22. Sun Summoner
Back at the Little Palace, Aleksander didn't want anyone to know about the wolf, and therefore assigned a small servant's cabin on the premises for Laika. Katya had initially planned to keep her own room, but the wolf became so unhappy when left alone that it didn't take long until she too moved to the cabin. She didn't have the heart to lock up her new friend, and besides, it was refreshing to get away from the gossiping Grisha – Zoya, in particular.
Instead she spent much time summoning with Laika; sometimes alone, sometimes together with Aleksander who visited her as often as he could.
One morning Katya noticed Baghra disappearing into the nearby forest. What was she doing out here?
The next time Aleksander visited, Katya asked about it.
"Yes, I removed Mother from the Little Palace after I found out she used the secret paths to spy on us." He was leaning back on her bed, catching his breath after a rather passionate moment together. Tiny droplets of sweat covered his wide torso. "She lives in the old cave now."
"But what if she spies on us in here instead?"
"Just keep away from the cave and she has no reason to come this far. And even if she does, she can't harm you. You're a lot stronger now – especially with Laika."
Katya nodded. "I've no wish to seek that hag out." She buttoned up her kefta. "Right. Shall we go practice?"
He hesitated before replying. "Sure." For some reason he didn't sound very enthusiastic.
They didn't summon for very long; after only three fireballs Aleksander said he had work to do and returned to the Little Palace. Katya suspected that was just an excuse; she had noticed he was less interested in their lessons lately. As if he had given up on her.
She pulled Laika into a hug. Maybe it was a waste of time. "Maybe I'm a hopeless case," she murmured against the thick fur. "I'll never be able to summon a sun."
Laika replied with a lick in her face. It felt strangely soothing.
oOo
Aleksander visited Katya less and less the following weeks. The war was escalating, and the First Army had to cross the Shadow Fold more often to gather supplies in Ketterdam, and to do that they needed Grisha from the Second Army to control the sandskiffs. Being the general, Aleksander must often travel there to oversee them.
In his absence Katya intensified her training, spending nearly every waking moment with the wolf. Despite Aleksander's apparent disinterest, she knew she was improving, at least a little. Her fire grew hotter and larger with each day, and she had much better control of it.
Though she still had to show up at the Little Palace to attend meals and combat training, she stayed away as much as she could, and in addition she had asked Aleksander not to choose her for operations elsewhere so she wouldn't have to leave Laika alone. Other Grisha were often absent however; it was a quite decimated number at the table these days and some of the ones gone never returned. Crossing the Fold without attracting the deadly volcra wasn't easy.
Zoya was among those who had been picked for the latest journey, but Katya tried to be nice about it as she watched the line of carriages leave; even someone as horrible as she didn't deserve to die. But maybe she could become just a tiny bit injured – enough for it to be painful and to disfigure that smug face of hers?
Two weeks later a messenger came back from the Fold with important news. He went straight to the King with it, but of course the information soon spread.
A Sun Summoner had been found.
Feeling numb, Katya listened to the discussion at the dinner table. Apparently the Sun Summoner was a Shu girl in the First Army who hadn't even known she was Grisha. She had traveled with a skiff when a flock of volcra attacked them, and the girl saved it by summoning a bright light; a sun.
"I heard General Kirigan is traveling with her to the Little Palace now," said Marie, an Inferni like Katya. "I wonder what she's like? She must be pretty impressive."
"The general must be so happy," said Nadia, her friend. "A Sun Summoner, at last!"
"Yeah. Imagine what he can do with her in the Second Army. What we can do."
"Extinguish the Fold, even!"
"Excuse me." Katya rose rather abruptly, wiping her mouth. "I don't feel well."
She hurried out, but not before she heard Marie's subdued, sympathetic remark: "Poor her; it must be tough to be replaced as Kirigan's favorite…"
Katya had to struggle to keep her tears in check as she half ran back to her cabin.
oOo
The Sun Summoner arrived on horseback late one night – on Aleksander's horse, riding behind him. Katya watched from a window as he escorted her inside and told his guards to bring her to one of the suites.
It was too dark to pick out any details, but she looked quite normal. Not tall and striking, not powerful. Just a girl.
At least Aleksander didn't follow her to the suite; he left for his own rooms, and after a brief moment of hesitation Katya went there too, telling herself she often did so after they had been apart. It was just the normal procedure and had nothing to do with the Sun Summoner…
He opened at the first knock. Was it only her imagination, or did his expectant look change into a slightly wary one when he saw who it was?
"Come in." His voice sounded neutral.
When Katya had closed the door behind her the room became uncomfortably quiet. For the first time she didn't know what to say, and there was a new tension between them.
"So. You found a Sun Summoner, then," she said at last, stating the obvious just to break the silence.
"I did."
"A real one."
"Katya…"
"No. It's okay." She tried to sound like she meant it. "It's great news! A Sun Summoner… A chance to take control over the Fold like you always wanted."
He nodded, an eager glint appearing in his black eyes. "I haven't told her that, of course. Alina thinks she'll destroy the Fold, and I'll let her believe that for now."
"Alina? You're on a first name basis with her now?"
He looked away. "Miss Starkov and I are not that close, no. Not yet. But you have to understand we must become, eventually." He began walking as he spoke, his hands on his back. "I have to gain her trust, because a Grisha's power can't be forced. She has to summon voluntarily or it won't work – at least not unless I can find a way to harness her power and control it – and therefore I intend to be her only friend here. I'll single her out, separate her from the other Grisha – like I already did by giving her a suite rather than letting her share rooms with them. Make her feel alone and unloved so that she has no other option than turning to me." He met Katya's gaze at last. "That means I can't let her know about you and I. She must believe I'm lonely too, and in need of a friend. She's going to want to help me achieve my goals. And then, when I have the Shadow Fold and the volcra at my command, by then it will be too late for her to back out. By then, it won't matter if I have a girlfriend. Or…" A softness flicked across his eyes. "Or more."
Feeling a lump in her throat, Katya nodded. "I understand. How…" She swallowed. "How long will it take?"
"She needs training. Her power is immense, but raw and unharnessed. I'll send her to Mother."
"Baghra won't ever agree to help you expand the Fold."
"Don't underestimate my powers of persuasion." He smiled wickedly before pulling Katya closer, lifting her up to sit on his map table. "She'll do what I want." Then he kissed her, and through his touch Katya felt his excitement. It spilled over on her, making her start sharing his eagerness for the first time.
He wasn't going to replace Katya; he just needed this Miss Starkov to control the Fold, and then everything he had worked for for so long would be achieved. His power becoming absolute, the Grisha's status secured. He would be free to do whatever he wanted, unhindered by worries about the enemy or his people's safety.
Perhaps then they could make their relationship official? He had said 'more'. Did he mean marriage? The thought filled Katya with a flood of warmth that mingled with her desire, and when Aleksander shortly afterwards pushed her down on the table she was more than willing to let him take her on it.
It was only much later when she walked back to her cabin, tired and satiated, that she realized Aleksander's intended tactics – to isolate the Sun Summoner and gain her trust – could be said to be exactly the same he had used on Katya when she first arrived.
New doubt replaced the happy feelings. Was everything he had said tonight just sweet words to placate her while he switched love interests?
Don't underestimate my powers of persuasion.
Katya no longer knew what to think.
A/N:
I know this was a bleak end to the chapter, but things will soon improve. Katya still has her wolf, and it will turn out Aleksander isn't the only human amplifier… With her new power, who knows what she might unlock?