CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR.
IT WASN'T UNTIL SHE REACHED the bottom of the hill that Liliya noticed the burns that spread across her hands and crawled up her sleeves. Her skin was peeling and patchy but she ignored the burning sensation. It was nothing compared to what she had felt the past year. It was nothing compared to the pain she had to suffer. It barely scratched the surface.
But as she walked back up to the village and came upon Aleksander, he - of course - became worried. Though Liliya wasn't sure if he was truly worried or he didn't want one of his weapons damaged. She didn't care either way. The frown on his lips as he grabbed her hands gently made her heart melt. His eyebrows furrowed.
"Who did this?" He questioned. Liliya glanced back at the woods, wondering if she should admit the truth. Admit what Lev had come back to do. Someone would discover him sooner or later and if she told him now, he may just be proud.
"I did. I burnt Lev alive. I simply got caught in the cross-fire," Liliya explained as she lifted her hands away from him. The sun had risen during her walk back and she spotted Ivan assisting David back to his feet. The pair didn't look happy but Aleksander hadn't noticed. His hands instead moved to push the sleeves up her arms, trying to see the extent of her injuries.
"And why did Lev return?" Aleksander questioned. His hands fell from hers and she adjusted her sleeves and cloak before turning away towards Ivan and David. The two had spotted Liliya and Aleksander and were waiting for their leaders to return to them.
"To kill me. Roma decided against it. He grew a conscience after he sold me out to my father," Liliya explained as she walked closer to the pair. Aleksander only seemed to grow more displeased. His cloak billowing behind him as he strode across the cobbles.
"They stole-" Ivan attempted to explain but Aleksander cut him off with a snappy 'I know.' Liliya wasn't surprised by his frustrated tone. Not only had he lost the Sun Summoner but his carriage, horses and the criminals. Ivan hadn't even been competent enough to catch one of them. It was pathetic but Liliya decided to keep her thoughts to herself.
"It was the thieves," Aleksander added after a moment, glancing around the open space. The wall behind them was covered in thorned bushes and Liliya had half a mind to throw Ivan into it for his inadequacy but Aleksander showed no distaste so Liliya wouldn't either.
"I'll find a horse and I can catch up to them." Ivan suggested quickly. The redhead scoffed, turning her head away from him. The whole market square was quiet in the early morning hours. Nobody dared go near the General and his Grisha. They were all too scared especially after the Grisha had attacked the group the previous night. Anyone with half a brain would stay inside.
"No, it's a waste of time. She's not with them," Aleksander said quickly. Liliya nodded in response. The few trails she found indicated someone had gone away into the woods but Lev had distracted her before she could fully trace them. Lev always had a knack for coming at the wrong moment. Only this time it ended with him burnt to a crisp rather than an unsatisfied boyfriend, "She's on her own and our priority now is to locate her as quickly as possible." Liliya could see that Aleksander was anxious to find her. He hid it well and to the untrained eye, it would look calm and collected but he was her husband, she knew him better than anyone.
Liliya moved her gaze off of Aleksander and it quickly landed on David who had put his hand up. A singular finger pointed up as he looked sheepishly to the General and his wife. The redhead raised her eyebrow expectedly and Aleksander seemed exasperated based on his soft sigh.
"You don't need to put..." Aleksander trailed off, "Yes. David?" His tone was laced in feigned patience and Liliya knew that if David didn't start talking quickly, he might not make it out of here alive. Liliya was itching to kill someone again. Her fingers fidgetted and her paranoia was creeping along her spine. Lev may not have been alone and they were out in the open.
"Well, Genya gave her a ring. Made of pure iridium, not native to Ravka," David quickly began to explain and Liliya smirked. The ring from all those weeks ago. It had been so long since that gift and she had never understood it, "So when we get within one mile of her, I can direct us." Now, however, it made sense. Even after all that time studying, she had not seen David's plan. It felt obvious now but it seemed Aleksander hadn't seen it either.
"Well done. Proving again the many uses of a Durast," Aleksander had a prideful look on his face as he glanced to Liliya. She merely smiled in response, "Let's go." He then moved his hands down to flick his cloak out of the way as the pair began to walk. Liliya's hands were burning more now and the adrenaline was tapering off.
