chapter two.
The Rise of a Grisha
THE GRISHA CHASED AFTER ME THROUGH THE first army camp. They shout orders, splitting up or straying close on my tail. I knew that once I'd started running that I would get caught, and once I got caught, I would be taken to General Kirigan and I wanted to desperately avoid that, but I knew my chances of that were slim.
I ran past many first army soldiers, who glanced over their shoulders as I ran past them, curiosity eating away at them most likely as to why I was running. The light in my palms had faded away after several attempts, it was mesmerizing and terrifying. But I didn't have time to stop and think about this 'power' thing. I was more afraid that I was going to get choked again by a heartrender.
I was about to turn down another road when some more Heartrenders suddenly appeared, from the direction I was about to charge down. My eyes widened as they drew back their arms and pushed them forward. A few feet away from me, was a tent, there was a gap that bridged two tents together, big enough for me to be able to get through with little trouble. I took a sharp turn through the gape, one of the heart renders shouting as I did.
I ran through, emerging back into the open, and ran straight, past more first army soldiers and tents. We were getting too close to town. Go even further and there will be more trouble that awaits on the other side.
I could go into the town and find a place to hide, but that wouldn't end well in my favor. They were far smarter than me, and they would find me by just listening to a single heartbeat. I could hear them shouting, rounding the corner, and pursuing me with everything they had, in a way it kind of made me admire them for not giving up as easily as I'd expected. But at the same time, it was just another reminder that these were heartrenders, General Kirigan's heartrenders and that I should never underestimate them.
I could feel my legs beginning to cramp the faster I ran, the sweat that began to trickle down my face, and the intake of air beginning to become a struggle. At least I was getting some exercise in.
My heart was pounding out of my chest, and the muscles in my legs starting to slow me down. I tried to push on, but eventually, it got worse. My muscles were aching too badly and I gave out, landing on the ground, panting, arms and legs shaking. I could hear the Grisha rounding up on me, circling me, making sure I had no way to escape.
I got on my knees, looking around, I was crowded by at least ten Grisha. "Don't more." One of them shouted, hands facing outward as if he were ready to stop my heartbeat at any given moment, "or I'll put you under."
I didn't know what to think or say at the moment, so I only nodded. Two Grisha came to my sides and gripped my elbows forcing me to my feet and started dragging me off toward General Kirigans tent.
❂♕
I was dragged through the open flap of the Grisha tent, Heartrenders on either side of me. The inner walls of the tent were draped with cascades of bronze silk that caught the glimmering candlelight from a chandelier that sparked high above. The grounds were covered in various rich rugs and furs. Along the walls, shimmering silken partitions separated compartments where the Grisha clustered in their vibrant color Kefta's.
"Everybody out," the dark smooth voice boomed through the tent, suddenly making the Grisha turn their heads in its direction.
The Grisha left the tent in one sweep, the flap of the tent unhooking in the process and two Grisha standing outside.
I was marched further into the tent, down a long carpeted aisle that ended leading up to a black pavilion on a raised dais.
My eyes reached the back of a black kefta, the darkling. His head was bowed, eyes focused on what I assumed to be a map. We stopped once we were a few feet away from the dais and I felt the sudden urge to try to escape, but I knew I was only trying to bring myself some sense of comfort. The darkling rose his head slowly from the map and although he wasn't facing me, I couldn't help but feel intimidated.
"My Heartrenders say we have another Sun Summoner amongst us," He started, his back straightening, "is it true?"
I shook my head in urgency, "No," I started, "No General Kirigan," I said, my accent thick.
I heard a dark laugh escape him and then he was slowly turning to face me, "It seems not only do we have ourselves another summoner but a Fjerdan as well,"
I bowed my head, "Half Fjerdan sir," I said slowly. "And where are your parents?" He asked, "I don't know, sir. I haven't seen them since I was four."
"And were you tested as a child?" He asked a few seconds later, his brown eyes looking me over, I felt a sudden need to hold myself, to turn my back to him. "No, sir," I whispered looking down.
"And why not?" So many questions, I thought irritably, "because I was in Fjerda at the time, sir. I didn't get out until I was ten."
"That's awfully late," The darkling said, curiously. "did you know you could summon?"
I looked back up, shaking my head. "No," I started, "I'm not even Grisha sir."
His lips tugged into a smile, his jaw clenching. "I think my Heartrender and everyone else will say differently."
I furrowed my brows, but then the Darkling was turning back to the table, picking up a small blade, and turning back to me, "How old are you? And what is your name?"
I took in a breath, looking between the dagger and the General, is he going to stab me? "Freya Julikov sir," I started and sucked in a breath, "I am seventeen years old."
