Rot ━ Mal Oretsev ✓

𝟬𝟭𝟭 a series of very bad decisions

   If she was honest, Thalia had always thought it would be rather fun to be an advisor for General Kirigan.

She has always known that the advisory board have better benefits than the general army. For example, they are granted access to his sector of the Little Palace and often commute there. They got to weigh in on his ideas, their opinions somewhat valued and taken into consideration. They even got to call Kirigan by his first name, but Thalia didn't have a clue what that was, nor if that was just a rumour.

She had thought that being in Kirigan's commune came with a certain status. That it led to bigger and better opportunities. That it let you get away with things that nobody else would dare to try.

But evidently, being a member of Kirigan's advisory faculty does not grant you immunity. Thalia knows that much is true when she finds Zoya trudging through the Little Palace only twenty minutes after her fight with Alina, scowling like a child.

   "Zoya!" She shouts, fast on her feet. Zoya doesn't let up her pace, and Thalia races to keep up. "Zoya, slow down, for Saints sake."

"Go away, Thalia," Zoya bids, still walking at a pace that indicated she wanted to be anywhere but the palace. When Thalia does not stop trailing after her, she scoffs. "Why are you following me?"

Thalia shrugs, "Something to do, I suppose."

It is then that Thalia zones in on the fact Zoya is carrying a particularly large bag, her eyes widening. She had thought that Zoya was simply on a rampage, but evidence showed otherwise.

"Are you leaving?" Thalia asks, "If so, why are you leaving? If not, why do you have a bag big enough to carry a horse with you?" Zoya continues her walk, now heading toward the foyer, and Thalia's question is answered wordlessly.

She's rather chatty today, Thalia has realised. Can't seem to keep her mouth shut for longer than a minute, snarky and/or unsavoury remarks slipping past her lips easily. This is what being carefree feels like, she supposes.

But carefree is not the word she would use to describe her current feelings as her heart begins to deepen the pit in her stomach. That is unmistakably dread, Thalia knows it like an old friend.

Zoya makes way for the stable, and the pit in Thalia's stomach continues to grow even deeper.

"You don't have to go," she reasons. "I know Kirigan will be annoyed, but he'll get over it. So will Alina. Really, Zoya, you don't have to leave."

Please don't leave, her mind supplies. I can't bear being left anymore.

An almost comical laugh rises from Zoya's throat, "I'm not sure when you became so clingy, Thalia, but I suggest you break the habit. You'll forget me just as easily as you forgot Kat, and just as easily as you'll soon forget Zaria. You only care about yourself, at the end of the day. I suppose that's the best way to be, because if you don't care about anybody, then you can't be hurt."

The words punch her directly in the gut and Thalia can't move for a long moment. Zoya doesn't stop, though, continuing her march toward the stable. She shakes her head, coming back to her senses and realising what Zoya just said was entirely out of order.

"You aren't allowed to say that to me," she declares. "Not when you walk around acting like the Saintsforsaken Ice Queen, acting like letting anyone inside that frozen heart of yours is personally signing your death warrant."