Suddenly she wished that they had brought a Corporalki Healer instead of Ivan. Ivan couldn't track, he could barely fight. All he did was stand at Aleksander's side and look smug. At least a Healer would be useful.
"Is there a problem?" Aleksander asked as he glanced down at Liliya. She met his gaze and shrugged her shoulders. Now was not the time to debate the usefulness of Ivan and it was an issue that they had never and would never agree on. Aleksander saw something that Liliya failed to. For all she knew, Aleksander could fancy the man.
"Nothing that can be fixed. I simply want to find the Sun Summoner so this can be done with," Liliya dismissed as she came to a halt. Ivan went forward and spoke to a man. He seemed to own the stables they were stood beside and it would be easy enough to get a horse so they can leave and find Alina before Isaak did.
"We will find her soon enough."
***
The countryside of Ravka was beautiful and Liliya had never found the time to appreciate it. Not since her failed attempt to find the Sun Summoner. Something always meant more than appreciating her country. Even now, she couldn't but as the four horses drank from the river, she could at least bask in the sunlight for a few minutes.
The water rushed against the rocks as it ran down stream. The trees climbing high above their heads. Leaves covering the forest floor and crunching beneath her steps as she paced across. It had rained a few nights earlier and the floor was still squidgy, her feet briefly sinking as she took in the winter air.
Aleksander was discussing with Ivan and David a strategy but Liliya had ignored their conversation. It bored her and she had more important things to do. Tracking had never been easy and with their chatter and the pressure placed on her shoulders, it felt worse than ever but she knew she could do it. It just took patience.
"Milaya." Aleksander's hand against her shoulder caught her off guard but she lifted her head to meet his gaze, lifting an eyebrow, "Do you know which way to go?" They had barely been on the ground for five minutes, Liliya hadn't even had time to survey the area. Plus, there was no guarantee that they had passed through this part. The river spanned on for miles and they could have stopped anywhere to fill up their water cannisters.
"I need time," Liliya replied quickly as she pulled her cloak from over her shoulders. Her burnt hands had healed slightly. The skin had turned tender but Liliya barely noticed after hours on horseback. It was simply part of her.
"We do not have time," He snapped in response. His words laced with impatience and frustration. Liliya rolled her eyes and passed the cloak to him which he took begrudingly. He watched her step away from the waters edge and towards the treeline. Her fingers skimming across the bark of the tree before she turned to him.
"Five minutes. I have not been able to scout out the area," She bargained, cocking an eyebrow. Aleksander narrowed his eyes at her, discarding her cloak in the mud. The stress of finding Alina was clearly gaining a grip on his mind. He had already gone mad with finding a way to link the two beings.
"Our Summoner could be miles away in five minutes." Aleksander stepped closer to Liliya. His eyes moved down to look at her hands for a second before he met her gaze again. They bored into each other's eyes before she turned away. She watched the treeline, narrowing her eyes.
"She is close. I know she is." Liliya wasn't even entirely convinced by her own words. There was a million places Alina could be but maybe if she said that, Aleksander would give her more time. He would trust her. She seemed to be losing it every second of the day. Every second that he was away from Alina, he seemed more agitated yet calm and completely composed.
"If she was close, David would know." Aleksander's tone was demanding and the impatience seeped through his words. His gaze fixed on her, unrelenting and piercing. It felt like his eyes were burning holes into her skull.
"Since when did you trust the Durast over your own wife?" Liliya lowered her voice. She glanced to the two men but they were watching the river now. They seemed completely unaware of the argument between the couple. Not bothering to interfere. Ivan knew better than to interfere and David was too jitter-y to question anything.
"Milaya." Aleksander's tone was warning. Liliya gave him a challenging look.
"Yes?" She asked. Her arms crossed over her chest as she waited to see what he would say. They both knew that they were wasting time and Aleksander did not have time for her games. Liliya only wanted to ensure his loyalty. No matter how shaky it was.
"This is not a question of trust," Aleksander said. Liliya nodded and smiled.
"Five minutes." It was not a question. It was a demand. If she was not give five minutes, she would not bother to track for them any longer. Alina was important but Aleksander's loyalty and trust was more so.
