Enchanted -N. Lantsov

I'm Not Your Problem Anymore

Olysia held back a flinch of the name but Sturmhond seemed to catch the smallest twitch in her face.

"You're scared of him." He told her as if she didn't already know.

"I'd be dead if it weren't for him." Olysia defended faintly.

"I'm sure you would have figured something out without him."

"No I wouldn't have."

"So then how did he save you?"

"I don't have to explain anything to you." Olysia clenched her jaw.

"Forgive me for trying to understand."

"You're not getting paid to understand anything that doesn't concern you." She threw in his face.

"No but I am a rather curious person to a fault. Never truly know when to stop."

"Why does any this matter to you? I don't know you, you don't know me. My story should mean absolutely nothing to you. Once the transaction is complete, you'll go on your merry little way much richer and I will continue my service." Olysia felt her anger rise up at crocodile tears and fake concern.

Who was he to demand to know anything about her? Her bitter resentment became very apparent.

"Your story seems much more interesting than you are trying to pass it off as."

"What would you have me tell you? Would you have me tell you of all the friends I have lost? How alone I am? How no one would mourn me if I had become another nameless soul the day the Fold expanded like everyone else on that damned sandskiff or how suffocating the shadows are? I would not be here if not for the Darkling sparing my life! I owe-"

"You were in the Fold the day it expanded?" He interrupted her.

Olysia froze, realizing what she had just revealed to the all too clever fox. Her anger halting her mind from filtering what was coming out of her mouth.

"Yes." Olysia admitted begrudgingly.

"And that changes nothing for you?"

"Should it?"

For the first time in the whole conversation, it seemed like he had finally targeted a negative emotion towards Olysia.

"He murders millions of innocent people and commits countless war crimes. For Saints' sake he was the reason your life was in danger in the first place," His eyes flashed in frustration. "And that changes nothing for you?"

"I can't leave him after all he has done for me." Despite all he's done to me.

"And what exactly has he done for you? Make you fear for your life?" Sturmhond shook his head. "What good reason is there to stay loyal to him?"

"Who should I be loyal to then? King Alexander and his barely passing tolerance for people like me? Or maybe his sorry excuse for an heir Prince Vasily?" Her lips curled at the mention of the royal family, bitter memories that she would rather forget came barreling forward in her mind. "I would rather be used to warm up Fjerdan soldiers in the winter on a pyre than declare my loyalty to those hypocrites."

"Because your leader is so much better." He rolled his eyes dramatically, looking at the ceiling now.

"I never said that." Olysia sighed quietly, causing Sturmhond to snap his head to her but Olysia slouched her shoulders forcing her to look at the floor. "But he is the one more likely to not prosecute me without reason." She whispered, scared that someone would hear her.

Olysia felt her shoulder scream out in pain, calling her a dirty liar. Olysia couldn't take his piercing stare and looked at the wooden walls.

"He makes Ravka safe for Grisha. I can't just run away." Olysia tried to reason with herself.