The Phoenix Summoner (ON HOLD)

12

General Kirigan escorted Alina and Anya down the steps of the grand throne room. He held onto Anya's hand as she was the first to go down of the two. She looked around at all of the guests, members of important families invited to bare witness to the power of the Phoenix and Sun Summoner. She can feel her nerves spike as she glances at the all the faces staring at her, feeling like they can see her nervousness etched on her face even with the face covering.

They reached the center of the room politely bowing to the King and Queen before looking up at them. The King gestures them to take off their coverings. They hand it to a maid before returning their gaze back to the king.

"I thought they'd be taller." The King snides.

"I thought they were Shu. Well at least one of them looks Shu." Anya narrows her eyes at the Queen ready to retaliate until she felt someone gently press their palm to her lower back.

"Tell them...oh I don't know...Good morning."

"We don't actually speak Shu, your highness. I was born in Kerch." Anya quickly says defending herself and Alina from the Queens degrading and racist comments. She feels Kirigan's grip her waist giving her warning.

"Then what are you?" Neither girls said anything not sure exactly how they should respond. Thankfully Kirigan spoke for them.

"They're are Alina Starkov and Anya Djar. The Sun and Phoenix Summoner." Hushed whispers echoed throughout the throne room.

"And they will change the future. Starting now." Kirigan lifts his hand summoning darkness around them. Anya quickly grabs Alina's hand the said girl giving Anya a reassuring squeeze.

"Now call the light." Kirigan whispers to the girls.  Nothing happened for a solid few seconds, Kirigan placed his hand on Anya's shoulder. She felt a rush of power and light erupted through the room. Colorful tendrils flew around the room creating what looked like a star explosion banishing the shadows. Anya felt her hair raise around her face and her veins began to glow. The girls intertwined hands lit up the brightest it had ever been releasing a surge of power than banished the rest of the darkness. Kirigan took his hand off of Anya's shoulder and the power suddenly stopped.

The room burst in applause and cheers. The King stood up from his throne to address the girls and Kirigan.

"Bravo, Bravo." He cheered. "How long will they need?" He asks anxiously.

"Destroying the fold will be no easy feat. They alone may not be able to do it. They will remain with me at the Little Palace to train...Undisturbed." Kirigan states.

"Train them quickly."

~

Later that day Anya sat in her room reading a book. Her training would officially begin tomorrow so Kirigan thought it would be best if both girls got rest. She started thinking about what her life would be if she wasn't a Grisha. Would she still be living on the farm with her parents. Or would she maybe be living in Ketterdam with her childhood friend Kaz. She often wondered what happened to him after she was taken to the Little Palace. She had always wrote letters when she was younger and sent them to him but she never received a response. Perhaps he was mad at her for leaving, or maybe he just left Ketterdam entirely.

They always use to joke about marrying each other one day. Sometimes she wishes she can go back to life. She sat there fiddling with a necklace Kaz had given her a few weeks before she found she was Grisha. It was a little crow pendant he had found and one of his mother's old chains. Crows were his favorite bird growing up.

The doors opened and Genya walked in holding a garment box.

"Is that what I think it is?" Anya asked getting up from her spot on the bed. Genya nodded, excited to see Anya's face once she saw her new kefta. She opened the box and Anya gasped in astonishment. The kefta was a shade of red slightly brighter than the heartrenders kefta, and the embroidery was various shades of yellow and orange.

Maybe she had been looking at this all wrong. Maybe she can do this.