At first, Alina thought it was the sound of thunder—but even thunder did not rattle the manor as much as this did.
Her eyes flew open to cannon-fire, explosions, and gun-fights illuminating the starless night.
She scrambled to her feet, tugging on stockings and lacing up her boots when Ana Kuya burst through the door. For the first time that Alina could recall, her strict governess looked rattled.
Not even when she had seen the ghostly ships outside the window when they had found Alina had Ana Kuya looked so startled. Strands of her jet-black hair had escaped her bun, and she had not even the time to dress, for she was still in her nightgown and dressing robe.
She grabbed Alina's dressing gown off of the coatrack and thrust it into the orphan girl's hands.
"Quickly, we need to move—they're attacking the manor," Kuya said. "It's like the ship was invisible—none of the guards saw it until they were upon us!"
Alina shrugged the robe onto her shoulders and tied the waist with her nimble fingers. "Where will we go, then?"
"I don't know, but they've already gotten into the manor."
The floor shook beneath Alina's feet, and the rumbling was so loud, she feared she would not hear again.
Ears ringing, she allowed Kuya to pull her along, into the dimly-candlelit corridors. They stumbled into one of the sitting rooms, only to see two pirates looting every drawer, grabbing one of the candelabras.
Without another thought, Alina darted around Kuya and grabbed one of the swords off of the display over the mantle.
One of the pirates drew his sword, the other drew a revolver from her hip.
Alina blinked—this wasn't going to work.
She glanced out at the window, at the port—the stream of pirates seemed endless, and if they had invaded the Governor's Manor, there really was nowhere else to go.
They were at the mercy of these scoundrels.
But they had a code, didn't they? Alina recalled that much from her novels. Couldn't there be something she could use, a word that would allow her to negotiate—
As the girl-pirate raised her revolver, Alina knew she had to speak, to delay, to act.
"I would like to invoke parlay!"
The girl and the boy shared a glance.
"What did you say?" The boy sounded unsure.
Alina lowered her sword and composed herself, taking care to speak more calmly, firmly. "I would like to invoke parlay. To be taken to your captain, unharmed, to negotiate. Please."
"Well, she did say please—"
"I don't know, Alexei." The girl looked her up and down. "I don't think the Captain will like this."
Alexei rolled his eyes. "The Captain's easily amused—I think parlay's enough of a novelty that he won't mind, Ruby."
Ruby narrowed her eyes at Alina, drifting down to where the medallion hung around her neck. "Fine, then. We accept. I guess."
"Wait, Alina—"
She turned to see Ana Kuya, eyes wide with terror.
"You shouldn't do this, think about what the Governor will say—"
"I need to do this." Alina felt a thrill of pride run through her veins. It was almost an adventure, to negotiate with a pirate captain for the safety of her home.
Perhaps not what she would have wanted—but she couldn't deny her excitement all the same.
"I'll be alright," Alina assured her governess. "The right of parlay means that they cannot harm me until the parlay is over."
"Well—" The governess's eyes darted to an impatient Alexei and Ruby. "I see. Then ensure that your own safety is one of the terms."
"I—" Alina felt as if her heart were in her throat. She had not realized that her governess had cared so much for her, all these years. "I'll come home safe."
"Good." Kuya nodded, her composure returning. She tucked her hair behind her ear and straightened her dressing gown. "Now you'd best not dally. Understood?"
"Yes, Miss Kuya."
Alina turned back to the pirates. Ruby just raised an eyebrow.
"Ready yet, or are you going to take another small eternity?"
"No, no, I'm ready." Alina sucked in a deep breath, fidgeting with the medallion around her neck. "Take me to your captain to parlay."
"If you say so," Alexei muttered, letting out a low whistle.
Then he and Ruby grabbed her arms and started pulling her away. Like before, Alina could sense that her life was about to change. So she couldn't help but look back at the Manor and the burning port city.
But when she looked ahead, to the docks, a bit of torchlight caught the side of the boat and her heart skipped a beat.
The Volkvolny.
That same ship, although it had been greatly repaired and expanded upon, had returned.
She thought of the way Ruby had looked at her medallion, the medallion Alina knew had somehow been important, even if she had no memory of why.
Could she be the reason Port Keramzin was attacked? Had that mysterious past that eluded her finally come back like a ghost?
Only time, she knew, would tell.