𝑺𝒎𝒐𝒌𝒆 | 𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝑲𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒂𝒏 𝒙 𝑶𝑪

Three

Jolana blinked her eyes open and it was brighter than she expected.  There was a Grisha woman in a red jacket. She could tell it was one of the healers from the embroidery on the shoulders. 

"You're awake," the Grisha said. Jolana tried to get up but the Grisha pushed her back down, she could feel something in her torso was broken, like a rib or something. She winced but strained her head to try and look around more. She'd never been inside this tent. 

"Where am I?" 

"I am healing you, and I'm almost done so you'll be moved soon. Don't get too comfortable,"

"Moved where?"

"You and the other girl will need to speak to General Kirigan once your wounds are healed. The other girl had a broken collarbone but you had some other things that needed to be tended to," 

Jolana sat silently until the woman alerted her she was done.

She was then forcefully escorted to a large tent. Her eyes met with the cartographers. The light came from her, she didn't look super glorious or saintly. She looked normal. Jolana really needed to learn her name.

There was a group of people standing near the edge of the tent ogling them like a circus act.

There was a Grisha man standing with his back to them. She could tell this was General Kirigan, she knew his abilities, shadow manipulation, and his all-black kefta matched.

"Well we know two things, there were two unknown Grisha. One of which was an Inferni? Isn't that right Zoya?"

"Yes one was an Inferni and one was something else. There was a burst of light-"

"We'll deal with that in a second," Jolana still couldn't believe that what she saw was real. Others had seen it too. Sun summoners were just a myth, right?

"According to the other survivors, you are the inferni," General Kirigan said turning to look at Jolana. She couldn't help but wince a little. She didn't notice this but all the flames of the candles that helped illuminated the tent shrunk very quickly. She then got control of herself and rolled her shoulders back standing tall. The flames went back to normal.

"I think you have the wrong person," Jolana said easily.

"Well we can know for sure if we can figure out the other one," He turned to the other girl, he looked at her with an odd look. Like he didn't know whether she was real. "Closer," he commanded and she took one step forward. "Well.."

"Well what, sir?" She asked back, a hint of sassiness in her voice.

"What are you?" his gaze was piercing. They might as well had just been the girl and the general alone in the room.

"Alina Starkov, Assistant Cartographer, Royal Corps of Surveryors," there was a pain in her eyes, "They're all gone, It's my fault. That's why I'm really here isn't it?"

"Answer the question," he said cutting her off, "What are you?" he asked again with more fervor than before.

"A mapmaker," she reiterated. The men in the group to the side chuckled.

General Kirigan silenced them quickly, "Zoya tell me what happened again?"

"We were attacked barely two markers in. Someone lit a lantern..."

"And...?"

"...the volcra went after the riflemen and our Inferni first. And then there was a searing light,"

One of the other men chimed in, "It was her," he pointed at Alina.

General Kirigan turned back to Alina, "Our mapmaker," he said alluding to the fact that was definitely not all that she was. "Is this true? Can you summon light?" 

She shook her head. Then he shook his to like he was mocking her.

"Where did you grow up?" he asked

"Keramzin,"

"And when were you tested?" she was silent, "You don't remember?" when her silence perpetuated, he began to walk over to her, "Well, let us just make certain,"

He lifted up her sleeve, and then what happened next was remarkable. A beam of light came out from her. Alina looked as shocked as everyone else was, General Kirigan had a look of pride on his face. The light cut through the tent and the beam continued into the sky. The light ceased and she quickly pulled her sleeve back down.

"That makes you our inferni," General Kirigan said stepping closer to Jolana but Jolana stepped back. The flames of the candles that had come close to going out now grew extremely large. General Kirigan looked over at the flames and smirked. He didn't need to step any closer. He commanded some of the other Grisha there to take Alina and Jolana to the Little Palace. 

Alina fought against them, yelling that she needed to talk to Mal. Jolana had nothing here, she had nothing to truly lose, only to gain.