Elementals || Grishaverse

Chapter 4: This Isn't Right

Adaline woke up to a sweet smell that she hadn't come across in a really long time - chocolate. She had heard something about preparation of delicacies for the arrival of the Grisha Orders but she ignored all the celebrations in order to keep herself sane. She brushed her hair out of her face and woke up with a jerk when the events of the previous day came to her. 

"She's awake!" She heard someone and when she turned around, she saw a female in a red kefta with black embroidered cufflinks.

"What?" Adaline whispered. What was she doing in a Grisha tent and what did a Heartrender want with her - that too from his personal guard. "Where am I?" She asked as she started to get up.

She was shoved by one of the guards, but he wasn't from the military that she was with. "Stay where you are," he warned. An oprichniki.

"I will not be pushed by someone without having an explanation as to what I'm doing here," she said sternly and stood up while the guard moved forward to restrain her. "Don't!"

The flap of the red-coloured tent opened up and a familiar young man walked in. "They want to see her,"  informed the guard to the other people in the room when the man nodded at him.

"She is right here and will break your hand if you refer to her as if she isn't." She warned the guard and then turned to look at the man. Something wasn't right. "You!" She snarled and walked towards him with a great speed. "Where is Kol? Is he okay?" She asked in a calm voice that surprised him. He was expecting her to scream at him and for a second there, she thought she would have.

"He is fine. Just shaken up by whatever happened."

"What did happen yesterday?"

"We need to go now." A different guard walked up behind her and gently grabbed her arm.

"Don't!" She shouted as she tried to pull it away but the guard's eyes opened wide as he fell to his knees, choking for air to breath.

"What did you do?" The Heartrender asked Adaline.

Her eyebrows furrowed. What did she have to do with it? "Nothing! He touched me and I don't like it when-" The grip on her arm loosened and the Heartrender tended to the guard.

"What are you?" The man with the blue eyes asked.

"I'm....woah." Her knees trembled as black spots appeared before her eyes.

She was going to fall to the ground but the young man caught her before she did. There was a sharp gasp that spread the room and the atmosphere of fear was very evident. Only problem was that Adaline was scared as well.

"You need to come with me," he whispered as she regained balance.

"Where?"

"Just...." He was going to put his hand forward but pulled it back immediately. "Trust me," he said and stood by her side and guided her outside the tent.

"I didn't do anything to the guard, I swear," she said but the man stayed silent.

Only after walking out into fresh sunshine did she realise who the young man was. He was wearing a white tunic but the black overcoat with the King's sigil and the eclipse moon was hard not to miss. "Whatever happens," he started to speak. "Do not show out your anger." He was his personal guard - the highest ranking official.

"What...." ger voice trailed out when she realised where he was taking her. "No." She tried to walk the other way but found herself staring into the chest of a tall Kingsguard. Or the Darkling's personal guard, to be specific. Didn't everyone work for him?

"Miss." The blue-eyed guard called for her. "Come," he beckoned to the tent and continued walking.

"I haven't done anything," she stated as she was pushed forward to continue walking.

"Nobody said that you did." It was nice how calm he sounded but he was just as scared as anyone else. Scared of her, she realised.

Walking into the Darkling's tent was a wave of nostalgia that hit her at once. It was as though she had entered a ball room because it was extravagant. Everyone was wearing something different. Blue, red, purple and army green filled the room. It was a place that was alive.

The soldiers marched her down a carpeted aisle when she noticed silk banners on either side of the tent that bore the symbol of the Darkling. She was feeling real fear for the first time. She had heard all the different stories that revolved around the new Darkling that had started to work for the King. He was supposed to be the same age as hers which only made everything....strange really.

At the end of the aisle stood a black dias and it was unmistakable as to who was sitting on the black ebony chair wearing a black kefta with gold embroidery. Adaline's heart was beating out of her chest and she wondered if all the Grisha in the room could hear it. She flustered when she thought about how irrational her fear was.

The guards stopped walking when the Darkling lifted his hand, and so did she. It looked like he had been waiting for her, and that did not help her fear. He pointed to the blue-eyed soldier of his personal guard, who stepped forward obediently. "What happened?" The Darkling spoke and a shiver ran down her spine. His voice was deep and very soothing she had to admit, and she was not expecting that at all.

"The girl...." the man started. "She put the volcra down."

A whirlpool of whispers filled the room. Adaline's mouth fell open as she struggled to find her voice. What was he talking about?

"And?" The Darkling prompted.

"She saved the boy. Kol."

"What did you see?"

"She...." It seemed like he was struggling for words as well. "She was protecting the boy and...." He tried to put what he saw in the right words but a part of Adaline didn't want him to. Whatever had happened, she was safe and so was Kol, and that was all that mattered. "I'm not exactly sure about what happened."

"Tell us what you saw," spoke the General and made his presence noticeable to everyone.

Adaline wanted to run to him for help but he was bound to the Darkling just like everyone else. He stood at the base of the dias and was trying not to look at her. Whatever the case was, there was a huge mistake.

"The volcra was about to attack them when...." The man turned around to look at her. "An invisible barrier appeared between them. It was as though it couldn't touch the girl. The barrier was made of water and air and the volcra combust into flames and then it didn't and...."

A laugh came out of Adaline's mouth without her realising it. All eyes on the room fell upon her, and so did the Darkling's. "This isn't right."