Katia's heart pumped quicker by the second as she stood outside Lieutenant Bohdan's tent, attempting to mask the panic she knew would be evident on her face. No matter what she did, trouble always seemed to find her. Just when Katia believed her life was about to change for the better, it seemed as if it might come crashing down. Being called upon by the Lieutenant would mean nothing good. Taking a deep breath, she entered the dimly lit tent, finding the man in question pouring over some papers at his wooden table. He turned to her when he heard her soft footsteps, an odd look of guilt flashing over his features.
"Sergeant Starkov" He greeted, rising to his feet, as Katia couldn't stop the way her face lit up at his words.
She had only been a Sergeant for a few short months, but they had been the best of her six years in the First Army. She had risen through the ranks, almost painfully slow at times, but her achievements could no longer be ignored by her seniors. She could still remember the beaming smile on her face as she wrote to her sister about her promotion.
"Lieutenant. I hope this morning finds you well" Katia nodded, as the older man raised an eyebrow.
"It is unlike you to attempt to flatter, Katia. I thought brute violence was more to your liking" Lieutenant Bohdan stated, more with amusement than bitterness.
"If this is about Private Dominik, then I can assure you, I have no idea how he found himself with so many broken bones" Katia retorted, with a slight grin.
"You know, I have no issue with the way you...command your men. I took a chance on you, Starkov, and you have proven yourself on every occasion" The Lieutenant told her, ushering her to sit.
"I'm sensing a but?" Katia frowned, taking her place at the table.
"The Kapitan has taken notice" The Lieutenant informed her, no longer being able to hold her gaze.
"Of how I look?" Katia guessed, earning a quick nod in return.
"It is rare for a girl to make it to the rank of Sergeant but for a Shu girl—" The Lieutenant began, but Katia quickly cut him off.
"I am Ravkan. I have always been Ravkan" Katia all but snarled.
"He disapproves of your rank. Of...well, your existence in this army" The Lieutenant confessed.
Katia's jaw clenched at his words, but she wasn't surprised. Every day, she faced the same disgust in her comrades' eyes, just the same as when she was young and in the Orphanage. How little things had truly changed.
"He wishes to strip me of my title?" Katia asked, in a small voice.
"...He's sending you into the Fold" Lieutenant Bohdan exclaimed, choosing to look at his own feet, rather than her.
Katia couldn't stop the soft gasp that left her lips, a million thoughts going through her mind at once. It took her a few moments to realise what his words truly meant. The Kapitan was sending her to her death. She knew dozens of people passed through the Fold relatively unharmed every year, but deep down, she knew that she would not be one of them.
"When?" Katia questioned, cursing the way her eyes began to water.
"Dawn. The new ship, Ultra-light will start it's voyage tomorrow" The Lieutenant explained.
"Who else?" Katia inquired, wanting to know who she was to die alongside.
"Half a dozen Grisha, and around eight men and women from our Army. Katia...he is sending Mal too" Lieutenant Bohdan informed her, as her jaw dropped open.
"He plans to kill my friends as well?" Katia gaped.
"Mal has found himself in almost as many fights as you of late. He believes you both to be...expendable" The Lieutenant went on, as Katia pursed her lips.
"And you agree with him?" Katia murmured, with narrowed eyes.
"I have my orders" Lieutenant Bohdan said, his tone full of guilt.
"I need to tell Mal" Katia exclaimed, pushing herself to her feet.
" Don't. Don't tell the boy, he deserves at least one more day without this weight on his shoulders" The Lieutenant insisted.
Katia had to bite down the urge to question why she didn't deserve the same, but she knew he was right. While Mal had always been closer to her sister, she still cared for the younger boy. He had been a constant in her life ever since she was a little girl. At least she wouldn't die alone, she thought to herself.
"For what it's worth...I'm sorry" Lieutenant Bohdan told her, finally meeting her eyes.
"Not sorry enough" Katia spat out, turning on her heel and storming out of his tent.
She had barely stopped shaking from anger when she spotted two familiar faces stumbling toward her, wide grins on both their faces. Katia was running forward without a moment's thought, all but lunging at her sister and pulling her into a bone-crushing hug. Katia wrapped her arms tightly around her shoulders, dropping her chin onto the younger girl's shoulder, who appeared taken aback.
