The weather in Ravka was a lot warmer than it was in Fjerda despite it was December. My thick clothes were becoming a little too much for me to wear inside the carriage so I took off my brown, fur cloak and placed it to my right.
There were two Grisha sitting in front of me in the carriage and they were wearing red, different looking coats –I didn't know what that special Grisha-clothing was called. One of them was a blonde-haired young woman with piercing blue eyes and hard facial features. Still, she looked absolutely beautiful –just like all the Grisha I've seen so far. I didn't know whether it was genetics but there was something special in Grisha blood.
The other one was a brunette young man, his green eyes had a softer look than of the woman's blue ones. His eyes were wandering on my thick clothes, "Do you have something underneath those?" he asked as he pointed at my sweater and trousers. I nodded. "You might want to take those off –you'll find Ravkan winter to be milder."
He was right, so I didn't argue and quickly took off my beige sweater and thick trousers. I was left with a grey, thin, long-sleeved tunic and black leggings. After placing the sweater and the trousers under the cloak, I leaned back and put my hands on my lap. I had no idea what was going to happen to me or where we were heading but I knew one thing for sure: Ravka valued the Grisha. Which meant that I was safe.
"What was your name again?" the blonde woman asked. It had been two days since we left Brabna and today, the Grisha accompanying me had changed so these two were new.
"Valkyrja Nørgaard," I responded. "Or simply Val."
She nodded, "Valkyrja, then." she muttered. "You don't look Fjerdan at all, Valkyrja and you certainly do not sound like one of them."
Sadness fell onto my tired features –I was probably stinking since I had been on the run for almost seven days now and a hot bath was rare to find in the woods. "You're not the first one to point that out." I muttered with a snappy tone. "And I speak four different languages other than Fjerdan."
The brunette looked interested. He leaned forward, "Four different languages? May I guess?" he asked. I nodded with a small smile on my lips. "Ravkan is one, for sure. Then I'd say Shu and Kerch."
"Ravkan, Shu, Kerch –all of them are correct." I said and pushed back a strand of raven hair behind my ear. My hair felt like a carpet. "The fourth one is Suli."
The blonde raised an eyebrow at me. "Not bad for a Fjerdan."
A frown appeared on my face upon hearing her comment, the brunette man was rolling his eyes at the indiscretion of his friend. Or fellow soldier, whatever. "I'm sorry, are you taught here in Ravka that you are in any way superior to the Fjerdans?" I asked with a hard tone. "Because you are just the same –both of you carry such hatred for each other that makes one indistinguishable from the other. The only difference is your approach to Grisha."
For a while there was an awkward silence inside the carriage, the young man was the one to break it. He ran his left hand through his light brown hair, "So, is it true that you're a Shadow Summoner, Valkyrja?" he asked. I turned my head to look at him upon hearing my name.
"I… I guess I am." I spoke silently. "I'm sorry but I'm just as clueless as you are about this."
"There's something I don't understand," he said. His friend, the blonde woman, had closed her eyes and she was not paying any attention to our conversation. "You haven't discovered your powers for what, twenty years…"
"Twenty-two," I corrected him. "I'm twenty-two."
He nodded, "Alright, you haven't realised you were a Grisha –and a really strong one –for twenty-two years and last week, your powers mysteriously surfaced. This sounds odd to me." he said and leaned back with a questioning look in his green eyes.
I averted my gaze. "I think it was rage that set the power free." I began to explain. The blonde opened her eyes, it seemed like she was interested in the conversation now. "That kind of rage was something I haven't felt before… It was extremely strong, so strong that it made me want to murder my father with my own hands. At that moment, I felt something within me awakening and breaking free from its chains."
"What caused you to feel such strong anger towards your own father?" the blonde woman asked. As I was about to answer, the carriage stopped abruptly. The two Grisha shared a look, then the blonde got off the carriage.
"Stay here and do not go out." the brunette told me before following the blonde. A few seconds later I heard gun shots and the shouting of the men in Fjerdan. The moment I heard my mother tongue, panic filled my insides.
They are here to kill me, I thought as my body began to shake while the memories of me running in Fjerdan woods crept into my mind. They are everywhere and they will not go away unless they get what they want.
A scream left my lips as the front door of the carriage was opened by a Fjerdan man. Holding me from my left arm, he forcefully took me out of the carriage. I was kicking all around like crazy, trying to break free from his hold but he was just too strong. He threw me onto the ground, branches broke in two under my weight.
Around me the two Grisha were killing people just with the movements of their hands, which meant that they were Heartrenders. I knew that was supposed to make me feel better since the Fjerdans didn't stand a chance against the Heartrenders but it didn't.
I stood up and began to run away from the bulky man, only to be held from my ankle. As I fell facedown, I quickly turned onto my back and threw a kick at the man. He groaned in pain and climbed on top of me. The knife in his left hand shone with the sunlight touching its blade and I let out a high-pitched scream.
The Heartrenders were running to save me but they were attacked by three other Fjerdans. I was left on my own.
"Dö pe Drüsje!" he whispered to me in Fjerdan and brought down his knife above my chest. The fear I felt was indescribable, my whole body was shaking and trying to escape –I was not in control anymore, fear was.
[Translation: "Die you witch!"]
Slowly, I felt something heavy growing in my chest. It was trying to break free, just like it did that night when I got mad at my father. As soon as I realised that, I knew what was coming and I had absolutely no control over it, over my power. It didn't felt mine at all –I belonged to it.
