The tyrant's daughter

Chapter 4

A few months later: Ketterdam, Day of the auction
Warning: Spoilers ahead!

Nikolai's POV

It was steamy and I was sweating through my teal frock coat. Zoya was pacing and making me and Genya nervous with each passing second.
"I know they are going to betray us. This is too good to be true.", Zoya said tossing her ebony mane.
" Lets not make assumptions before they have the chance to do so.", I replied calmly.
"Its Kaz Brekker we're talking about.", Genya said.
" Are you really rounding up on me?"
" Just saying.",Genya said with a shrug.
"Besides Nina is there too.", I tried to reason.
Zoya just let out a sigh and smoothed her already wrinkle free kefta," We also have to find the girl."
"In due time.", I said as the door opened and Kaz Brekker and his crew walked in.

" I only wanted to speak to the Triumvirate.",Brekker declared.
"I'm afraid I'm kinda like a package deal. Think of it like a body gaurd.", I said with a wink.
Kaz narrowed his eyes, " Sturmhond."
"He knows me!" I said delightedly. I nudged Genya with an
elbow. "I told you I'm famous."

Zoya blew out an exasperated breath. "Thank you. He's going to be twice as insufferable now."
"Sturmhond has been authorised to negotiate on behalf of the Ravkan throne," said Genya, all business.
"A pirate?" asked a tall Zemeni boy.
"Privateer," I corrected. "You can't expect the king to participate in an auction."
"Why?", asked a Shu boy.
"Well it doesn't look good if a King loses.", I said.

Just then the doors opened and a beautiful girl walked in. She was dressed from head to toe in black, her chocolate brown hair escaping to stick to her sharp cheek bones due to the humidity. She removed the scarf tied around her head and a waterfall of her locks cascaded down her shoulders. She walked up to Brekker and handed him a letter. He whispered something and she nodded. Her eyes searched the room and met mine. Those pools of honey seemed to sparkle even in the dim lights.

I'm pretty sure I was staring in an unflatterring way. She just turned on her heel and started to walk away when Zoya yelled," Wait!" She stopped and turned to look at the General who was assessing her like a piece of meat. "Are you Viktoriya Ivanova?", Zoya asked. Suddenly every stare was on the girl who looked like a trapped animal. She cleared her throat and said,"How do you know that?"

Several mouths were hanging open while Brekker looked like he had won the lottery.

I didn't know what to feel. She was alive. The darkling's daughter was alive. I didn't know what I had expected, but she didn't look like him except for the sharp plains of her face,the shape of her mouth and of course the unnatural beauty.
Zoya curled her lip,"I have my ways. You're a grisha."
It was more of a declaration.
Viktoriya turned red,"No I'm not."
Nina and the Zemeni boy were openly gaping at her.
"I'll be the judge of that."
That was the only warning before a strong gust of wind literally knocked Viktoriya off her feet and she flew back, slamming against the wall with a thud.

"Zoya!!", Genya and I shouted at the same time. Nina hurried over to help her on her feet, but she ignored her hand. If looks could kill, Zoya would have been dismembered and her pieces scattered over the sea by now.

Viktoriya reached for something in back pocket and with a sharp turn of her wrist sent a sleek, silver dagger flying in Zoya's direction. Before she even had the time to react, it lightly nicked her left ear and embedded itself into the wooden wall behind us. Zoya reached to touch the little trickle of blood dripping from her earlobe and snarled.
" That was just a warning.",Viktoriya said in a deathly calm voice.

Okay, she was thrilling and probably had a death wish.

Brekker looked like he wanted to interrupt the 'friendly' match going on, but before he had any chance to open his mouth or rather anyone had a chance to voice their opinion, thunder boomed in the room. You could taste the electricity in the air as it cackled over our heads. I reached out and put my arm over Zoya's shoulder. This was getting too far. But of course Zoya being Zoya let out a a bolt of lightning right over the spot where Viktoriya was. Everyone screamed and the lights went out.

When we could see, everybody's attention went to Viktoriya or maybe her absence. The air on the spot was still sizzling and the lightning bolt had scorched the marble floor, but there were no ashes, no half burnt body, nothing. What had happened?

There was a soft click of heels on the marble floor and everyone turned to look at the source of sound.

There were shadows curling from her outstreched hands and a murderous look on her face. Everyone was so stunned that no one reacted as she walked towards Zoya and punched her in the face. There was a sickening crack, loud enough to snap us from our daze and before she could do any more damage, I grabbed her hands and secured her against my chest. She stomped on the inside of my foot and a punch landed on the underside of my jaw. It hurt, but I held on.

Zoya recovered and smirked as she felt her broken nose ,"I knew it, shadow summoner. And you're going to pay for this."
Viktoriya thrashed and shrieked in my arms,"Pay?! You witch! You tried to kill me! LET ME GO!!" She actually smelled really good, like cinnamon and warm spices. Like long winter nights beside a raging fire. I shook my head, not the time Nikolai.

The shadows on the wall jumped to her summons as she thrashed wildly in my hold. "Ho- How did you do that?", asked the Zemeni boy.
Mr. Obvious asked the question everyone was thinking and naturally everyone ignored him.

" She is a grisha and will be taken to Ravka after all this is over.",Zoya said to nobody in particular.
"I'm not going anywhere with you."
"You need training.", said Genya.
I noticed she was looking a bit pale.
" I have hidden these powers for 19 years. I can manage." She had stopped thrashing and was glaring at Zoya.

"There are khergud circling this city and every country that gets its hands on you will weaponize your powers using parem. You don't want that do you?", Zoya said, gritting her teeth in annoyance.
" Then what makes you special?"

"You know she has a point.", the Zemeni boy said.
" Shut up Jesper!", Nina said, ever the loyal soldier. I gave her tiny smile.

"We don't want to hurt you. You would be trained to control your powers so you don't accidently kill someone. Then if you don't want anything to do with us, you can come back here and live undercover.", I said. Zoya gave me a scathing look which I ignored. Viktoriya looked up at me and we both suddenly realised she was still pressed up against me. She scrambled away and patted her hair down.

" And what will I get in return?"
I saw Brekker smile like a proud papa from the corner of my eyes.

"Return?! This is outrageous! We are giving you chance to live in a palace instead of this filthy rundown-", Zoya started, but Genya cut in," We'll tell you about your father."

I could literally see the gears turning in her head as soon as Genya said it. I could understand why this was important to her. I knew who my real father was now- Magnus Opjer, a Fjerdan and oh I would give every non existent coin in my treasury to have that little bit of satisfaction of having a family, a person you can trust no matter what. Though the darkling wasn't fit for either of those things, it was the fantasy people held on to.

She pressed her lips for a moment then sighed in defeat,"Fine, after the auction."
Then turned and walked out of the room followed by Nina and Jesper.
"And Jesper...", Zoya called out,"... The Little Palace is open for all grisha."
A blink from the boy was the only indication of his surprise.

"We have lost much time, now, privateer if you would follow me?", Kaz said walking out.
" Just him.",he stressed as Zoya and Genya started to follow.
Zoya tossed her glorious black mane and said, "We are the Triumvirate. We
do not take orders from Kerch street rats with dubious haircuts."
"I can phrase it as a question if it will make your feathers lie flat," Kaz said.
"You insolent—"

"Zoya," I said smoothly. "Let's not antagonize our new friends
before they've even had a chance to cheat us. Lead on, Mister Brekker."
"Kaz," the Shu boy said. "Can't you—"
"Negotiate for yourself, merchling. It's time you learned how."

I hoped he had a plan for us to win the auction, after having the darkling's daughter on my side, I was feeling quite lucky.