Mal, my best friend is going into the Fold and possibly not coming back. That is all I can think about as we line up for our food. I am standing behind Alina talking with Alexi about a new map he is working on when I hear the cook say "what's a Shu girl doing here?" I turn away from Alexi to listen in to this conversation, ""I'm Ravkan" my cousin says nervously "on the cartography team" Alexi leans forward and butts in "she's half Shu, an orphan" I clench my fists to my tray, focusing on my breathing so that I do not do something that will get me in trouble. The cook frowns and asks "is that an answer?" and I see Alina feeling very uncomfortable, "back of the line. Your friends too" he says his voice slow and I am about to step forward to say something when Marco grabs my arm and whispers "Salem, don't. It will only get you in trouble" I lean back and whisper "this isn't right Marco you know as well as I that I can't just stand here and watch people do this to her" but by the time I straighten up again Alina is stalking off. Sighing I place my tray down and follow her to the watch tower where she is sitting, looking out at the camp. Silently I sit next to her and after a few minutes I say "people are asshole's " she looks over at me her eyes as wide as a doe's and she says "people are people, they are always going to assume the worst".
I place a hand on her shoulder and say "that doesn't mean you should just put up with with it Li, seriously it isn't right" she shrugs my touch off her and bites "you aren't the one who hasn't to live like this. you don't understand" I sigh and scratch my arm before replying "I may not understand that you are going through but I know when you are hurt and I can understand that if nothing else" just then Mal comes up with a little bowl of fruit, I take a grape popping into my mouth as I let them have some time alone. I may be Alina's cousin but Mal understanders her better then I can, there are some things she just can't tell me.
"hey, where were you?" Marco asks his black hair falling into his face, I wipe it away for him and give him an easy smile "no where, race you back to the tents?" he smirks and starts forward "I am so gonna beat you Salem Starkov". In bed that night I can't sleep so I lie awake staring at the roof of the tent, the place silent until Alina says "Mal had the offer to tumble with a Grisha today" this catches me off guard and I prop myself up on my elbow looking over to where my cousin is lying on the other side. "he what?" I ask not quite believing it, I see her nod her head and I snort falling back onto my pillow "that's crazy"I say and after a short pause she asks "do you think he did it?" her voice quiet that I can tell that she has been thinking about this for a while. I let out a breath and keep my gaze upwards "honestly? he probably did, I mean come on. it is Mal we are talking about, the worlds biggest player" it wasn't what she wanted to hear but I couldn't lie to her and so we lay in silence until we both fall asleep.
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"what the hell did you do?"I demand from Alina as our unit bored the skiff headed for the Fold, she glares "shush I didn't do anything" she whispers and I roll my eyes "if something happens I'm blaming you" Mal comes stalking over to us and asks "what are you doing here?" I shake my head and Alina says "we've been assigned with you" her voice is light and joyous as though we are not just about to enter a place full of darkness and monsters that will probably try to kill us. "no. turn around right now" Mal says and I scoff "tired that, didn't work" he looks at me, pity in his eyes, he knows how much the idea of this terrifies me and it would scare anyone with half a brain. "orders are orders" Alina says in reply to Mal and he says "I could shoot you in the foot" the half Shu girl brushes past her friend and says "I like my feet thank you" and I snort "you are fighting a loosing battle" I tell my friend and he sighs "you guys shouldn't be here" I place a hand on his arm and give it a comforting squeezing "we couldn't let you face this danger alone" I say before heading out to the main deck of the skiff.
My heart is racing in my chest as a dark skinned woman in a blue jacket type thing claps her hands and starts to talk "here's how we go" she starts "we go into the Fold, it gets dark, but we like it dark. That keeps us from drawing attention. That's how we travel. The only light we use is the blue one at the mast" she points to the lantern "its weak but its safe" Raisa steps forward then and asks "but you're an Inferni, right? why are you here if we're supposed to keep things dark?" and in a very dramatic fashion the Inferni answers "for when the dark comes to keep you" I roll my eyes and nearly jump out of my skin as someone taps me on the shoulder. It's Mal, I clutch my chest and say "saints Mal, you scared me" he flashes me a grin "just wanted to see how you are doing" I shrug looking up to the massive wall of darkness "I'm fine" he gives me a looks before nudging my arm "good because I don't want to have to worry about you will I'm saving everyones lives" I scoff and nudge him back "please, I will be the one saving your ass"
Suddenly the skiff starts moving and soon enough we are in the fold, darkness enveloping us hiding us from the outside world. My hands are shaking and I clench them into fists, watching as we move smoothly through the Fold in complete silence. I stand with Alina, using each other's company for comfort. There is a growling in the distance that sets me on edge and I mutter "I am Salem Starkov and I am not afraid" but it doesn't seem to work, so I slip my hand into Alina's and we share a nervous smile. The Inferni from earlier walks past us and says "marker one" we turn to her and Alina asks "how many more are there?" I am not made to feel any easier when the woman replies "37", I didn't know the Fold was that thick.
Then all of a sudden we are attacked.