"Very motivating speech, didn't think you had it in you honestly," I smarted as my father came to a stop in front of me.
He didn't take the bait, instead dismissing the heartrender with a flick of his wrist who stayed a respectful distance away, always within calling distance like the good little dog he was.
I looked at him for the first time since he arrived, I mean properly looked at him. He was still the dashing general that command the second army but something was different, he was different.
His neutral face looked, well.... tired, like the weight of the world had finally caused him to collapse.
He seemed a bit, too, aware of everything, like someone had taken water from Fjerda's permafrost and poured it directly down his shirt.
"Father?" I asked slowly, unsure, "Is everything- are you alright?"
He looked at me then, straight in the eyes, "Don't you ever, and I mean it Rena, ever run off like that again," I saw it then, the fear and the worry, "I can't lose you aswell," he said quietly, barley there, I wasn't even sure I heard him right.
I was stunned into silence, he was, worried?
I suppose it made sence, he was my father, of course he would be worried if I suddenly ran off, but I didn't do it on purpose, I had every intention of staying with Niamh that time, but if I hadn't had acted like I did then those guards would have found us.
"You've questions," he accused, "I can see it in your eyes, I don't have much time, walk and talk."
Slowly I stood up, using the pole as leverage to help me, once my father was sure I was steady on my feet he started walking, making it clear I was to follow.
"Why do you need the Oretsev?" I asked when I caught up to him, walking by his side.
"His skills are useful and unmatched."
I almost laughed, "What he is, is leverage," my father gave me a strange look, "Don't make that face at me, I know how you think," after a moment I added, "Sometimes."
I thought it impossible for anyone to ever know what went on in that man's head, it was a maze of strange thoughts and strategic plans all crowded into an organised mess that only made sense to him.
He stopped and looked at me, contemplating, "I can let you out of those if you like," he nodded towards my irons.
"Honestly I've become quite attached to them, sence it seems that everyone wants to put me in them."
I saw him subtly roll his eyes skyward as we continued walking.
"People must be terrified if they see the need to put a fifteen year old child who has had her power for less than a year in irons all the time."
He stopped abruptly pulling me into an empty tent, "Do you know why that is?" He asked. I just looked at him confused, "Why you've been able to master your power so quickly?"
I shook my head, "I just thought that it was normal."
He huffed a small chuckle, "No my dear, for us mabey, but for other Grisha not quite. You see our bloodline is not just the only shadow summoners to ever exist, but we have an extra gift that I've suspected has been passed onto you for some time now."
"What do you mean?"
"Do you know how children are tested for Grisha power?" He asked, "How I was able to nudge your gift out of the hole it was buried within that day in my tent?"
I narrowed my eyes, thinking, it hadn't really been something I had thought about, so overcome with shock the process had escaped my memory.
"Amplifiers Rena, amplifiers."
I looked back up at him, "Ivan once showed me a bear claw around his neck, are you saying you pressed an amplifier into me?"
A ghost of a small smirk, "No Rena, I am an amplifier, a living amplifier," he explained, "As were your ancestors and also now, you."
He let that sink in for a few minutes, expecting me to break the fragile silence. I didn't know what to say, I had read about amplifiers before in my studies but they hadn't ever been of any interest to me.
A worrying thought popped into my head, "How many people know?"
He tilted his head slightly, "Know what, exactly?"
"About you, that you're an, an-"
"Amplifier?" He supplied, I nodded, "Not many, there are few that have figured it out but its not as if I go around touching everyone now is it? I'd say no more than fifty, why do you ask?"
I ran that information over in my head as I answered him, "Because if their smart enough they'll figure out I'm like you and the less people that are hunting me for my bones, the better."
"Smart girl," he commented, if I wasn't mistaken I could have sworn I saw something like pride gleam in his eyes, "But I wouldn't worry about that I'm not letting you out of my sight again."
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He let me out of his sight again.
Turns out the all knowing Darkling isn't so all knowing after all.
Where he had presumed that the Grisha trapped in the little palace had no backup at it seemed he was wrong.
As we were walking around the encampment a heartrender came up to us, he cast a suspicious glance at me before my father signaled for him to continue.
"The traitors have left the palace, sir," he reported.
"Good, make sure the tracker and Miss.Starkov are separated, can't have them making anymore idiotic plans," I rolled my eyes at his remark which he saw but chose to ignore.
"Well, um sir, there's a slight problem," the heartrender started to stutter. My father raised a brow, "We, as you said, expected them to have some sort of backup but we didn't expect this sort of magnitude-"
"What are you trying to say soldier?"
"They have a whole army, sir."
As quick as lightning my father had yet again transformed into the cold general of the second army, shadows leaked from his every pore, "Stop them," he had growled, sending the poor heartrender scurrying off.
He ran a hand through his hair before turning to me, "Stay here, in the camp," I huffed a response, "Please Rena," he amended then walked away.
Before he got too far though he turned and fished a key out of his pocket, "I'm trusting you," he said as the irons clattered to the floor. One last look in my eyes and he was gone to gather his soldiers.