Element [The Darkling]

Chapter Twenty-Two

"I need your help." I said lowly.

"With what?" He asked curiously, his smile fading slightly.

"With my aim." I gestured to his guns, and he grinned widely.

"Oh, well I can certainly help with that." He said joyously, slapping his hands on his knees enthusiastically.

"But not what anyone can teach me," I said quietly, reaching out and grabbing his wrist gently, stopping him from hopping up. His eyes met mine, and his smile died completely. "What only you can show me." I took his hand in mine, placing a metal coin in it. He stiffened, uncomfortable and wary of me. "I won't share your secret," I promised, but that didn't erase the wary look in his eyes.

"How do you know?" Jesper asked.

"On the skiff. I saw you. And I... I sensed you." I admitted. Now he was curious.

"Sensed me?" He questioned.

"I can do that. Sense Grisha. It used to be only powerful ones like Alina or Aleks- the darkling," I corrected the slip of the tongue immediately. "And if I'm going to protect Alina, save Ravka and defeat Aleks- the darkling-" I corrected again. "Then I have to expand my abilities. Go where I haven't before." I added quietly.

Jesper's eyebrows furrowed as he seemed to be in deep thought, which I didn't know was possible for the easygoing gunslinger.

"You think you can do more?" He asked quietly, meeting my eyes. I nodded, determination filling me.

"I feel I can." I whispered. He hesitated, before he huffed.

"Oh, alright. Here," He put his hand into mine, and I felt the cold coin touch my skin. "I can teach you the most useful thing a thief like me knows. How to turn this," He removed his hand from mine and clasped his hands together. "Into a key." He opened his hands, cupping them together.

I peered over, seeing that the coin was no longer a coin, it was a key. A handcuff key.

My eyes shot to him, and he arched an eyebrow, as if saying 'you ready for this?'. My face set with determination, and I took the offered key.

"Aren't you going to change it back into a coin?" I asked. He shook his head.

"No... you are. And then you're going to change it to a key." Jesper said.

"How?" I asked, confused.

"You remember what the coin looks like. Picture it. Tell your hands what you want. But first, memorize the key, so you can do the same after you change it to a coin." He instructed, and I closed my hands around the key, nodding and closing my eyes.

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It was a struggle at first, but days later, changing a coin to a key came with ease. Jesper left the boat with Inej and Kaz, walking into Ketterdam, but not without parting with a winning smile sent in my direction.

A gasp came from beside me, and I turned to see Alina shoot awake, a disturbed look in her eyes. I fiddled with the key in my hands as Mal talked to her.

"It's alright, it's alright, it's okay." Mal said to the panicked girl. "More bad dreams?" He asked. Alina nodded, looking over her shoulder at me. Our eyes met, and I could tell that she'd had the same dream I'd had. Or at least one just as bad.

Alina rubbed her eyes, trying to get the image out of her head. I'd tried it before, but it didn't work.

"Same as what you showed me before?" Mal asked, opening up the book, where Alina had drawn a sketch of exactly what we'd both dreamt onto a piece of parchment. It was tucked away safely, hidden in the book.