Secrets and Lies

VI

They approached the cliff once more, halting alongside the stone, shouts and commands sounded around Celeste's crouched form, her gloves were soaked in Mal's blood, the pressure had eased the seeping, yet the three deep talon marks in his chest still pulsed with raw agony. Two first army soldiers flooded the skiff, their mouths agape at the carnage upon the deck, Celeste stood, auburn tendrils stuck to her face with a concoction of blood and sweat. She couldn't catch a break...

Both Grisha and non started to flood the skiff, awe at the carnage laid out before them, Celeste would be in shock too if she was the one to board this vessel, the light had revealed the monstrosities before her. Carved bodies littered the floor, blood was splattered on every inch of wood, death pulsed in the air around them. Jade eyes blinked ahead in disbelief. The new occupants remained frozen, saliva was thick in her throat, she coughed

"Over here" Celeste shouted across the skiff, the two first army soldiers snapped their heads around, scanning their eyes over the scene, they settled on the two unconscious bodies, Mal in a worse state, they moved towards the tracker, the Kaelish woman backed away as they brought a stretcher, lifting the man away. The skiff gradually filled with the uninjured ready to help, through all the assistance, soldiers and Grisha still stood by the railings, bloodied, singed, and considerably fewer in number than when the journey had set out. They were stilled in horror, perhaps relief? Both? Celeste crouched down beside Alina, scorched rays marked the oak beneath her. A sun summoner. Alina groaned, her eyes peeling open to stare at the sky above, confusion rippled across the girl's features. She gasped, bolting upright.

"Mal, where's Mal?" her voice was breathy, exhausted, dark eyes unfocused and frantic. Celeste gently placed her hand on the cartographer's shoulder, Jade met brown. Alina blinked, her gaze finally settling.

"He's been taken to Medika" Alina blinked up at her, a mix of slight understanding and confusion spelled across her features, the loading of a rifle cut them both off. Celeste snapped her head around, coming face to face with the barrel of a rifle. Her eyes flickered up and connected with the deep blue of a man, clad in the usual first army uniform, gaze cold as stone.

"Move away from the girl"

"Don't point that at me" She spoke evenly, slowly rising from the ground

"Move" he clutched the weapon tighter, gesturing for her to exit the skiff. Celeste sighed... you had to pick your battles, Alina blinked up at her, eyes glazed and watery. 'I'll find you' the auburn-haired woman mouthed as she moved from the skiff. The cold metal of the rifle brushed her back briefly. The wood echoed under step, the camp was rife with chaos, screams of pain, orders, and panic. Celeste slipped away from the trigger happy soldier, passing through crowds... the black and red blood mix made her stick out like a sore thumb. If she could get Alina out of this mess, get her back to Mal, and people not discover the cartographer is a Sun Summoner then everything would blow over... Getting to Alina would prove quite easy... yet it was the question of whether or not getting out would be as successful... . The Kaelish woman slipped into various Grisha tents, she needed something, anything to get her into the General's tent unnoticed... The auburn-haired woman was sure there would be Grisha from the skiff in the tent anyways... the dried blood wouldn't be an issue it would be the fact her attire very much so screamed, Non-Grisha imposter. Ten minutes passed before she stumbled upon a lonesome, Corporalaki Kefta sat draped over a chair. Healer. They were probably off seeing to the injured. Celeste slipped the material on, the feeling was different, it was weighted. This was a Kefta for fighting. Her fingers brushed against the fabrikator made material, it was denser, lighter and just a better construction than the First Armies.

Her boots slapped against dried mud, coarse and cracked from use. Her gloves felt tight, The Kefta was weighted almost suffocating against her shoulders, the breeze caressed her face, soft and calming in juxtaposition to the swirling panic that curdled within.