I didn't want anyone knowing that I had overheard them but I didn't want to go to sleep yet so I ran to the cartographers tent. It was illuminated by a dim light and several shelves that were packed with maps lined the back of the large tent. I wanted to know what was happening right now so I pulled out a few maps to study.
My eyes were strained and wished I could summon even the smallest bit of light even if it was a terrible idea after overhearing what I just had.
I was looking at the political boundaries when I saw that most of west Ravka was taken over by Fijerda. The land didn't belong to them and I knew Ravka was eventually going to win it back but that didn't change how my heart dropped when I realized I was in the middle of Ravka's bloodiest wars.
This war had lasted over ten years and thousands of people died. At least I was getting closer to knowing what year it was but I was searching maps for exact dates still.
The Darkling had created the fold about four years before the war was over so that narrowed me down to six years I could be in. I was searching the dates of maps and trying to order the most recent dates when I heard one of the flaps open and the Darkling walked into the tent.
"Sorry, are you busy? I just need to get a map so I can write a report on the patrol."
The Darkling said, scanning the maps I had laid out across the table.
"If you don't mind, can you help me with the second half of the report."
"Yes of course." I said a little too eagerly
I was finally starting to earn his trust. I didn't want to admit it to myself but I liked him. The Darkling seemed a bit taken aback by my enthusiasm but he just pulled a map off one of the areas north of here. As we walked through camp I realized I was used to heads turning in the Darkling's presence but nobody seemed to care.
Why would they? Right now he wasn't one of the most powerful grisha to exist and he wasn't the leader of the second army yet. We entered a small tent that seemed to act as an office and I assumed it was his.
The desk was actually two crates with a wooden board resting on top of it and papers were everywhere. I honestly thought he would be more organized but I was beginning to realize that almost everything I guessed about him was wrong.
"Well this is organized." I said sarcastically.
I didn't even mean to say that but the words slipped. The Darkling laughed. I missed the sound of his laugh. Once again had a perfect chance to kill him. I had been in charge of the second army I could create instead of him.
I could be free of hiding and reveal my powers so grisha would follow me. I could make up excuses about why I shouldn't kill him but the truth was that I didn't want to, it seemed so wrong to kill him for something he'd have no idea what he did. Did he have any idea of what he could become?
"Can you explain what happened after I got knocked out and I'll ask you questions to get this finished."
I explained everything that happened and finally the Darkling asked "About how many Fijerdans were there?"
"I don't know, maybe fifteen."
"Something about this seems off." the Darkling said more to himself than me.
"You're right even with grisha and being at an advantage in the forest it was too easy."
I didn't know much about military tactics and I would definitely be able to plan something better than that.
"They weren't trying to kill us. It would make sense if they wanted to capture one of us but that doesn't explain why all of them had non lethal weapons and not just one or two. Did any of them run?"
"Yeah but just a few."
Worry flashed across the Darkling's face and I had the feeling that we had fallen into some type of trap. The Darkling was writing something down and seemed to momentarily forget about me.
"I can do something too."
I said after a moment of silence.
I felt awkward and kind of useless sitting next to the Darkling and doing nothing.
"You can go now, thanks for offering."
the Darkling said quickly.
I could hear in his voice that he was far more worried than he was admitting
"What is going on? Tell me." I asked sternly.
The Darkling sighed and looked around as if someone could hear us before saying
"I'm pretty sure General Janazain is a fijerdan spy. Those soldiers who got away could have snuck to him while we were preoccupied."
He ran a hand through his already messy hair. What he was saying explained General Janazain's hatred for grisha while working with them. But it still didn't explain why he had the Darkling as his second in command.
"I'm sure you'll figure out something." I reassured him.
"And that's what I need to do right now. Thanks for your help."
it was getting late and I was wondering if he would get any sleep or if I would. That didn't stop me from pulling my chair closer to the desk and saying
"I'm helping even if you don't want me to."
"Fine," the Darkling said, handing me a map "Look for where you think the best spots for Fijerdans would make camps so we can keep an eye on those places."
"You seem young to be doing all this."
"Nineteen isn't that young." he muttered, still mostly focused on what he was working on.
He could be lying about his age as he did when I first met him but he didn't seem to have years and years of experience. Getting hit by that dart was something someone with more experience could've avoided and right now he looked like he hardly knew what he was doing.
The Darkling briefly left the tent to get coffee and when he came back he handed me a cup. He too a sip and looked disgusted
"Actually don't drink that I accidentally put salt in it."
It was impossible not to laugh at him. I wondered how it would be before he would be the cold and ruthless leader I knew him to be. There would one day be almost nothing left of the boy who I was laughing at right now. What scared me was that this was my future too. I had good intentions now but after seeing hundreds of years of tragedy and war what would I become?
After working for I didn't know how long I drifted into sleep. I woke up to the Surety of the Darkling's power running through me when he shook my shoulder.
"Wake up." He whispered
I sat up and I could tell that it was barely sunrise.
"Did you sleep at all?"
I asked him.
"No but you've been sleeping at my desk for a few hours and I needed to get to the papers you were sleeping on."
"You should."
I I told him He ignored me and continued working.
"You put salt in your coffee, you're clearly sleep deprived."
I said a few minutes later
"Maybe I wanted it like that." He retorted
"It's not hard to sleep, you just lay down on a bed and close your eyes. You should try it."
The Darkling rolled his eyes but he was smiling at me. When I left the tent the sun was up and I scanned the camp for Willow and Kate. When I couldn't find them I went back to the cartographers' tent and cleaned up the maps I had gotten out last night.
I thought of what the Darkling had said about General Janazain being a fijerdan spy. What if he told someone that there could be a Sun Summoner here? There could be disastrous consequences if I was discovered by anyone.
I wondered what the Darkling would think of my power. Would he kill me or if he hadn't even thought of the fold yet so he might not care. It annoyed me how much I thought of the Darkling. I should have hated him, he had done everything to earn it but couldn't.
I was relieved when Kate walked inside and distracted me from thinking of the Darkling.
"Good thing I found you General Janazain is questioning everyone who was on the patrol."
She said frantically,
Saints what if this was about what I overheard yesterday.
"What does he want?"
"Apparently someone saw someone summon light. I didn't see anything and it seems really unlikely."
If only it were as unlikely as she thought. Kate led me to a tent right next to the one I was in with the Darkling last night. Willow was just walking out and gestured for me to go inside. When I entered General Janazain was sitting behind a desk and his harsh blue eyes were focused on me. He definitely looked Fijerdan the Darkling was definitely right to suspect him.
"Hello Starkov, what can you tell me about the reports of a Sun Summoner?"