Zoya, Ivan, Setareh, and Lanying stood outside Alina's tent. When General Kirigan and Alina walked out of the tent, the four followed close behind like an honour guard as more and more second army joined them as they walked through the path lined by first army on either side, who upon seeing Alina, all muttered, "Sankta Alina." and made the hand gestures.
On the skiff, Ivan tied Alina to a metal ring and the General, in a flare of show, removed the cloak covering Alina's dress with a flourish and handed it over to Ivan. The dignitaries all turned to stare at Alina in reverence and awe.
---
Meanwhile the crows were hiding near that back of the skiff where the shadows were.
"Good news? It's just as terrifying as I remember." Jesper said with a hint of mirth in his voice in an attempt to lighten the mood
"Except this time we're going in completely exposed." Inej deadpanned
"If I'm meant to die today, and either of you two survive, make sure I have an open casket." Jesper requested
"No one's dying today." Kaz insisted
"No mourners." Kasper started
"No funerals." Inej finished
Meanwhile, on deck, Lanying had muttered the same thing to herself. "No mourners, no funerals."
---
The skiff started to move ever closer to the dark mass of the fold. Then, it was enveloped into the darkness. As they continued to sail through the fold, both Ivan and Lanying were assigned to detect the Volcra's heartbeats.
"Can you feel them?" The General asked
"No heartbeats yet, sir." Ivan replied
---
"This is a bad idea." Jesper complained as he polished and loaded his beloved revolvers
"I think it's rather practical." Kaz replied without looking at Jesper
Jesper scoffed, "What? Why?"
"I don't see how we step off this boat without you pulling those guns." Kasper retorted and glared intently at Jesper
Jesper chuckled in nervousness and Kasper continued, "So, cleaning them is a good idea."
"I don't mean this." Jesper said lifting up one his revolvers, "I mean this." He gestured vaguely around him
As if on cue, a volcra's growl could be heard and all four of the crow's head snapped up
"We are in the worst place in the world, on a ship full of people who want us dead, surrounded by monsters who want us in their gullets. I should have brought Milo." Jesper ranted as he continued to clean his revolvers.
"Who's Milo?" Inej asked
"The goat." Jesper replied a bit miffed
"How many bullets do you have?" Kaz questioned
"Not enough." Jesper replied
---
The volcra started to fly over the skiff and Lanying could hear multiple heartbeats now.
Lanying turned to Setareh, "Here they come. Best get ready."
Setareh nodded and pulled on her gloves so that she could light a spark for her fire at any moment's notice.
The volcra continued to growl and fly around the ship when all of a sudden, a beam of light erupted from Alina and created a tunnel through the fold. The tunnel glittering with stands of sunlight.
YOU ARE READING
Bound Together
FanfictionWhat bound them together? Greed? Desperation? Was it just the knowledge that if one or all of them disappeared tonight, no one would come looking? - Leigh Bardugo, Six of Crows In which the crows have two extra members, Lanying Kir-Zhengyi and Kasp...