"I didn't realise hugging was something we did now" Her sister murmured, embracing her just as tightly.
"I just...I missed you, Alina" Katia exclaimed, fighting against tears for the second time that day.
She knew there was a chance that hug was to be the last time she would ever hold her little sister, and it was something she wanted to remember. Reluctantly, she pulled away a minute later, rubbing at her wet eyes, hoping Alina wouldn't notice.
"And where's my hug?" Mal scoffed, as a giggle rose from Alina, her eyes flitting toward him.
"I only saw you this morning, Mal. And I don't like you much, anyways" Katia teased, earning a slap to the arm.
"I see some things haven't changed" Alina grinned.
"You got that right. Hey, did you hear my unit is getting put with Alina's again?" Mal stated, looking overjoyed.
Katia's face fell at his comment, wanting to tell him the truth. That he'd likely be dead tomorrow. That he needed to say what he needed to say that evening. But the words died on her lips. It felt too cruel to crush his dreams.
"I guess they can't keep best friends apart for too long" Katia suggested, giving Alina a pointed look.
She knew her sister had been head over heels for Mal ever since they were children, even if she would never admit it. Saints, it seemed like everyone but the two were aware of their obvious feelings for each other. It was bloody painful to watch sometimes.
"Oh, they moved our tent" Alina frowned, finding how the camp looked different from the last time she was there.
"Camp was getting too big" Katia shrugged.
"C'mon, like that's the only reason" Mal rolled his eyes, in a rough voice.
"So many First Army here. We look like a halfway house, accepting donations" Alina mumbled.
"Actually, I won't be accepting any donations...because I won this betting on a fight" Mal grinned, showing Alina the money he had crammed into his uniform pocket.
"Look at you. Flush with five whole kruge? What will you do with foreign money? We're not in Ketterdam" Alina huffed, giving him the money back.
"Alright, don't crush my dreams" Mal complained.
"But you make it so easy for her" Katia mocked, nudging him with her elbow.
Just as Mal was about to retort, a sharp shout from across the camp had them twisting around. A group of Grisha stood not far away, practising relentlessly as they always did. Katia watched in wonder as an Inferni threw a ball of fire at a dummy soldier, which instantly went up in flames. A Squaller, was blowing the flames out with a strong gust of air a moment later, nodding for the next Grisha to take a step forward.
"This is why our tents got moved. Grisha wanted more space" Mal told her, in a bitter tone.
" Ugh, Grisha " Alina muttered, as Katia gave her sister a pointed look.
"Without the Grisha, we wouldn't be able to travel through the fold. Where do you think we get our weapons from?" Katia scolded, as Mal held his hands up in defence.
"I almost forgot...we're in the presence of a Grisha lover" Mal teased, as Katia held her middle finger up to him.
"We need to work with the Grisha. If our two armies would just come together, perhaps we'd actually win this war" Katia grumbled.
"Whatever. They're always picking on us when their General isn't around" Mal pointed out.
"It's like home all over again" Alina mumbled, as the pair continued their walk, leaving Katia behind, still watching the Grisha intently.
She had spent more hours than she cared to admit watching them train over the years. Most were too scared to be around the Second Army, but not Katia.
How could she fear her own people?
Sharp brown eyes caught hers from across the muddy field, belonging to the Squaller who appeared to be running the training session. Those same eyes narrowed, almost as if they recognised her, which Katia knew wasn't far-fetched. It wouldn't be the first time she was caught watching them, and due to her Shu-Han looks, she was hard to miss. With a shake of her head, she whipped around to follow her sister, shaking away the thoughts of another life where she had agreed to be tested when she was young. If she had...she wouldn't have grown up with Alina.
Katia kept her gaze on the ground as she entered the main tent in camp, grimacing when she spotted the latest Shu-Han propaganda posters near the platform. She could practically feel the hatred coming off her comrades as she took her place standing beside Alina and Mal. She would never belong there, not looking like she did. Saints, she would never fit in anywhere.
