Elementals || Grishaverse

Chapter 9: Beauty Sleep

"I don't have time to explain. Can you please cooperate?"

Adaline thought about it. She needed to make a plan and for that to happen, she had to put up with a facade. But would it be worth it? "Fine. Do whatever you want."

"Thank you." She let out a breath of relief, which made Adaline confused. Why was everyone so scared of the Darkling?

"So what do you do?" Adaline asked as she tried to make small talk. She was made to have a bath but she did it herself. She didn't want the constant stare from everyone. It was bad enough that they had to touch her to make her look presentable.

"I'm the royal tailor."

"And do you make the Grisha keftas?"

Freya rested her right hand on her hip. "I do," she replied. "But now, I have to work on your acne and dark circles." She was about to touch Adaline's nose when she felt a hand stop her as Adaline grabbed her wrist.

"Wait, what?"

"I need to help you look like a Grisha."

"But I'm not Grisha!"

"We think otherwise."

"I don't care what you think."

Freya rolled her eyes. "Will you just let me work? I did not learn to be a Healer for nothing."

"You're a Healer?"

"Yes, I am. And yes, I'm not wearing red."

"Why?" Her voice did shatter her heart. Why wasn't Freya allowed to wear her colours? If Grisha felt belonging to their Order, they should be allowed to wear their colours, right?

But Freya did not answer. Adaline gave in and let Freya do her job, sitting as still as possible. The urge to let out her frustration was overpowering and the only thing that she could do to control it was by humming her favourite songs. "You should try sleeping more," suggested the Grisha. "I cannot always work on your eyes."

"I can't. That's the problem."

Once she was dressed in one of her uniforms, she walked down to the hallway and was met by various emotions. Something seemed very familiar to her. Had she seen the flower vase with the gold design on its rim before? Her confusion was answered by Freya. "The Little Palace and the Grand Palace are getting renovated."

"What?" Adaline was brought out of her thoughts.

"New floors are being added. We may be getting more Grisha than ever."

Reaching the final step of the staircase, Adaline felt the odd one out as all the Grisha in the palace seemed to have gathered there as the bright colours of crimson, purple and deep blue. She was greeted by an Etherealki who walked towards them and had been waiting at the end. "Welcome to the Little Palace. My name is Irina."

"Adaline," she nodded.

Irina smiled genuinely and led her to the entrance. But before she could explain a few things to her, silence fell into the room and its source was very obvious. The only person wearing a gorgeous black kefta and gold embroidery walked down the staircase and stood next to her.

"You'll walk with me," the Darkling told Adaline.

Irina moved away and so did Freya. They walked towards their Orders and mingled very easily with them. "I have to walk with you?"

"Is there a problem?" His granite eyes made it obvious that he was just as confused as she was.

"Aren't you supposed to be the intimidating one? Am I not supposed to be scared of you?"

"Do you want to be scared of me?"

What was he trying? "No, but that's not the point."

"We will meet the royals and explain about you to them."

"And what are you going to say? That I can't be a part of any of the Orders because I'm not Grisha, but I have powers and you want me to stay at the castle?" The last sentence didn't get registered in her head but she knew what she spoke.

A smile crept on his face. "Precisely."

She scoffed. "You're crazy. You might as well send me back now instead of wasting everyone's time. Especially yours," His head turned to face her very quickly. "Since you like it so much."

"We'll see about that."