CLOCKS AND SHADE // The Darkling

Chapter I.XV

I spent the majority of the evening greeting the important people of Ravka. They inquired about the standard things like the King and Queen did the night before, along with if I could show them a bit more. I obliged, for the most part, being careful not to say more information than I was allowed to for the time being.

The Darkling was right that the nobles are quite boring. They often dragged me into their political debates and asked for my opinions. Growing up along the coast, far from places of court, didn't offer much in the world of politics. Ravkan nobility often did not traverse the Fold which excluded the west from their petty quarrels and frequently offensive statements about foreigners. That was another topic of discussion... where I was from. Many saw my pale skin and ebony hair and just assumed I was Ravkan. But some had spent time out in the field and therefore noticed my Shu and Fjerdan features.

"You could pass as Ravkan, but your eyes give it away," one said.

"Pretty, for a foreign girl," another commented.

"Shame she's not Ravkan," an old man croaked, staring daggers into my soul.

I brushed most of them off. I had heard it all from the rude kids at school. I suppose being the first of my kind wasn't enough for them and they wished I was of the homeland; which I was, just not in the way that they had hoped.

Genya pulled me away from those remarks as much as possible, seeing the growing disappointment seep out from behind my forced smiles. Many of the children were nice and not as judgmental as their parents. They would question me about home and what the sea was like as most have never seen it. I told them stories of me and Pavel taking boats past the shore to stare at the sky. I spoke of my trips to Kerch and my friends that taught me to fight and dance there. They really enjoyed the story of when I rode a horse for the first time and hit a tree in the woods, resulting in me flying through the air only to break my arm and a couple of ribs. Genya eventually told the kids that I had to go before they reached around my legs to give me hugs.

"Please save us," a little girl with bright red hair pleaded, holding my hand in both of hers.

I gave her a reassuring smile and told her, "I will try my very best, just for you. Okay?"

She bounced before spinning around to skip back to her mother. Her mother bowed her head in my direction, which I returned. Even the children are counting on me, I thought.

I was able to slip away with Aleksander, who led me into the courtyard where it was now quiet. We sat on the large fountain in silence listening to the few groups whispering and the bugs chirping away on the growing lawn. The moon glimmered brightly in the blackened sky, coating light across the Grand Palace and the fields. Performers began to pack away their things as the night came to a close.

The Darking cleared his throat to say, "I have something to tell you." I shifted on the fountain to face him, searching his face for an inclination of what he would say. "I want to get you an amplifier."

I suspected as much with what Baghra had said earlier. Confusion still swept my face. "Why? Baghra says I still have some ways to go. I can improve without the help of an amplifier." Of course, I already knew why but I thought I would play along for now.

"My advisors and I have been talking for a week now about it. We all believe that you could be the answer to destroying the Fold. We haven't officially worked out how you would be able to, but the amplifier could help," he explained, avoiding eye contact. I furrowed my brows as he turned his head to look away from me.

"Why can't you look at me?" I struggled to get out.

He slowly tilted his head to face me; his hands clawed at the fountain's edge, fading to white from the pressure. "Because I know what Baghra has been telling you," he spat through clenched teeth.

Fear washed over me once he said her name. Anger radiated off of him in terrifying waves that breached my bubble of stoicism. I had rarely seen him angry in the time I had spent in the Little Palace, which wasn't that long as he had only been around for a little over a week total. I started to shake as he glared at me as if it was my fault.

"I... How'd you know?"

"She attempts to warn everyone I surround myself with. She tells them I'm dangerous and I want to manipulate anything that moves. I'm not stupid, Katyia."

"I never said you were. Nor did I ever say I believed her." That may have been a lie. I did believe her to an extent. Her warnings seemed dramatized and a little exaggerated, but they were not completely unbelievable.

He paused. Then dragged his nails across the cold stone. "You're lying."

I chose to break his gaze, glancing across the walkways to other people murmuring. They looked at us every five seconds or so before returning to their groups. I let out a shaky breath and fiddled with the fur on the cuffs of my kefta. "Apologies, moi soverenyi. I may believe some of her words." He could see right through me so there was no point in not telling the truth.

He didn't respond and moved on. "I asked the Fabrikators to compile a list of potential amplifiers that have been spotted recently. They are instructed to walk you through each tomorrow before you decide on one."

"You're letting me choose?" I asked, surprised he would choose not to pick for me.

No answer. Good job, Kati, I thought. He got up from the fountain and bowed, inaudibly wishing me a good night. He walked away to thank the aristocrats for attending, leaving me alone in the courtyard. I watched him walk away, worry congesting my once-happy thoughts.

\|/

After Aleksander left, I stood by the palace doors thanking people for coming as they prayed for the Saints to protect me. Fedyor and Genya walked me back to my room until we bumped into a familiar face.

"Oh, excuse me," Genya said politely, after bumping shoulders with Pavel. He was stumbling around the corridors with a group of Corporalki in tow. The others were laughing loudly behind him at something unrelated.

"Ooo, look who it is. Grisha Koroleva," Pavel said, taunting me. "We apologize, your highness." I cringed at the title but tried to hide my distaste for it behind a sarcastic smile. I was not going to allow him to win.

"No reason to be jealous, Mikhailov," Fedyor responded with a raised eyebrow and pursed lips.

Pavel hiccuped and retorted, "I'm not jealous. Nor am I the Darkling's new pet." He smiled to himself while his group joined in on the conversation by chuckling at his comment.

"Ugh, let's go. Low-level soldiers are always envious of the General's inner circle, and it is disgusting," spat Genya, looping her arm with mine.

"Bold coming from someone that he gifted to the King like an object." Genya's face reddened at the insult but we continued down the hall. Fedyor glanced back to make sure they were not following us before rounding the corner to walk up the stairs.

They dropped me off in my room, bid me good night, and promised to wake me in the morning. I hugged them both as a thank you for fending off Pavel. They made me feel at home in the still foreign palace. Genya could always lighten my mood when I missed home or felt overwhelmed with all the information I had to learn. And Fedyor always filled me in on rumors and told me about the inner workings of the court and the people in leadership. They easily replaced Pavel after he ditched me for being 'too different'.

I removed my gown and jewelry, replacing them with a white nightgown. I promised myself to bathe in the morning instead of doing so now. I slipped under my blankets, plopping my head on the pillows. The wind whistled through the crack in my open window, lulling me to sleep. I hoped for a peaceful night, but I was gifted with another vision.

In the hazy dream, I stood on the edge of a beach covered in rocks as snow blanketed the landscape in thick heeps. The water sloshed roughly, slapping the jagged, black rocks with icy spikes. The frigid chill clawed at my exposed skin and the strong wind twirled my hair with its movement. I attempted to look around some more but was frozen in place, forced to look in one direction. The air slowed, settling the falling snow on the ground. The fading blizzard revealed a small structure perched on the coast of an island.

I felt a tug on my left arm before I awoke to sunlight and Fedyor shaking me awake.