Centuries

Chapter 7

     The last thing I expected to happen when I went back in time was that I would end up helping the Darkling again. Only this time I was trying to stop someone from harming any more grisha. Wasn't that close to his motivation the last time I helped him? He expanded the fold to protect Ravka. Did whatever he did to create it start out somewhat normal like this.

     We spent the rest of dinner discussing what we thought General Janazain was going to do and came up with several theories. The only one that made a lot of sense was that he was working with Fijerda and spying on Ravka. We decided not to risk being overheard so we went to the same tent I was in with the Darkling last night.
      
"How do you get anything done? It's so messy here." Willow was complaining

"It's not that bad, it's just papers." The Darkling retorted, he was cleaning up so Willow's scolding was working.

"I sound like your mother or something." Willow said

"If you did you'd be hitting me with a cane."

"Sounds like fun." Willow muttered

"How would getting hit with a cane be fun?"

"No, hitting you with a cane sounds fun birdbrain."

"I hate you." the Darkling said affectionately
  
Their bickering reminded me of all the times I had had conversations like that with Mal. I wished he was here but I knew it was better that he wasn't, there was a high chance we could get killed, as much as I missed him I didn't want him here, the Darkling warned us that plotting against him could very well kill us. We needed evidence to get anywhere so the best thing to do was wait until something happened and we found enough evidence to expose him.

Nobody wanted to risk being overheard so they all went to sleep. Despite barely sleeping the night before I couldn't. I kept thinking of the poor girl who died to keep my secret. I should have done something. My power not being revealed made my chances of defeating the Darkling better but if I let people die for me like that  how was I any better than him?

"Get up there's been a sighting of Fijerdans in the forest again."

Willow said while waking me up just after I  fell asleep after hours of trying. The barely risen sun made the whole sky a deep pink.

"Slow down." I grumbled as I got dressed. 

Willow had her hair tied up and somehow looked like she had been awake for hours. I rushed to the cartographers' tent but apparently I didn't need to worry about drawing anything so I grabbed a rifle from one of the many storage tents and slung it over my shoulder. It was awkward and heavy but I needed to be able to defend myself without summoning and this was the best I could do.

Instead of doing a patrol like last time we were divided into partners and searched whatever direction General Janazain assigned us. Of course I ended up having to be with the Darkling. I hated to admit that I was happy that I had to go with him, I already knew it would be another perfect opportunity to kill him that I wouldn't take.
The Darkling and I left the camp and even though we were supposed to go south of the camp he led east once we were out of sight of the border.

"We're supposed to go south, why are we headed east?" I questioned
"General Janazain sent only two other people in this direction; he could be hiding something."

"How long have you suspected him?" I asked

"I probably should have caught onto him sooner but about two months ago when he sent several grisha deep into Fijerdan land, when they came back they reported to me that they caught him with a group of drüskelle When I questioned him about it he denied it and executed the soldiers who reported to me."

"You're powerful enough, why not just kill him?"

I had a feeling that I shouldn't press him but there had to be a reason he didn't just kill him and I intended to find out.

"As much as I'd like to kill him he is more useful alive eventually and I could torture him and give him a death closer to what he deserves. But to do that we need to prove one of our theories correct."

"You're certainly charming."

I hoped my sarcasm didn't come across rude, he smiled at me so I assumed he didn't really care.

"Well I'm obviously trying to seduce you with talking about torture."

"It's working"

I had never really tried flirting with anyone before and hoped I wasn't doing too terribly. Was that what this was? The Darkling ran a hand through his hair that had fallen into his face from the wind, his cheeks were slightly pink. Either I had made him blush or they were flushed from the wind. I liked the first option better.

The forest was denser than where I was before, there was a small path that the Darkling and I were on but I still constantly stumbled over rocks. Although it was the middle of summer the air was cold and the fog that settled around us gave me an uneasy feeling. I knew if Mal were here we would've already found whatever we were supposed to be looking for. I tried not to think about him but he was always what I ended up thinking of.

The Darkling suddenly stopped in front of me and I caught a glimpse of something silver half buried in the dirt off the path. When the Darkling picked it I was surprised when he flinched and dropped it immediately.

"What happened?" I asked him, noticing his bloody hand.

"Grisha cuffs."

The handcuffs on the ground looked completely normal but I knew they could do far more damage than normal handcuffs.

I recalled learning about them in history. Grisha cuffs were used as a cruel method of weakening grisha, I didn't remember exactly how they worked. I did know while they were on they were extremely painful and grisha wouldn't be able to use their powers for several hours after they were off.

Fortunately they were extremely difficult to make and eventually fabrikators found a way around them being created and they hadn't been used for hundreds of years. Unfortunately it seemed they could be used now.

"Alina, can you just throw them in the river they won't hurt you since you're not
grisha."

I cringed at the thought of touching it, I reminded myself that whatever General Janazain would do to me if my power was revealed was going to be worse. When I picked them up my hand throbbed, as fast as I could I tossed them into the river.

I only touched the cuffs for a second but my whole body felt tired and along with my hand my head was also throbbing. I shoved my hands in my pockets before the Darkling noticed anything wrong.

I had never been good at walking long distances but we barely hiked for three miles and I was growing tired, I guessed it was because of the grisha cuffs that I was getting tired this early. At least the Darkling was also affected so we were moving at a slower pace than before. I heard rustling in the bushes nearby and assumed it was an animal, the forest was thick but surely a Fijerdan couldn't be hiding. There was a loud crack and the Darkling sent the cut in the direction, only it barely did anything.

"Damn grisha cuffs." the Darkling swore

"Hopefully it was just an animal or something. I said although I knew that it wasn't likely.

"We need to-" the Darkling never finished his sentence thanks to a Fijerdan attacking us from behind

I blindly fired my rifle and somehow hit him.
"What do we do now?" I asked the Darkling on the small chance he'd prepared for this.

"Run"