Blood and Water - The Darkling

Chapter 4: Boring is Fine

*Unedited

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𝕬𝖑𝖊𝖐𝖘𝖆𝖓𝖉𝖊𝖗 grips me tight in his arms, not even slightly concerned about the uncountable set of eyes on us. His smooth voice whispers into my ear, "You will return to me."

I grin, "Is that an order?"

He nods once, "Yes. If you do not, I will hunt down those responsible."

My dark brown irises roll but they glimmer in amusement, "Such a worrier. No need to get bloodthirsty yet. I can handle any threat I may face."

"I know," the Darkling mumbles back. "But stay safe regardless."

With a smile and a quick kiss, I slowly walk backward with a simple, "I promise."

Then I wink and swirl around to saunter towards my guard and horses. I mount my white Orlov Trotter, Lizabeta.

"Everyone ready to depart?"

They nod but then Inessa approaches me and hands me a red kefta, "We all think that while we are on the road you should wear this. The black one is a dead giveaway."

"It's technically just a really dark blue," I reply with a raised eyebrow, "But smart."

Aleksander tried to convince me to change out my keftas for the old black ones but I refused. The color I currently wear is one that no Grisha has ever worn before: a summoner's blue so dark that it's almost black. It's unique. Not Aleksander's color. Not Alina's. No one's but my own.

With a sad sigh, I slip it off and carefully fold it to pack into the bag strapped onto the saddle behind me. Then my torso is covered in red.

Our horses set off at a thundering pace. If we only stop when necessary the trip can be made in two and a half days. So that is what we do. No one really talks for the first few hours but finally, we slow and water our horses at a creek just off the main road.

Deciding to rest as well, I plop down on a relatively smooth rock and sip my water with a relieved sigh. Suddenly, I hear someone else join me with a disgruntled huff.

From my peripheral vision, I see Ivan next to me with a rathered frustrated and sad expression on his face.

"What is it, Van the Man?"

He grumbles, "Fedyor still won't speak to me unless it is official business."

I try to conceal a smile, "You came to speak to me about a lover's quarrel?"

My eyes don't need to be on the Heartrender to know that he's rolling his own, "Well, you're highly qualified on the matter, Lana."

I huff out an unamused chuckle, "Very funny."

The man just sighs and mumbles, "And you happen to be my only friend at the moment."

My heart warms a bit. Before my 'betrayal' he was never so honest about our relationship but apparently we have come out stronger through our hardships. So I decided to give advice to my friend, "Have you talked to him?"

He shakes his head, "No, Fedyor just changes the subject to your protection plan every time I try to bring it up."

I sigh, "Then change it back. You both need to discuss not only what happened but what your goals are for the future. It's okay that you ended up on different sides but you are working together again now. You both still care for one another. Just start with that and be willing to figure something out, together as a couple and a team."