"All right, listen up. I know some of you have been on the road for a week, so I'll be brief. Most of you will continue north to the Fjerdan frontlines. Or south to the Shu Han border. The Second Army, however, has a shiny new solution to our food shortage, and it sails tomorrow for Novokribirsk. If this model works, it means a full meal for everyone in this tent next week. It means bullets for your guns and sugar for your tea" Lieutenant Bohdan announced, as Katia's blood ran cold.
She couldn't stop her eyes from flitting toward Mal, who was completely oblivious to the way his life was about to change. What would Alina do without her best friend and sister?
"Of course, they need our help bringing those supplies back, so some of you will be assigned" The Lieutenant continued, as Mal rolled his eyes.
"There's nothing to fear. I will now be selecting names for what I call the 'nightmare lottery'" Mal mocked, earning a giggle from Alina, whose cheeks reddened under his watchful gaze.
" Fuck " Katia whispered under her breath, her legs begging her to run away.
"For the supply run across the Fold! Corporal Masyelentov! Tracker Malyen Oretsev!" Lieutenant Bohdan called out, as Katia watched fear flash over Mal's face.
"But...but you're in our unit" Alina gaped, her eyes wide with panic.
"Rifleman Valek Tapenyov!" The Lieutenant went on calling out names, as whispers grew in the crowd.
"It has to be an error. It has to be. Right, Katia?" Mal questioned, giving her a hopeful look, as she simply shook her head in response.
"Didn't sound like an error, Mal" Alina retorted.
"Medic Nolech Barenovsky. And finally, Sergenant Starkov" Lieutenant Bohdan exclaimed, finding Katia's eyes in the crowd, the guilt still there.
"No...no, why would...he can't..." Alina stuttered over her words, reaching out to clutch her sister's wrist.
"Hey, it'll be alright. I'll watch Mal's back" Katia insisted.
"And I'll watch yours" Mal replied, giving her a nod of recognition.
"You know how few people make it through the Fold once. Let alone twice!" Alina cried, her voice rising, earning a few irritated looks from the crowd around them.
"Sergeant Telpov has made it through three times. It's...it's possible, alright?" Katia pointed out, as Alina gave her a look of disbelief.
"Mal. You can't go. Please, please don't go" Alina all but begged him, letting go of her sister's arm and coming to stand in front of her friend.
"He doesn't have a choice, Alina. What do you want us to do, desert our post?" Katia muttered.
"If you're injured badly enough—" Alina began, but Katia cut her off quickly.
"Then we'll simply be sent on the next supply run. This is happening. There's nothing we can do to change that" Katia explained, placing her hand on Alina's shoulder, who shrugged her off, her dark eyes burning with anger.
An hour later, Alina was still theorising how they could escape their impending doom, as they queued in line to collect their dinner rations. Katia wished the Lieutenant had kept their orders a secret, at least until the morning. She hated the idea of her last hours with Alina spent with such tension and dread.
"There are dozens of trackers they could send, why did they have to choose Mal? Saints, I'd rather than send me" Alina admitted, as Katia sent her a cold look.
"Don't say that. Alina, you have to promise me not to do anything stupid while we're gone. I can't...I need to know you are safe" Katia stated, as her sister pursed her lips.
" Promise me? " Katia insisted, in a stern tone.
"What are two Shu girls doing here?" A gruff voice questioned, as Katia's eyes snapped up to the cook who had been about to pour mushed food onto her plate.
"We're Ravkan" Alina muttered, swallowing down the sigh on her lips.
"Is that an answer? Back of the line. Both of you" The cook told them, as Katia quirked an eyebrow.
"Are you aware you're speaking to a Sergeant? I could have you thrown out of this camp with a wave of my hand" Katia warned, making the cook scoff.
"You think I'm going to take orders from a rice eater?" The cook spat out, as Katia's eyes darkened.
Katia suddenly had the urge to send the steaming hot pan flying over onto the man's feet. Or grab the fork near her plate and stab him in the eye with it. A slight smirk grew on her lips at the thought, causing the cook to frown at her, an uncomfortable expression on his face. Instead of maiming the man, she picked up her plate and threw it toward the ground, as silence washed over the queue behind her. The cook gaped at her actions, grimacing as he saw she had smashed the plate into dozens of broken pieces.
"Have fun cleaning up your mess" Katia exclaimed, before she twisted around to storm out of the tent, ignoring Alina's cries for her to wait.
