The rundown and exhausted group of five sat around a blazing fire. A ragged blanket given to her by Kaz wrapped around Anya's shivering torso. She laid her head lazily against Zoya's shoulder with the latter resting hers on Anya's head. She felt weak after exherting all that power.. They said nothing as they both gazed at the flickering hot flames. Mal wrapped his arm tightly around Alina while she spoke with Inej, who had a look of pure amazement on her face. She couldn't believe she was in the presence of two living Saints.
"I've never met a Saint before." Inej smiles as Kaz and Jesper joins the group. The had ventured into what was left the Novakribrisk for the essentials they needed for their journey. Anya lifts her head off Zoya's shoulder slightly as Kaz places a gentle hand on her shoulder. They're gazes meet and she lets out a tired smile while he rubs her shoulder blade comfortingly with his thumb.
"I've never been a Saint before." Alina chuckles.
"Wherever you are, whatever you need... my hand is yours. Both of yours." Inej says taking both of the girls hands.
"I think I like that hand more with a dagger in it." Anya says. Inej's eyes visibly lighten at Anya's comment. Though they had travel for a bit and had gotten to know each other, it still made Inej's heart burst to hear a compliment such as that from a Saint. Alina looks down pulling out her own dagger she had stolen from the Little Palace from underneath her blanket. It seemed like it was so long ago when she hid it under her pillow to protect herself. She plays with it in her hands before looking up at Inej.
"I couldn't hold onto yours, so take mine as a replacement." Alina says handing Inej her dagger. A wide grin forms on Inej's face as she takes the beautiful dagger in her hands.
"It's not much, but it'll fend off a bully or two." Inej chuckles looking from Alina and the dagger with glee.
"I know just what to name it." Jesper walks up to the group, holding a change of clothes. Mal takes the pile in his hands and nods gratefully. Anya stands up from her seat on the log and takes the other pile, hugging it close to her body.
"Step one for any good plan, a change of clothes." He says glancing at the there.
"It's worked for me." Kaz walks up to stand next Anya. She nuzzles herself closer to him as if she was an animal curling for warmth. He was glad they were able to escape, and he was glad to have Anya back by his side again. But he was worried about what would be in store for them now that Anya and Alina failed to bring down the fold as they promised.
"Thank you." Mal said. Jesper nods. Alina steps forward until she was only a few steps away from Kaz.
"So... will you still be trying to kidnap us?" Alina questioned even though she saw the way her sister and Kaz were nuzzled together. It warmed her heart to see that her sister found someone who actually cares for her. She knew that when it came to it, he would protect Anya with his life.
"Course not." Jesper says causing Kaz to shoot him a side-eyed glance.
"Have you found religion, too?" Kaz said with his eyebrows raised causing Anya to slightly chuckle. Kaz couldn't help but let out a small grin as he quickly glance at Anya before turning his attention back to Jesper.
"No, it's just..." Jesper sighs. "I'm exhausted. Besides... it'd be bad form to kidnap someone after they saved your life." The group all accept for Kaz let out a chuckle.
"You two are quite valuable, you know?" Anya looked down at her feet. This was only the beginning. Half of Ravka probably saw what happened in the Fold. She knew they would be hinted wherever they go especially now since Aleksander has been indisposed.
Alina looked down taking out the head piece she had, had in her hair. Kaz, Jesper, and Inej's eyes widen at the size of the jewelry in front of them.
"So is this." Alina says placing it in the palm of his hand. He looked down and examined the piece before looking back up at Alina.
"I saw this on a portrait of one of the queens in the Little Palace."
"It's not a gift." Alina states cutting him off.
"While I know you'll keep quiet about Anya, I can't exactly trust you would do the same for me. So consider it collateral to keep quiet of who I am. Where I go from here." Kaz and Alina have a silent stare down before Kaz places the piece into his pocket.
"The deal is the deal." Kaz says. He holds his hand and Alina takes it solidifying their deal.
~
Anya and Alina walked back towards the group after changing out of their dresses. Anya hugged the dress close to her body with one arm while she held onto Alina's hand with her other. They stepped in front of the fire, giving one last glance at the dresses before throwing them into the fire.
"I didn't expect it to burn at all." Anya said keeping her gaze on the burning material. She thought Grisha clothing was indestructible. She didn't know why but for some reason it gave her comfort.
"But it can be destroyed in the end." Kaz limped up to stand beside Anya. He reached his pinky out and interlocked hers with his. That was his way of saying he was there, and he wasn't going to let anything happen to her.
"Just like him." Alina spats. Anya look towards the Fold feeling that sense of dread again. Alina glanced at Anya noticing her harden gaze on the Fold.
The two girls stepped away from the group staring down at the Fold. Anya glared at the Fold as if it had just spatted an insult at her. While Alina and Mal conversed quietly beside her, Zoya approached her gaze locked on the Fold as well. She looks over at Anya's harden gaze and chuckles in amusement.
"You have the same look on your face the day Lena Rinald called your powers mediocre. Then you threw her in the lake." Zoya chuckled. Anya chuckled at the memory. That was one of her first days at the Little Palace, Lena Rinald was an Inferni who had an obsessive infatuation with Aleksander. She was jealous of Anya gaining all his undivided attention and would constantly bully and belittle her for how weak her powers were. At least until Anya manage to push her into the lake full force with her power.
"And what look is that exactly?"
"Where you'll do anything to prove to your bully you're not weak. In this case Lena is now the Fold."
"We weren't able to destroy it." Anya sighs sadly.
"Because you weren't ready." Zoya assures. "What happened to Novakribrisk was not yours nor Alina's fault."
"You and I both know who the world will blame for this though." Anya stated. Zoya nods grasping Anya's shoulders so their eyes could meet.
