Blood and Water - The Darkling

Chapter 3: Well Shit

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𝕴 wake up with a start. I feel the rush of air on my skin, and I open my eyes to see what looks like dark clouds of smoke. I'm on my back, on the deck of the skiff. It takes me only a moment to realize that the clouds are getting thinner, giving way to dark wisps and, between them a bright autumn sun. I close my eyes again, feeling relief wash over me. We're leaving the Fold. Somehow we made it through. Or did we? Memories of the volcra attack flood back to me in a frightening rush. Where is Alina?

Immediately, I try to sit up with a groan. Pushing through it I lift up and find myself looking down a rifle barrel. Choosing to ignore it, I look around. Alina lays to my left and Mal beside her. I see the slow movement of her chest. She's alive. That's all that matters. Everything else is a blur, all I remember seeing are the injured.

Somehow I find myself on the drydock back in Kribirsk. Well, apparently we did not make it through the Fold. Alina lets out a groan as one of the Grisha shifts her. I let out a hiss and desperately search for another dagger.

"Bring them to the general's tent," a Squaller woman orders. The soldiers quickly comply and lift my twin from the ground. Too tired to complain, I keep a close watch and follow suit. One of the men attempts to grab my arm but I quickly jerk away with a glare.

"I'm perfectly capable of walking on my own, thanks," I say with as much fire as I can muster.

We continue on our way and as the soldiers march us up the main road, I notice people turning from their work to gawk. My mind whirls, as I search for answers. What happened in the Fold? Sadly, the power still rushing through me provides the answer. I let it out.

Finally, my sister and I enter a tent and are brought to a halt. A short distance away stands a man donned in black. Even as tired as I am, I cannot ignore the vibrations running through my veins.

"Bring them closer," the general orders, back still turned away from us. The soldiers shove us forward and I am quick to grab hold of Alina's hand.

"Closer," he demands. My twin and I share a reluctant look and take a singular step towards the man.

"Well?" he asks as he turns to face us.

I give Alina a short squeeze and lift up my chin to stare him in the eyes. Ignoring the spark I feel, I reply, "Well, what? Sir."

It's obvious that I added 'sir' as an afterthought, but no one chooses to comment on it.

The Darkling peers at me, his striking face cold and unfeeling, "What are you?"

"Svetlana and Alina Starkov, Assistant Cartographers, Royal Corps of Surveyors," I immediately respond, knowing that it's not the answer he wanted.

"They're all gone," my sister whispers and once again I give her hand a light squeeze.

"What are you?" he replies, as though we never spoke a single word since entering the tent.

"Mapmakers, sir," we answer in unison. Apparently, this wasn't the correct response, because laughter echoes throughout the tent.

After a moment, silence once again slices through the atmosphere. It is eventually broken when the Darkling finally tears his gaze away from me, "So who actually saw what happened?"

The captain stands at attention and answers in an expressionless voice, "Approximately thirty minutes into the crossing, we were set upon by a large flock of volcra. We were pinned down and sustaining heavy casualties. I was fighting on the starboard side of the skiff. At that point, I saw-," The soldier hesitates, and when he speaks again, his voice sounds less sure. "I don't know exactly what I saw. A blaze of light. Bright as noon, brighter. Like staring into the sun."