She knew she should have stayed with Alina, and tried to prepare her for what she should do if she didn't return, but Katia couldn't stand to spend another second looking into her sad eyes. It hurt too much. And it wasn't any easier being around Mal. He was putting on a brave front, but it was clear he was terrified. Instead of comforting them, she found herself outside the dinner tent late that night, waiting for the cook to finally leave. Most of the camp were fast asleep, and she hadn't spotted another soldier in over ten minutes. It was time. The second the old man exited the tent, Katia was upon him, one hand wrapping around his mouth and the other holding the edge of her army knife against his neck. His eyes widened in horror, trying to shove her away from him, but she pressed the blade harder against his skin, causing a line of blood to run down his neck. He instantly went still, shaking under her hands now.
"Are you ready to take your orders now?" Katia hissed, her hand itching to make the man bleed again.
He gave a sharp nod, as she slowly pulled her hand away from his mouth, putting a finger to her own lips, her message clear. He held his hands up above his head, as she cocked her head to the side.
"I didn't appreciate how you spoke to my sister earlier. Why don't you start apologising and maybe I'll let you keep your tongue?" Katia exclaimed, as the man gulped.
"I... I'm not apologising to Shu scum! " He cried, as Katia grit her teeth.
Suddenly, the air around them changed, and the lighting from inside the dinner tent seemed to dim. Katia watched as a shadow was cast over them, growing larger and larger until the pair were in complete darkness. She inhaled sharply, closing her eyes for a moment, willing it to go away. Praying for it to leave her. Not now.
Not now.
"You Shu-Han really are cowards, aren't you? You don't have the guts to—" The cook began, cutting himself off when Katia grabbed his hand and shoved it against the nearby tent.
An ear-splitting scream was echoing through the camp moments later as she sent her knife down onto his fingers, slicing them free from his hand, as blood splattered against her cheek. The man didn't stop screaming as she released her grip on him, watching as he clutched at his bleeding hand, her lips forming into a sinister smile.
"Speak a word of this...and I'll cut off the rest" She spat out, before shoving him to the ground and running away from the scene.
Her feet faltered when she spotted a figure standing in the distance, the outline of the large coat they wore was the only thing that Katia could make out. They weren't moving. Just watching her. Panic coursed through her as she wondered how much they had seen. She expected them to call for help, to send soldiers after her but instead, they did... nothing.
She and the stranger continued staring off at each other for a few more moments, the air feeling thicker with everyone passing moment until it felt like Katia could barely breathe. Then, just as soon as they had appeared, the stranger appeared to vanish into the shadows. She found herself questioning whether they had ever been there, as her legs finally began working again and she sprinted toward her tent.
"Do you think it's too late to make a run for it?" Mal inquired, as they walked along the wooden docks.
"It is if you don't want to get shot" Katia murmured, trying to look anywhere but the Fold.
"Did you speak to Alina this morning?" Mal questioned, as she shook her head.
"I couldn't say goodbye" Katia admitted, as they arrived at the boat they would most likely die upon.
Katia's blood ran cold as she heard the deep rumbles of thunder coming from inside the Fold, her eyes flickering up to see the bright flashes of blue lightning from inside the darkness. A sharp roar had her flinching, quickly realising what creature had made the sound. Volcra. Could they sense they were about to get a new meal?
"Are you planning to stand there gawking all day?" The pretty Squaller from the day before scolded, shoving her way past Katia and walking onto the ship.
"Better listen to your friend" Mal muttered, ushering Katia forward.
"Alright, First Army, with me!" Katia announced, bringing the eight non-Grisha on the ship toward the starboard side.
"From now on, we're one army on this ship. If we want to make it to the other side of the Fold, we have to put our faith in the Grisha" Katia explained, as one of the male soldiers huffed in disbelief.
"You want us to trust these freaks?" He mumbled, under his breath.
"Without the Squaller, this ship went move. Without the Inferni, the Volcra will eat us, bones and all. We're here to escort them . Not the other way round, got it?" Katia went on, watching the man turn a green colour.
"...Yes, Sergeant" The soldier nodded, a second later.
"If you listen to your superior, you all might just survive" One of the Inferni pointed out, giving Katia an appreciative glance, before walking to the bow of the ship.
