prisoner (shadow & bone)

Chapter Thirteen

NEW FRIENDS

Tatia woke up about two hours later, feeling much better than before. She noticed that she was still in her white torn dress as she glanced down, and she walked towards the door.

"Hey, Inej, do you happen to have any spare clothes for me?" she asked shyly upon entering the room.

Jesper was throwing a ball against the wall, Inej was sitting on the floor and Kaz was leaning on his cane, but all of their heads snapped over to her once the door had opened.

"Yes, of course," the woman said instantly. She grabbed something out of her bag and handed it to the girl. "I went to the market earlier. I figured that your dress would be a bit uncomfortable by now."

"Thank you," Tatia whispered quietly, retreating back into her room, where she slowly changed out of her dress and into her new clothes. Her new outfit consisted of a long black skirt, a black blouse and a black jacket. The color painfully reminded her of Aleksander.

She noticed that Inej had also handed her a bag, and, after hesitating for a moment, she stuffed the remains of her white dress in it. Even though General Kirigan had done so much to make her resent him, she couldn't help but still care for him all the same, and the dress carried some good memories along with the bad, which she would like to remember.

A knock sounded at her door.

"Come in," she called, thinking it was Inej, but to her surprise, the door opened to reveal Kaz Brekker.

"I've been meaning to talk to you," was the first thing he said, and Tatia nodded understandingly.

She made her way over to the bed and sat down cross-legged, leaning on her hands as she peered up at him. "Sit down."

Kaz entered the room fully, closing the door behind him (Tatia noticed that it didn't click shut like it would have if the lock was placed on it and felt herself stay at ease). He gripped his cane tighter. "I think I'll stand."

Tatia knew what he was doing. "I thought you would. Standing makes you appear more powerful, more in control, and you want me to believe that you're in control."

Kaz raised an eyebrow, slightly impressed. The girl in front of him was way different than the one from before. She was more comfortable, more light-hearted, less scared.

"I don't have to use silly tricks like that to let people know I am in control," Kaz replied, smirking arrogantly.

But Tatia didn't disagree. She had realised that Kaz Brekker was powerful, and Saints, did he know it.

"What did you want to ask me?" Tatia asked innocently, tilting her head.

"What kind of Grisha are you?" Kaz asked, getting straight to the point.

"An Inferni."

"So you can control fire?"

"Technically, yes," Tatia mumbled. She honestly wasn't sure if she could do it anymore. Baghra was right; Kirigan had made her use him as an amplifier, and without his help, she would be back to square one, when she didn't even know how to keep a single flame alive. She had become dependent on him.

"How long have you been living at the Little Palace? At what age were you tested?"

Tatia froze, not sure how she would answer. Should she lie?

But judging by Kaz's darkened eyes, he knew exactly what she was thinking. "Tell me the truth. How else am I supposed to trust you?"

Tatia sighed to herself. "How do you do it?"