"If you find nothing, we will have to keep following your previous direction." It only took a moment for Aleksander to give in and it made Liliya smile victoriously. She knew just how to make him bend and it had worked. So, rather than answer with words, she simply nodded her head and turned on her heel away from the man.
The area wasn't too large and it was easy to survey. There were large gaps in the tree line and the leaves that littered the floor were clear indicators of where people had stood and where they had no. The mud also worked nicely in her favour. It kept the patterns much better than dirt would and considering Alina's nimble nature, it would make her footprints much easier to find.
The thorn bushes also meant that clothes could get trapped easily and as she knelt down to inspect them. She found what she was looking for. A piece of cloth. It was from the First Army uniform. A piece of cloth from the undershirt. It was muddy and slightly damp but Liliya recognised the matieral. It was unlike Grisha fabric, it felt so ordinary in her palm. There could be no mistake.
And once she had found the cloth, the footsteps were simple to find. Two tracks tracing up the hill and away from the treeline. They hadn't been smart enough to clear these up and that slip-up was all Liliya needed.
"Malyen Orestev is with her," Liliya called. Aleksander's head lifted at her words and he turned his gaze to her. He crossed the muddy patch to her and she lifted up the fabric piece, "First Army uniform." There was a certain pride to her tone. She was simply happy that she had discovered anything at all. If she hadn't, there was no telling how far Alina would get.
"Well, I cannot say that was unexpected," Aleksander's tone was partly bitter but he seemed victorious. Glee in his eyes as he took the piece of fabric from her fingers. He placed it in his palm and stared at it before he looked up to Liliya, "He was injured in his search for the stag. They won't have gotten far." Liliya nodded. The footprints made all the more sense.
"There are footprints here," The redhead gestured to a few feet away. Three tracks pressed into the mud though to the untrained eye, they seemed like all the same set.
"Are you sure they are not your own?" Aleksander questioned. Liliya scoffed and grabbed Aleksander's arm, leading him to them. She pointed to the set furthest to the left.
"These are my prints," She explained. The distinctive sole pattern was typical of Grisha battle boots. The thick sole made for hard indentations like the ones she had made. She then gestured to the other set of footprints, "This is someone else. Two someones," She explained, pointing out the minor difference in them. It could look like someone doubled back but she knew it was different, "Look at the movement patterns. One of them is slightly injured based on the depth at the hell. They are trying to keep momentum and the other one is tired. They are dragging their feet. Their footsteps are less distinguished and you can see the way that the mud is dragging along with them." Liliya felt oddly proud explaining it. A small smile on her face as she did so. It was the first time she had properly tracked anyone in months and it felt like an accomplishment.
"And which direction will they have gone?" Aleksander asked. Not even acknowledging her handiwork. He simply turned away towards the two men who were once again staring off at the sky, paying no mind to anyone else. Liliya pushed her hair behind her ear and pointed in the direction that the footsteps seemed to be headed in.
"That way." She thought it would be blatantly obvious that's where they were going but Aleksander knew very little about tracking. He always had someone else do it for him or his shadows would help him along. Either way, he didn't have the talent and skill that Liliya had gained over the years.
"Get the horses away from the river. We are leaving," Aleksander called to Ivan and David. The Durast looked up and he looked alarmed. His face was slightly shocked but Ivan removed as stoice as always. Prepared to serve his General whenever it was necessary.
"In which direction?" Ivan questioned as he grabbed onto the reins of the horses. He then gently began to pull them away towards the treeline.
"In whichever direction Liliya tells us to go." Aleksander's words were in question. They were a demand and Liliya felt appreciated just for a moment. A prideful smile spread across her face and she walked over to her horse. She put her foot in the stirrup and pulled herself on top before she began to lead the group away.
***
author's note! ―
oh hi there, it's totally not been like... three months, yeah i don't know what happened either but here's a new chapter! the book is probably gonna stay as 'on hold' offically but like unoffically i might start writing so i can finish up this damn act and be prepared for season two whenever that comes out in the next year or so, but yeah, here's another chapter! a little shorter than usual but it's here and i'm really sorry for the lack of updates by inspiration just WENT away but it's back a little bit now so here's another chapter! hope you enjoyed <333