"Now, the most important thing is..." Katia trailed off, her heart stopping, as all the colour left her face.
Alina.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Katia cried, watching as her sister stumbled onto the boat, her mouth slack as she stared up at the impressive structure.
"We've been assigned with you" Alina replied, as Katia noticed three other cartographers following close behind her.
"No. Turn around right now" Mal insisted, firmly.
"Orders are orders" Alina shrugged, as Katia grabbed her sister's arm.
"Get off this boat right now before I throw you off" Katia ordered, with no sign of a bluff.
"You know I can't desert my post. It's too late" Alina muttered, shrugging her off.
"What is wrong with you, Alina?! Do you think this is some sort of game? Everyone on this ship is going to be dead in less than an hour!" Katia hissed, earning a few glares from the people around her.
"She's...she's joking, right? Right? " A blond Cartographer, whom Katia vaguely remembered was named Alexi, gaped.
"I can't protect you here" Katia exclaimed, with pleading eyes.
"I know. Katia...you can't protect me forever. I've made my decision" Alina told her, as Katia shook her head, vehemently.
Before her sister could argue further, the gates to the back of the boat were drawn up, leaving no time to escape. Unlike a normal ship, the gate covered the entire stern, so that nothing could get to them. Not that way at least.
"You don't leave my side. Understand?" Katia whispered to her sister, who nodded, nervously.
"I'm sure a brother wouldn't be this much trouble" Katia muttered under her breath, bringing a small smile to Alina's lips.
"Here's how it goes. We go into the Fold, it gets dark, but we like it dark. That keeps us from drawing attention. That's how we travel. The only light we use is the blue one at the mast. It's weak but safe" The Inferni explained, pointing to the dull blue light, which would give them little protection in the dark.
"Where's your General? Kirigan?" Mal inquired, but got no response from the Grisha.
They had all heard how the Darkling had arrived the night before, under the shadows of the night. It had been all anyone was talking about that morning.
"I guess he thinks we're all gonna' die too" Katia scoffed, as the sails were unfolded, quickly gathering wind.
"Right, listen to me, cartographers. Until we reach the western dry docks, you are to remain at your station. Do not, I repeat, do not leave the skiff during the crossing" Katia called out, ushering Alina and the others toward the mast, away from the edge of the boat.
The ship lurched forward suddenly, as the Squallers lifted their arms and blew more air into the sails pushing the ship along the skiff. Katia was quick to pick up her rifle, holding it in one hand as she turned to her sister. Alina's eyes were wide with fear, her chest rising and falling quicker and quicker as they journeyed closer to the Fold. Instinctively, Katia reached out for the younger girl's hand, more for herself than for Alina. She squeezed Alina's hand tightly, as Alina shut her eyes and waited to be engulfed by the darkness. Katia held her breath, as a gust of wind blew her hair over her shoulders, and everything went black, causing her eyes to flutter shut too. When she finally plucked up the courage to open her eyes, she found the dark was still there. It was deathly quiet, the only sound around them the creaking of the ship and their panicked breaths. It was impossible to see anything more than a few metres away from the ship, as everything else was swallowed about by an insidious darkness. A sharp crackle of thunder had Alina taking a step closer to her, gripping her hand so hard that Katia was sure she'd have bruises. She was slowly becoming aware of a strange feeling of pins and needles spreading over her body until she felt like her entire being was buzzing with...
Something that didn't bear thinking about.
The events of the next few minutes happened in a blur. A sinister growl from above them. An Inferni questioning how the Volcra had found them so easily. One of the Cartographer's lighting a lamp. Then, everything descended into chaos. He was the first to be killed, as a Volcra flew down from the sky, its claws piercing into his skin and dragging him away. His lamp fell to the wooden ship, engulfing the floor in the flames and inviting every Volcra in the Fold. It was a bloodbath.
Katia raised her rifle to the sky, shooting at anything she saw move, but it was no good. Their bullets did little against the monsters. And in less than a minute, half the crew was dead or bleeding on the ground. Katia called for the Inferni to put out the fire on the ship, but in a split second, the woman was thrown from the ship by one of the Volcra.
" Katia! " Alina's sharp scream broke through the chaos.