A loud cry left my lips as darkness literally exploded from my eyes, ears, mouth, chest, and hands. It threw away the bulky Fjerdan man on top of me to a nearby tree with a brutal strength, which ended up breaking his spine. However, the darkness did not stop with him. It spread into the woods like black fog and suffocated every Fjerdan assassin on its way.
When my power decided it was time to retreat, I was left violently shaking on the ground. The power burst was terrifying, it made me feel freaking strong during the action –even though I wasn't the one in control –but the after effects were horrible. I felt sick, weak, cold, vulnerable, and alone.
Feeling my conscious being draw into the familiar nothingness, I tried to call for help but I couldn't reach my voice. The only thing I could do was to extend my left hand forwards to the Heartrenders. Before I passed out, the last thing I saw was both of them running towards me.
Then, darkness swallowed my world.
/At the same time in the Little Palace in Os Alta/
The Darkling stumbled backwards and held onto the railings while he was climbing the stairs to the war room.
"Sir, are you alright?" the Oprichniki behind him asked but the Darkling didn't even hear him.
It's the same energy wave, the same tingling feeling, he thought as he took deep breaths. This time I very well know the source –it's that Grisha.
Something happened to the girl.
Shaking himself, the Darkling nodded at the Oprichniki and continued climbing the stairs but his mind was overmuch occupied by the thoughts and worries about the new Shadow Summoner, who was on her way to Os Alta at that moment.
His worries were confirmed in the evening when a letter from the Corporalki accompanying the Grisha arrived at the Little Palace, informing the Darkling about the Fjerdan attack. The Corporalki also wrote how the girl burst out strong waves of darkness to kill the assassins and how she passed out after that. Her pulse and breathing were stable at the moment when the letter was written but she was not regaining conscious.
The Darkling was glad that the Shadow Summoner was unharmed and simply imagining the amount of strength within her grasp was enough to excite him; however, her unconscious state also worried him. In short, his thoughts mostly dwelled on the new Shadow Summoner that night, even during the time he was with Shura.
Of course, Shura could easily tell that his mind was elsewhere –she could feel the emptiness in his touches, in his kisses but she didn't say anything. There was one thing she had learnt during these few months she had been spending as the Darkling's favourite and it was not to disturb his thoughts in times like this one.
The red-head was lying naked on the Darkling's bare chest, drawing small circles on his skin with her right index finger. The Darkling's fingers were tangled in her long, straight, ginger hair but his eyes were fixed on the ceiling.
"What are you thinking about?" Shura asked with a low voice as she moved her index finger to his face and began to trace his features with a faint touch. Slowly, the Darkling turned his slate-grey eyes to the young woman lying on his chest.
"It's nothing," he brushed her off and held her from the chin. Gently, he lifted her head and pressed his lips against hers. Shura was very well aware that he was kissing her to shut her up but she didn't protest. As the red-head opened out her lips, the Darkling slid his tongue into her mouth, which caused Shura to let out a soft moan. Slowly, he made them roll so that he was the one on top and moved his lips to Shura's exposed neck.
Even after their lovemaking, the thoughts about the Shadow Summoner were occupying the Darkling's mind. At last he wore a black robe and left his chambers, Shura was fast asleep on the dark sheets of his bed.
Baghra was not surprised when she saw the Darkling at her door. The two stood in silence for a while, the Darkling was leaning the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. Then he broke the silence. "Do you think she can help us?"
"Help you, you mean," Baghra said and took a deep breath. "She is no different than you and I, son. It is foolish for you to expect a miracle from someone of your own kind."
The hope in his grey eyes was something Baghra hadn't seen in centuries. "You don't get my point. She is from another bloodline, she is different." the Darkling spoke, it was impossible not to feel the excitement in his voice. "Maybe her powers will have a different effect on the Fold and on the volcra."
Baghra's eyes widened with terror, "You cannot be thinking of sending her into that hell you've created!" she roared at the Darkling. The shadows began to gather around her feet as the rage within her rose.
The Darkling straightened his posture and the light of the fire cracking inside the fireplace began to disappear as his shadows filled the small room. "Don't," he spoke with a low but dangerous voice, his figure was towering over Baghra. "Raise your voice while talking to me, mother."
If it were someone other than Baghra, they would have started shaking with fear; however, the old woman didn't even blink as she pointed at the door. "Leave me alone." she spoke with a venom-like tone. "I will not be a part of your abominable plans."
I hope you've enjoyed the first official chapter! Any thoughts on Valkyrja (I'll be calling her Val from now on) and Shura?
Thank you xrysatsan and perxephne for your lovely reviews on the previous chapter, they made me so happy!
Here is a general overview of the characters and their cast (most of them will appear in the upcoming chapters):
Valkyrja "Val" Nørgaard - Liv Tyler (in 90s) [Etherealki: Shadow Summoner; Fjerdan]
The Darkling (Aleksander Morozova) - Ben Barnes [Etherealki: Shadow Summoner; Ravkan]
Shura Kolacka - Madelaine Petsch [Etherealki: Inferni; Ravkan]
Celina Staron - Olivia Holt [Otkazat'sya; Ravkan]
Iwona Smolek - Zendaya [Etherealki: Tidemaker; Kerch/Ravkan]
Leon Godlewsk - Danny Griffin [Corporalki: Heartrender; northern Ravkan]
Radoslaw Nowacka - Jacob Elordi [Etherealki: Squaller; Ravkan]
Anita Banaszak - Christina Masterson [Corporalki: Healer; Shu/Ravkan]