The Darkling nodded and slowly descended the steps, eyes piercing mine on the spot. My breath hitched in my throat, how his jaw clenched and unclenched with every breath, how his hair tucked into his ears as it was pushed back, and how well he looked in black.
His strides were built with confidence, written on his face, but lack of emotion in his eyes. He was incredibly tall to me, but that could have also been because my head barely went past his collar. He stopped in front of me, his eyes staring me down as I watched for him to make his next move.
His lips twitched again, but this time he'd meant for me to notice, "May I have your hand?" He inquired, a hand reaching out to mine.
My eyes widened and I looked between his hand and the dagger that was still in his hand, but only did I notice it wasn't a dagger but a bear claw-looking ring. I looked back up at him and shakily asked, "are you going to cut me?"
He chuckled again, "only if you allow me to." I looked at him warily, "what will happen if I do?" I asked curiously.
His lips twitched into a smirk, eyes gleaming, "that is all up to you." He shrugged.
"How do I know you won't actually kill me?" I asked but frustration laced my voice this time, this time his eyes seemed to zero in on what I'd said and his eyes grew blank, "now why would I kill you?"
I looked away and to the heartrenders that still were at my sides and back to the Darkling, embarrassment taking me as my cheeks flushed. "I—" I coughed, "I don't know."
He smiled, "exactly," he said simply then continued, "and if I intended to kill you. I would have done it by now."
I nodded, looking back between his hand and the claw, "Okay." I said and pulled up the sleeve of my army uniform, "make it quick though, and don't be disappointed when you see nothing."
He nodded, placing the claw onto his finger and asking for my hand, I gave it to him with a shaken breath and when I did his hand was cold, but calloused. His touch sent something through me, a calling and I tried to push it away. The claw dragged over my pulse and a searing light burst from the cut, seeping out of my skin in an orange glow that flooded the tent in a glow.
I watched the cut in fascination, no, no. This isn't real, this is a dream. I looked up at the darkling and his hold on my wrist tightened as if he'd known I was trying to push it away.
The glow was warm and bright, and oddly beautiful, I didn't know what I thought of it. I didn't want to like it, but a sense of security came over me, and made me like it. The Darkling's eyes shone in the bright light, and he didn't flinch once, and he seemed to have known that from the start I was what I was, whatever that was.
But in a flash he was pulling away from me and smirking silently, "do you believe it now?"
I opened and closed my mouth, not knowing how to answer. Then he was turning to a heartrender, "get a bowl of water." He said.
"We must be certain that she is also a Tidemaker," I furrowed my brows, but then I thought back to everything Aliya and Rebecca had been talking about earlier, a sun summoner and a Tidemaker.
It sounded ridiculous, but after everything that's just happened in the last few minutes, could it be true? If it had been anyone else I wouldn't have believed it, but no, no it was me.
A bowl appeared a few minutes later and the heartrender was standing between me and the Darkling, "summon the tides," the darkling said. I stared up at him in shock, "I—" I started, "I don't know how."
He chuckled then stepped around the heartrender, "here then," and then he was grabbing my arm again and the same surge of power came rushing to me but he pushed my hand forward over the bowl of water, hand still gripping mine.
The water came above the bowl, in my palm, and glowed in the light. I stared at him in awe, this is a dream I can't wake up from.
The darkling smiled, "and we have indeed found our Sun Summoner and Tidemaker."
He released my arm and the water fell back into the bowl with a splash and the heartrender was gone. The darkling turned to the other heartrender, "Get me, Ivan, please Vladimir."
He nodded and disappeared out of the tent, I looked from the darkling to my palm in shock, "this has to be some weird dream I'm having." I said breathily.
"This isn't real." I shook my head and turned away from the darkling moving my hair out of my face. "This isn't real," I repeated, "wake up, wake up, wake up," I said.
"This is no dream, my dear." The darkling said, "it is very much real." He smiled again, "and now that I have you and Alina Starkov." He stopped as if he was taking a moment for dramatic effect, "you two will change the world."
And then he was turning back and walking back up the dais, I watched after him. Fear and confusion eating away at me. "What happens now?"
He stopped mid-step and peered over his shoulder, "you will be going to the little palace." He said, "to train with Ms. Starkov."
And then the heartrenders were back in the tent and escorting me out. I didn't try to fight them though, I knew better. Rebecca and Aliya appeared from within the growing crowd, staring at me with wide eyes. I wanted to run to them more than anything, but I couldn't.
The coach was black of course, and once I was in, the door was shut and I cried silently, the door locking from the other side.
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『Authors note』
Another chapter is done! I've been working on this for days actually and you know the thing I said about having it out by the end of the week yeah I lied sorry I hope you enjoy it! Much love.
Warning I also used some some lines from the books to describe what the tent looked like because I can't explain anything so I hope you guys are okay with it. It isn't my writing so that part goes to Leigh Bardugo!