Blood In The Water ~ Shadow & Bone

7

Marina smirked a bit as she ducked into Nikolai's quarters, leading Alina and Mal behind her.

"Request for charter, Captain," she said, catching Nikolai's attention. He smiled as he turned to face them.

"Immediate charter," Mal clarified. Alina nodded.

"He means we need to leave right now." Marina walked across the room to stand beside the desk as Nikolai leaned his hands on the desk.

"Let's be clear about two things," he said. "I don't take orders on my own ship. And we're already underway." Marina felt a strange sense of glee as Alina and Mal looked out the small window at the side of the room, only now noticing how far they'd gotten from the docks. "I'm glad you've joined us. Now, maybe you'd be so kind as to give the room a little light." He shrugged. "After all you are Alina Starkov. A 20-million-kruge Saint." He pulled his gun from his coat and slammed it down on the table, drawing attention to the Wanted poster bearing Alina's face. "Dead or alive." The two fugitives were silent, and Marina stepped forward, clasping her hands behind her back.

"No point in denying it, Miss Starkov," she said. "You are the Sun Summoner." The dark-haired girl nodded.

"You're right," she said. She clasped her hands together before widening them, filling the room with bright light. Nikolai whistled and nodded, sitting back in his chair.

"Impressive," he admitted. "And it's not often that I say that."

"Let us go. Or you'll be out 20 million kruge and a ship." Nikolai chuckled and shook his head, pushing himself up to walk over to a table that held a bottle of Kerch rum and several glasses.

"I'm well aware you think you could consign us all to the watery deep," he said, "thought it would, in truth, be only you that would suffer." He glanced up at Marina as he poured two glasses, and she only rolled her eyes. "We have our own solution to water problems. You, on the other hand, should really consider how far from the docks we are." He shook his head, handing Marina a glass. "Besides, I'm not handing you over to the Fjerdans." Alina furrowed her brows.

"You're not?" she asked. He shook his head, walking back behind his desk.

"Saints, no." He stopped, glancing between the two Ravkans. "Sorry, is it offensive to say that in the presence of a living Saint?" Marina sighed, taking a drink of the rum as she shook her head. Mal and Alina glanced between each other, and eventually, the former sighed and sat down, the Summoner standing behind him.

"Okay," the boy said. "What do you want with us then?" Nikolai looked up at him.

"With you?" he asked. "Nothing." He shrugged. "Honestly, I'm not even sure who you are." He looked up at Alina. "But the Sun Summoner... Well, you have to know you're quite valuable." Mal frowned as the blond took a drink.

"You just said you wouldn't turn her in for a bounty, pirate." Marina sighed.

"Privateer," she and Nikolai said at the same time, though the girl's tone was more so one of exasperation. Nikolai shook his head.

"And what I said was I wouldn't hand her into the Fjerdans," he clarified. "I said nothing of the Kerch or Shu. I paid a small fortune to empty the dock and make sure you got on my ship. And frankly, I think the Fjerdans are severely undervaluing you." Alina nodded.

"You're right," she said. "They are." She approached the desk and rested her palms on top of it, leaning down towards him. "Because you'll be able to ask the King of Ravka for twice as much." Marina looked over at Nikolai, noticing him tense slightly.

"You know the King?" he asked.

"I'm the Sun Summoner." The captain sighed and leaned forward.

"By all accounts, the First Army have now turned their sights on Grisha." He looked down at the Wanted poster. "Thanks to what you and your conspirator did in the Fold." Alina stepped back and shook her head.

"The Darkling and I were not partners," she said firmly. "You may believe otherwise, but once I tear down the Fold and reunite Ravka, the world will see I am not his ally." Nikolai sat up straighter, sharing a look with Marina. "Help us and you'll be rewarded." Nikolai looked back at her and nodded.

"To tear down the Fold?" he asked. He scoffed. "And how do you plan on doing that exactly?" She took a deep breath.

"By hunting Morozova's Sea Whip."

"Alina," Mal muttered, but she held out a hand to stop him. Nikolai chuckled under his breath and took another drink before looking up at Marina.

"What do you think?" he asked her. She stood up straighter and stared at Alina with narrowed eyes.

"I suppose if the Stag existed, the Sea Whip and the Firebird might as well," she admitted. Nikolai nodded and smiled after a moment, looking up at the Sun Summoner.

"You couldn't do it with one amplifier," he said, "but two." The girl nodded.

"Unburdened by General Kirigan, under my own power." The blond man leaned forward in his chair. "Will you help us or not?" He sighed and stood up, walking towards Marina.

"There's adventure... danger..." Marina arched a brow, looking up at him.

"Money?" she asked. Nikolai grinned and nodded, spinning around to face Alina and Mal again.

"Now you're speaking my language."

I am absolutely heartbroken about the show being cancelled :(

I think, at this moment, that once I get finished with this and Midnight Thoughts, I'm going to take a break from the S&B books, hopefully get a chance to put out some of the other things I've been working on, but I do fully intend to maybe find a way to at least keep Midnight Thoughts going and work in the rest of the Ice Court heist and whatnot

I love this series too much to leave Karlin, Marina, and Katya off where the show ends, so I will do my best to keep this going :)

- C