"Then you'll come back. You'll come back and you'll tear it down. Just not today." Anya nods pulling Zoya into a tight hug.
"I love you, Zoya."
"I love you too, Anya." Neither of them knew when they would see each other again, they just hoped that when they did it would be in one piece.
"I have to go." Zoya announces pulling away from Anya. She turns to leave and Inej stands up in her seat.
"Wait! You can't go back into the Fold."
"To Novokribirsk. I had family in that city. I need to know how much of it is lost." Zoya said solemnly.
"It's dangerous to go looking for the dead. What you see may haunt you for the rest of your days." Kaz says darkly. Zoya knew in some way he was right, but she still had to.
"Not going will haunt me more." Zoya turns to face Alina and Anya for what could be the last time in a long time.
"You can't stay in Ravka. The Apparat will try to keep his power. Blame this on all of us. The people will turn on Grisha again. You need to find new allies." Anya nods in understanding.
"Then we'll come back... and reclaim our country." Alina states.
"I still don't like you" she says at Alina causing Anya to chuckle.
"But I'm grateful for you. So remember this. Saints become martyrs before they get to be heroes. So... stay alive."
"They'll have to get through me first." Mal says confidently. Zoya smirks.
"You need more than bullets and bravado to survive the people hunting you now." Zoya hugs Anya one last time before turning her gaze to Kaz who had walked up to stand beside Anya.
"If I hear, that you've hurt her in any way, shape or form...I'll hunt you down." Her serious expression bored into his eyes causing him to gulp. He wasn't scared of many things, but for some reason the thought of crossing Zoya made him shiver. Her serious expression turned into a teasing one, and with that she walked away towards whatever remained of Novakribrisk.
"It's a two-day walk to Os Kervo from here, given our condition." Kaz announces composing himself.
"Two days as the crow walks." Jesper added.
"We can smuggle ourselves onto a ship to Ketterdam from there." Kaz and the others began to move. Anya looked back staring one last glance at the Fold before she felt her arm being tugged by Inej. Together they walked in silence.
~
"Os Kervo! Docked at Os Kervo! On to Ketterdam next!" A sailor announced as the stepped onto the ship.
"We set out with a clear mission, a prize of a million kruge." Jesper says as the three crows plus Anya sat down on the benches while Mal and Alina stood on another part of the ship.
"And a new member on our crew. So...what did we learn? People with trains are evil. You can't kidnap a human sunbeam and blazing bird." Anya chuckles .
"And maybe, just maybe, greed is a poor motivator. True wealth is the friends you make along the way."
"I just might be impressed." Inej said an amused smirk on her face.
"I'm talking of Milo, of course." Kaz and Inej rolled their eyes.
"But I won't have my smelly friend when walking into Ketterdam. Where Dreesen is waiting for our return." Jesper said glumly.
"And Pekka Rollins. They'll both want our heads once we show up without the Sun Summoner and Phoenix Summoner." Inej said looking at Anya. Anya smiled at the thought of walking around Ketterdam under everyone's noses.
"Well, I'm sure the boss has a plan." Jesper laughs.
"He wouldn't send us into a death trap. Tell me you have a plan." Jesper said dropping his smile.
"I don't care if it's a lie."
"I have a plan. And, just how this all started... we're going to need a Heartrender." Anya furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. Where were they going to find a heartrender when the whole world is after them.
"Milana?"
"No. For this to work, it has to be someone neither of them know. Someone desperate for work, with loyalties only to us." Two sailors walked by the group.
"It'll be a long passage without that wine shipment." One complains.
"Have a heart. Novokribirsk is in ruins. Their Sun and Phoenix Saint is dead." Kaz and Anya shared a look and she smiles. Kaz grasps his hand in hers gently running his thumb over her knuckles.
"Excuse me." A female voices says from behind Inej. She looked familiar to Anya, she just couldn't put her finger as to why. "Is what he said true?"
"I don't know if they're dead. But they are a Saint." Anya smiled as Inej's smiling face. The boat begins to move and Anya stands up. She walks over, placing her hands on the ledge. Even though they were miles away, she could still see the Fold from a distant. It almost felt like it was mocking her, constantly dangling the fact she couldn't destroy it in her face. Alina and Mal walk up beside her looking at the horizon.
"I know." Alina whispered. "It's like it's mocking us." Anya nods in agreement. A sailor walks by saying something in Kerch to them.
"Did he call us ghosts?" Alina questions.
"It also means survivors." Anya says sharing a look with her sister.
"But ghosts are what we'll need to be for a while." Mal says looking between the two.
"Zoya's right. The whole world will be after you."
"I know some people in this world who'd like those odds." Alina says glimpsing at the crows. Anya frowns.
"They're going to keep the secret Alina. Trust me when I say Kaz doesn't go back on his word." Alina sends a tight smile still not fully convinced.
"It's you and me now, like old times." Alina says to Mal.
"I like those odds, too."
"And what am I chopped liver?" Anya chuckles lightly nudging Alina.
"Of course not. After all, we're in this together now. Sister." Mal's eyes widen looking in between the two girls.
"Sister?!" Mal and Kaz say in unison. He had walked over to talk to Anya when he heard Alina. The two sisters chuckle at Mal and Kaz's surprised looks.
"It's a long story." Alina says with a large grin.
"Well, we've got a long trip." Kaz says. Anya chuckles stepping away from Mal and Alina. Kaz wrapped his arm around Anya while she placed her hand on top of his. They stared off into the horizon watching the dark mass. She knew the fight was far from over. But when she's strong enough she'll return, and she'll tear down the plague placed by Aleksander. Now that he's dead.