Hi everyone, welcome to my (first ever) Shadow and Bone fanfiction (please be kind lol I am trying my best).
I have planned this to be quite dark I'm going to be honest, have a look at the tags if you're unsure about the triggers and stuff.
I think updates will be weekly, but it depends on how well the story flows, we'll see.
Other than that, please enjoy my Queens together. 3
Chapter 1 – A touch of Shadow
Genya stared out of the window. The grey, damp - cold fog hung over the lands of the Little Palace like a dull veil. The sun sent cool, faint light onto the somnolent gardens. The Little Palace and its lands still lay in weary silence; in only a few hours, the Grisha would populate the training grounds and workshops. Gardeners, cooks, and servants would go about their work to prepare the Grand Palace for the arrival of guests from all over Ravka.
The Winter Festival was coming up, and a few chosen Grisha would accompany the Darkling to the festivities. Genya lifted her eyes from the pale grass, the symmetrically laid paths, and the accurately trimmed hedges. The golden tips of the towers of the main building, which usually gleamed in the sunlight, disappeared entirely into the grey.
Genya tore her gaze away from the desolate scene before her and continued through the corridors panelled in light wood. Candles still burned in the hallways and rooms, even though it was long after sunrise, bathing the insides of the Little Palace in warm, inviting light. Genya's footsteps echoed on the stone floor, mimicking her regular heartbeat.
The Tailor did not see the magnificence of the Little Palace anymore. It no longer meant anything to her, no longer amazed her. The marvellous crystal chandeliers in which the candlelight refracted, the paintings, the golden ornaments - Genya had become blind to it all. She had spent too many nights here, too many times she had walked through these corridors. Some days she could barely see her own beauty.
Since the age of five, Genya had lived somewhere between the Little Palace and the Grand Palace, forced to go wherever she was needed, at home everywhere and at the same time nowhere.
She had had to learn to adapt, use her skills, and beauty for herself. Her arrogance protected her, but it also made her very lonely. Slowly, Genya stroked the white fabric of her Kefta, feeling the gold embroidery on the cuff under her fingertips. It soothed her to touch that embroidery, just as it reminded her that she was on her own.
No one else but Genya wore white and gold; no one else was so separated from everyone else by their power. No one else lived here but didn't belong.
No one but Alina. Even the Sun Summoner, though, who had only recently become aware of her own powers, had found her counterpart in the Darkling, who favoured her so openly that everyone had noticed by now.
Alina belonged with him, while Genya was still alone. Genya was one of a kind, her power as good as unique, she belonged to no Order, had no family, and had been in the Queen's private service for years, to make matters worse. She assumed that this was the reason the other Grisha detested her.
She was a servant, preoccupied with the ruler's vanities instead of learning to fight or ever getting the chance to make friends.
The Darkling had decided at the time to have her special abilities trained instead of assigning her to an existing order, so Genya's powers had now evolved somewhere between Materialki and Korporalki. While this had allowed her to keep and nourish her unique power, she had had to forgo any kind of family or friendship that existed in the orders.
Alone, Genya had inevitably fallen to the bottom of the Grisha hierarchy. This left only her outstanding beauty as a constant companion, which Genya found to be a heavy curse and which at the same time seemed to be the only thing she could control.
Genya reached a large, bright door with golden decorations. She looked down at herself and plucked a long red hair from her Kefta. A flawless appearance was one of the little things she could do to show that she was worth far more than the Grisha thought of her. She stroked the snow-white fabric, took a deep breath, and looked up.
A Heartrender stood guard beside the door. Vasily had only finished his training a few weeks ago and had joined the ranks of the soldiers; he returned her nod curtly. His gaze lingered on her face, sliding down to her hands clasped together in front of her stomach, and the tug of a smug grin played around the corner of his mouth. Genya had to stop herself from snorting.
As soon as young men grew the first fuzz on their upper lip, they believed they owned the world and every woman in it.
After a few seconds, during which she coolly returned his gaze, he stepped aside, and the door to the Darkling's council chamber opened.
She brushed off Vasily's gaze as she brushed off the words and touches that slipped from the male Grisha as soon as they were drunk on wine.
Candles burned in their simple holders of brass on the dark-painted walls. To Genya, the room seemed very gloomy despite these light sources, as if the shadows were reluctant to give way to the light. Perhaps that was due to his presence.
The Darkling stood bent over a map at the large, round table in the middle of the pentagonal room. Genya approached and could see that he was following the black line on a map of Ravka. His index finger traced the jagged outline of the Fold almost lovingly, and he seemed lost in thought as if he hadn't heard her coming.
