Element [The Darkling]

Chapter Twenty-Four

"You know the king?" He asked in mild disbelief.

"I'm the sun summoner." Alina deadpanned.

"Duh." I added.

"By all accounts, the First Army have now turned their sights on Grisha." The Captain said, no longer smiling. "Thanks to what you and your conspirator did in the Fold." My temper flared.

"Go to hell." I snarled viciously, bringing my feet back to the floor with a loud stomp.

"The Darkling and we were not partners." Alina snarled, straightening.

"He put a collar on us to control our powers and chained us to the bloody deck, you arrogant sod." I spat, getting up and leaning over his desk, getting in his face slightly. "And if anything, the Royal family is more of an enemy to Ravka than the Grisha. Considering what they really are." I sneered.

And there it was. My patience had thinned considerably since my experience in the Fold, and my tolerance for people like this man had waned. I never wanted to be put in the position Kirigan put me in again. And my anger towards the Royals for what they did to Genya- and what they never did for Ravka- had grown too.

"And what's that?" The Captain challenged.

"Astrid-" Mal said softly.

"Monsters. Heartless, entitled, sadistic monsters." I spat, and he looked at me with a stunned expression on his face. I sat down again, crossing my arms over my chest. "And yes, you can quote me to that fat demon when you turn us over." I added hatefully.

"You may believe otherwise, but once I tear down the Fold and reunite Ravka, the world will see we are not his ally." Alina added fiercely. She inhaled, calming her tone. "Help us, and you'll be rewarded."

"Tear down the Fold?" He echoed, stunned. He scoffed. "And how do you plan on doing that exactly?"

"By hunting Morozova's Sea Whip." Alina said.

"Alina!" Mal hissed, but she put her hand on his shoulder, stopping him from protesting. The Captain trilled his lips, letting out a slight huff and downing the rest of his whiskey.

"Well, I suppose if the stag existed, the Sea Whip and the Firebird might as well." He thought out loud. He looked up at her in realization. "Oh, you couldn't do it with one amplifier, but with two..."

"Unburdened by General Kirigan, under my own power." Alina said with a nod. "Will you help us or not?" She asked him. He got up and walked around the desk.

"There's adventure, danger, money?" He trailed off, his back to us. He turned around with a grin. "Now you're speaking my language." He said excitedly. "The name's Sturmhond." He added, and led us out into the main cabin. The crew was gathered around hammocks and the little kitchen. Only night watch would be on deck now.

"Oi ey, Capitan!" Someone cheered, and there were more cheers and applause.

"What is the difference between a privateer and a pirate?" Mal asked Alina, confused. Ahead of us, Sturmhond backtracked and pointed at a man using the loo.

"Yuri! I told you an apple would help!" He called excitedly. I looked straight ahead, while Alina held her hand up as a barrier and Mal muttered 'saints' as he passed him. "All right, listen up everyone!" Sturmhond shouted.

"Pipe down!" Someone yelled.

"We have guests!" Sturmhond called. "The Sun Summoner, the Elemental, and, uh... You are?" He asked Mal, confused.

"Malyen-"

"A guest of the Sun Summoner!" Sturmhond shouted, and I rolled my eyes. "Now I expect you'll treat them with all the respect I've come to know from you pack of liars and thieves." The crew laughed, and some banged their metal cups on the table. "Come along my darlings, come on, come on." He said cheerfully, gesturing for us to follow him to the back, where two empty hammocks were against the wall. "Now, you can have the two in the back. It's the most private suite we have." He joked.