he had been holding in.

"Your sister and Gage?" Obsidian asked.

"Yes. But I know that Marina would never use her power in public. Not after I wouldn't let her use it to save me. Are you sure she had blonde hair?"

"Yes, I am." The memories burst to life in Adira's head. "I could tell they wanted to help me, that's why I'm thinking they did. But... I don't know, it was strange. I was looking at them one minute and then the next I could feel their ice and fire inside of me. It could have just been the panic, but I think that the ice came out of my hands, and when the Authorities grabbed my arms, I burned them."

Taliyah, Obsidian, and Ryder all fell silent, looking at each other like she might be crazy. They wouldn't be the only ones thinking that. Adira had thought it many times in the past few hours. Feeling someone else's power inside her body should be impossible, right?

Taliyah leaned forward, whispering across the table. "So you're saying you used their powers?"

"No," Adira whispered back, the whole group leaning close together. Her eyes scanned left and right, checking to see if anyone was watching or listening. "Is that even possible?"

"Yeah, it is," Obsidian answered. "They're called Channels. Wielders with that power can tap into other Wielders around them. In some cases they can even fully absorb someone's power, leaving the other powerless."

Adira's jaw dropped, and she quickly snapped it shut.

"Channels are extinct though," Ryder said quietly.

"Not true," Taliyah argued. "There is one Channel left, somewhere outside of Acadia, but he is one seriously bad dude."

"You're right." Obsidian nodded his head. "What was his name? Greg?"

Taliyah lifted her hand, flicking Obsidian in the temple. "Don't let your good looks get in the way of using your brain. Do you really think an evil Wielder is going to go by the name of Greg?"

"His name is Grimm." Ryder glanced over at Adira, his eyes boring into hers. Was there amazement in his gaze? "And apparently he isn't the last Channel anymore."

"No," Adira shook her head, nervous laughter bubbling up to the surface. "No, no, no. I'm nothing. I'm just a girl without a home, without a family."

Taliyah reached across the table, grabbing Adira's fingers tightly in her own. "Silly girl, you're not alone. We are your family now."

"But you just met me, you have no idea who I am."

"You know what I've learned over the years down here? There isn't a single bad Wielder down here. Sure, some might need to be punched in the face a few times, but most of us were brought here as children, the rest just along the way. So I can tell you right now, that I know you're a good person and you don't deserve to be down here."

"Wow, nice monologue, Tali." Obsidian clapped her on the shoulder. "If only there weren't ulterior motives hiding behind that beautiful speech. I'm telling you, she doesn't swing your way."

"Stars, you are annoying." Taliyah shrugged his hand off of her shoulder. "You know, you were one of the bunch that I said needed to be punched in the face?"

"And are you going to be the one to do it?" Obsidian fired back.

The two continued to banter, and Adira turned her head to look at Ryder. He was already looking at her.

"A Channel, wow," he breathed.

"You really think that I'm a Channel?" she asked in disbelief.

"There really is no other explanation."

"Then there goes my chance at court tomorrow. I guess this means that I really am stuck down here." She hung her head, the sudden disappointment wrecking through her. Her chin began to quiver, her nose and eyes burning. She took a deep breath and blinked the tears away. She would not cry.

"Did you really think you stood a chance at court, anyways?" Ryder said, tucking his finger under her chin and lifting her face to look at him. "There hasn't been a single Wielder that's been found innocent. It's all for show."

"So there wasn't even a chance?"

"No, I didn't want to say anything and completely break your spirit." He dropped his hand, picking up his ham and taking another bite. He chewed and swallowed, then turned back to her again. "Don't let this bring you down. Don't let them bring you down tomorrow either."

Playlist ~ Salvation by Gabrielle Aplin

Graphic - Obsidian

How do you think ' court' actually works? How do you think Adira will react during court? Obsidian and Taliyah were two new characters introduced this chapter. Did you like them?

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