But Genya knew better. She saw the shadows, his constant companions twitching around his feet, like dark smoke that had a mind of its own. For some reason unknown to her, nothing escaped the General's notice, so Genya stopped. The door fell shut silently behind her, and she waited patiently for him to give her his undivided attention.
"Genya," Kirigan's voice was like black, cool silk settling on heated skin.
Even her knees weakened when he said her name like that. She knew it was the same for almost everyone who dealt with him directly, and she somehow understood why Alina was so attracted to him.
Genya couldn't resist him either, despite everything he did, despite everything he planned. No one could really resist him. But she saw the danger that hid beneath his smooth façade, the power he kept small to lull everyone into safety. So no one could ever be sure of the full extent of his powers.
"General," Genya had quickly regained her composure; she tensed her shoulders and lifted her chin proudly, "you sent for me?"
Kirigan straightened up, his shadows retreating and finally disappearing altogether. With his dark eyes, two black lakes in which lurked the unspeakable, he appraised her for a moment.
It was the look with which a General examined a soldier, nothing more. At least that's what Genya told herself as a slight shiver crept up her spine. It took her some effort not to shudder because even if his presence and attention was pleasant in an enchanting way, she also felt her instincts sounding the alarm. Kirigan was dangerous, no matter how charming he seemed, and Genya did better not to forget that.
"Yes," he nodded then, walking slowly towards her, "I want you to accompany Alina to the Grand Palace."
Genya's heart skipped a beat, and her insides tightened convulsively. "Why?" she asked, pressed, trying hard to regain her composure. She knew at that very moment that this question had been a mistake. She had to obey her General without asking. She had to trust him to fulfil her duty perfectly. A breath, then her body relaxed again, but the feeling of slight nausea remained.
Kirigan had already turned away and now turned his head in her direction, one eyebrow raised. "Since when does a soldier question their General's orders?" His voice was now a blade wrapped in velvet, and the shadows twitched at his fingertips. Genya did not take her eyes off the dark streaks that floated through the air. She remained silent. Kirigan, too lingered quietly, looking at her so inquiringly that Genya's skin began to burn.
"So you want me to complete my mission?" she asked then, trying hard not to let him notice how much such news upset her.
Kirigan's shadows moved with him, meandering towards her as he took a step in her direction.
"No. I don't want that, Genya. I command you to." The shadows turned to loving, cool touches that lapped at Genya's wrist. Only with difficulty, she managed to hold still as the shadows crept into her sleeves, and Kirigan stopped just inches from her.
"What if I don't want to?" Genya didn't know where she got the courage to even ask that. She just felt the lump in her throat at the thought of what would happen should she obey Kirigan's command. A low, dark laugh escaped the General's throat and the shadows sharpened. They scratched gently over the tender skin of her forearms like a thousand tiny claws. Genya hated the way her body reacted to him, the way he clouded her senses.
"Genya," Kirigan murmured and without warning, a comforting feeling flooded through her. "You are one of my most capable soldiers and the key to my plan," he continued softly, the shadows pausing on her forearm, becoming a tender touch again. "You know that only with your help a better Ravka can emerge. A better future for all Grisha. For Grisha like you."
Genya hesitated. She could not withstand the intensity of his gaze and cast down her eyes.
"Look at me, my beauty," Kirigan whispered, and Genya felt the shadows gently travel up her forearm to her elbow, like a cool breath of air. Yes, she was beautiful; yes, she was his. She forced herself to lift her gaze and looked directly into his dark eyes. "You want this future as much as I do."
"I do," Genya replied without hesitation, the words just slipping out of her without her seeming to have any control over them. An Order in which Grisha, like her, could unite and train. That was what Genya wanted. And Kirigan could give her that.
His eyes sparkled, and Genya took a shaky breath as he put a hand on her waist and pulled her close.
Suddenly he was everywhere; she felt his whole presence, all at once, the darkness pulsing around them both. His breath was warm on her lips, and Genya almost trembled with tension and desire. It would not be the first time she had given herself to him.
"Good," Kirigan lifted his hand and gently stroked her cheek, "Don't disappoint me, beautiful."
Genya forced herself to smile, even though her insides still felt ice cold.
"I won't," she promised silently, holding his intense gaze.
A satisfied smile appeared on Kirigan's face; he just lifted the corners of his mouth a little, breaking his neutral expression.
A knock on the door interrupted that moment, and the darkness disappeared just as quickly as it had come. Kirigan took his hand from Genya's waist, the shadows retreated, and Genya felt the warmth slowly return. "Come in," Kirigan called, and Genya regained her composure the moment the door opened.
