My compass (Nikolai Lantsov)

5.

   'No...' Rayna's voice was barely above a whisper as she took a few steps back, creating some distance between her and her monster.

  Aleksander titled his head to the side, watching her intently. His eyes stopped on her abdomen, or rather what laid bellow, hidden by the shirt.

  'Fascinating.' He took a step closer.

 Rayna's gaze fell on the three long scars along his face. No, there was no way. Her hand went to her abdomen where she knew a matching set was, gained from the fight in the Fold.

  'Is this why Baghra always tried to keep you away from me?' He took a step forward. 'Because we are alike, blood of my blood, power of my power. All these years right under my nose and I didn't notice.'

 Rayna shook her head desperately trying to push his words away.

  'I am a Squaller.'

 The Darkling laughed.

  'Are you, sister?'

 His eyes fell on her raised hands. Rayna followed his stare to the tentacles of darkness now dancing around her arms. She shook them quickly, making them disappear.

  'Stop!' She commanded. 'You and I are not family, I had one of those and they were murdered in cold blood. And this.' She showed him her hands. 'Whatever this is, the volcra that hurt me caused it, it's not me.'

 Aleksander took a step forwards, his eyes meeting hers. A desperate look in them, a need to not be alone. To believe someone, anyone could stand by him, love him. 

  'The volcra can't caused IT, they can just awake what is already inside you, what Baghra fought so hard to keep hidden. Hate her, not me. She hid who you truly are from you, from both of us. If I only knew earlier...You would have never been alone in that broken home.'

 He sounded so sincere. Her eyes soften for a moment, just a moment as if she too was imagining how it would have been to not be alone all those painful years. But then Genya's face appeared in her mind, Alina's painful scream, Zoya's unshed tears. And just like that the fantasy disappeared only to be replaced by rage and hatred.

  'You and I are not family.' She took a step forward. 'You are not even alive, you died in the Fold.'

  They were close enough that she could feel his breath on her skin.

  'In time you'll...'

The world spun around her. She closed her eyes and the next time she opened them, Mal's face greeted her. 

----

  'Can't even bother to learn my name, it's not even a long name.' Mal complained.

 Rayna let out a laugh as the three made their way onto the deck.

  'Yes, sure, laugh at my misery. I really need to get new friends.'

 She turned back to look at him, walking backwards.

  'Oh, please, you absolutely adore me.' She winked in Mal's direction, Alina shaking her head with a small smile on her face next to him.

 Rayna went to turn back around only to crush into someone's chest.

  'That I do.' Sturmhond responded, not moving an inch.

 The Squaller rolled her eyes, putting some space between them. He watched her for a moment, with a curious look as if she was a book he could not yet read.

  'Ooh. Definitely don't touch that.' Sturmhond warned Mal who was about to a lever.

He then turned back to the two women.

  'So, ladies, what say you and I chart the course to miss Starkov's destiny to find the Sea Whip.'

 A voice appeared in Rayna's head, so sudden and so unfamiliar telling her it didn't have to be Alina's destiny, it could be hers as well. Her hands twitched like they were asking for permission to let the darkness out. She denied.

  'That'll be me, I'm the tracker.' Mal answered for them.

Sturmhond didn't look too sure. He reached around his neck where a compass on a necklace laid against his chest.

  'My lucky compass. Seen me through thick and thin.' He explained, noticing their confused faces. 'Okay then tracker which way is North?'

Mal didn't hesitate, happy to show his skill. Rayna had to bit her tongue to keep herself from answering the question in his place.

  'Well, I can tell you a few ways, based on the position of the sun and my shadow, based on the direction we are sailing and based one...' He stopped for a moment, Alina gave him an approving nod.

  Sturmhond's eyes shifted to Rayna only to see her already subtly staring in the right direction. He fought a smile as his attention returned to the actual tracker.

 'It's that way.' Mal said.

Sturmhond checked his compass and then smiled. He placed a hand on his shoulder and started guiding him away.

  'Let me introduce you to out navigators. What did you say your name was again?'

 Rayna covered her mouth to keep her laugh in, but Sturmhond noticed anyways. He turned his head back and winked in her direction before leading Mal to where the navigators where.