Katia twisted around just in time to see a Volcra had grabbed onto her sister's shoulder, its horrible claws clamped down onto her skin, just seconds away from taking off with her sister in tow. Katia inhaled sharply, her chest suddenly growing tight, as she felt something come over her. Something insidious. As if her hands had a mind of their own, she was holding them out in front of her, causing tendrils of shadow to rise up her fingers and palms, as Katia's body buzzed with power. She then pulled her arms back, as the shadows flattened out, appearing sharp and sent the darkness forward. Her jaw dropped open as she watched the Volcra go still before it split in half, its decapitated head flopping to the ground, blood splattering over Alina's face. Her sister dropped to her knees, staring up at Katia in shock, her eyes burning with an emotion Katia had never seen from Alina before. It was the last thing Katia saw before the darkness overwhelmed her and she too fell to the floorboards of the ship.
"— ke up. Wake up! " A hand exclaimed, before Katia was struck in the face.
Her eyes shot open, mouth gasping for air, finding the same Squaller from the day prior staring down at her. The beautiful woman's lips were drawn into a fine line, as she grabbed Katia's arm and hauled her to her feet. Katia's head spun as she was all but dragged forward, her vision remaining blurred as she suddenly found herself back on the docks. Back in Kribirsk.
"Where...where is my sister?" Katia exclaimed, in a shaky voice.
"Who?" The Squaller frowned, but continued pulling her down the steps of the docks.
"Alina. The Cartographer... where the fuck is she?! " Katia cried, shoving the Squaller away from her, as panic took hold.
"You're...sisters? Well, I suppose that makes sense, doesn't it?" The Squaller scoffed, nodding to two Oprichniki at her sides.
"Don't touch me!" Katia warned, holding out her hands, surprised to find the two men flinched.
The Oprichniki weren't Grisha, but they were almost as terrifying. She thought they were scared of nothing. So, why were they almost shaking in her presence now?
"Don't you want to see your sister?" The Squaller suggested, as Katia's brow furrowed.
"Where is she?" Katia repeated, for what she hoped would be the last time.
"In the Grisha tent. She's been brought before General Kirigan" The Squaller informed her, turning on her dainty heels and walking away, knowing Katia would be quick to follow.
Dozens of Grisha were lined up outside the tent, too many emotions on their faces to count. Fear, disgust, confusion, maybe a little bit of hope? Katia couldn't understand why her sister had been sent to the Grisha tent, why she was, unless...
Had someone seen what she had done to save Alina? Saints, Katia herself still didn't really understand what had happened. How had they got back to the docks safely?
The tent flaps were pulled open, as it took Katia's eyes a moment to adjust to the darkness inside. The second her gaze fell on Alina, she was racing forward, clutching the girl's shoulders, a wave of relief washing over her. Alina was alive. And appeared relatively unhurt. Just as Katia opened her mouth, ready to thank the Saints for saving her sister, Alina pulled away, her nose crinkled in disgust. Katia frowned at her as Alina took another step back, crossing her arms over her chest and refusing to look at her sister.
" Alina ..." Katia trailed off, remembering that Alina herself must have seen what Katia had done.
"And this must be the sister of our supposed Sun Summoner" A deep voice announced, as Katia twisted around, meeting dark brown eyes.
The same feeling that overwhelmed her in the Fold, arose again as she stared back at the man dressed in black kefta. Only one Grisha wore such a uniform. General Kirigan. A man who had ruled the Grisha for longer than anyone could remember. Katia's frown deepened as her eyes surveyed the General's face, finding him far younger than she was expecting. His black hair was pulled back away from his face, not a strand out of place. A thick beard covered the lower half of his face, emphasising the sharpness of his cheekbones. But it was the man's eyes that had Katia's mouth going slack. They were so dark, they appeared almost black. Katia found herself lost in them for a few moments, her heart skipping a beat.
"Sun Summoner?" Katia questioned, her mind finally catching up with the Darkling's words.
"The girl was unconscious when..." The Squaller trailed off, seeming to not want to finish her sentence.
"When, what?" Katia exclaimed.
"Your sister is said to have destroyed the Volcra. To have summoned pure light. What do you say to this?" The Darkling announced, leaning back against the wooden table behind him.
"That's...that's absurd. My sister is a mapmaker. The Sun Summoner doesn't exist" Katia insisted.
"Nor, should you" The Squaller muttered behind her, bitterly.
"Zoya. If you have something to say, speak up" The Darkling ordered, his eyes narrowed.
"I saw this girl...summon shadows, General. I saw it with my own eyes" Zoya informed them, as whispers erupted throughout the tent.
"Two impossibilities in one day" The Darkling murmured, raising an eyebrow.
"Perhaps you hit your head during the attack" Katia suggested, turning to the Squaller she now knew as Zoya.
"No such thing happened. I know what I saw" Zoya retorted.
"Then I suppose you must simply be mad then," Katia said, in a bored tone, missing the way the Darkling's lips twitched for a moment before he masked the reaction.
" I saw it too " Alina mumbled, in a tone almost too quiet to hear.
"What was that?" The Darkling inquired, taking a step forward.
"I...I saw it too. I saw what you did. The shadows you created, how you killed that creature..." Alina stuttered, in a shaky tone.
"She's been watching the Grisha for days now, General. There have been multiple witnesses" Zoya went on, as Katia bit her inner cheek.
"Where did you both grow up?" The Darkling asked, curiously.
"Keramzin" Katia answered.
"Hmm. And when were you tested?" The Darkling questioned, as Katia's eyes darted to the ground for a moment, as she always did when she was about to lie.
"You don't remember? Well...let us just make certain" The Darkling announced, striding toward the pair.
Katia watched as he placed a large ring onto his thumb, a sharp claw hanging off the end of the ring. She instinctively pushed herself in front of the man, terrified of what he had planned for them. She wouldn't let him hurt Alina. She'd die before she let anything happen to her.
"You're not touching my sister" Katia stated, glaring up at the taller man, defiantly.
The Darkling's eyes drifted over her for a few moments, all the way from the top of her hair to the army shoes she wore, then back to her face again. He took another step forward, as the buzzing in her veins intensified, and her heartbeat increased.
"Should I touch you instead?" The Darkling suggested, as their eyes connected.
A moment later, he was reaching out for her wrist, and the second he touched her skin, a strange calm came over her. Her legs weren't begging her to run anymore, her heartbeat slowed, and she once again became lost in his dark eyes. She barely registered that he was pulling up the sleeve of her white shirt, feeling oddly weightless. It was as if something was unfurling inside her, waiting to be called upon after so long. A sharp pain pierced through her, as Katia looked down to see the Darkling cut a small line on her arm with his ring. And then, the darkness came.
Tendrils of shadow flooded out of her arm instantly, billowing out along the ceiling, and engulfing the tent in complete darkness in a matter of seconds. Cries came from all corners of the tent, as many of the Grisha jumped back in fright, terrified of what the shadows would do to them. Katia's eyes returned to the Darkling, finding a slight smile on his lips, and emotion on his face she didn't recognise. A moment later, he released her arm, and the shadows slowly began to lift, leaving Katia gasping for air.
"Incredible" The Darkling exclaimed, seeming almost as breathless as her.
Katia stared down at her own hands, never having believed in her wildest dreams that she could hold so much power. She could no longer deny the truth. She was Grisha. She was a Shadow Summoner.
Suddenly, a bright light blinded her, as Katia raised her hands to shield herself from what she first assumed was a fire. The light continued burning, followed by a soft gasp, one that she knew belonged to her sister. As she slowly pulled her hands away, she saw Alina in the same position she was minutes ago, the Darkling having cut her arm too. But instead of shadows, pure light erupted from Alina's arm. It was so powerful it took only seconds to pierce through the top of the tent and up into the sky above them. It was true. It was all true.
When the Darkling released her, Alina stumbled back a step, looking as if she was about to faint. Katia reached out instantly for her sister's arm to steady her, as voices rose in the tent, some cursing the girls while others praised them. Alina reached back to place her hand over Katia's, squeezing tightly just as she had done on the ship. They were together. That was what mattered.
Moments later, Katia felt something calling out to her once again, as her eyes snapped up to find the Darkling gazing at her. His lips twitched into a smirk when he realised she had felt his presence.
He could hardly believe his luck.