The Dual Summoner and the Darkling

Meeting Genya

Walking into my new room It felt so bare and lonely without my things as I walked to the bed and laid on it. I just wanted to be normal like the other Grisha have one of the powers, if I had to choose at the moment I would choose tidemaker. I loved being a dual Grisha but this attention was too much and I knew he was drawing me to him with his charm.

That's what I wanted, right? I thought

I heard the door open as I sat up and looked at a woman with red hair with a white and gold Kefta. I expected she was Genya. I'd heard about her from the others but this was the first time I looked at her. She walked in and looked at me as I felt tears falling from how overwhelmed I felt at the moment and looked away.

"You are Amira Silina, the dual summoner, correct?" Genya asked

"I am." I said

She walked over and had me look at her as she wiped the tears, I had no words to give her. I wanted to just calm down before she had arrived but that was not possible. She seemed to be questioning what to say to me before she decided to talk.

"Has someone upset you?" Genya asked

"I had a meeting with the darkling, it was a bit overwhelming." I admitted

"Well, your crying has made you look terrible. This makeup you wear seems to have smudge and we can't have that before dinner." Genya said

I doubted anyone but my friends wanted to see me at the dinner table at the moment with everything that had happened. I felt her gently rub her thumb over my eyes and the makeup I had on was gone. She snapped her fingers as a lady came in and had a bag as she fixed mine up. I was surprised that she had this kind of power but then I'd heard of tailors but never actually met one.

"If it's alright, I would rather not go to the dining hall. My fellow summoners may not like me at the moment for my secrets." I said "Except Nadia and Marie."

"Well I can have dinner brought to you and stay with you if you like." Genya said as she walked over and closed her bag. "If you'd rather eat alone I would understand."

"alone is the last thing I want at the moment, I am to not partake with the others until my new kefta is made." I said

"Everyone has secrets, you wanted to feel like you belonged among them until you couldn't hide it." Genya said and looked at her "How long have you known you were a dual summoner?"

"Since I was three, If I used them back to back I would fall unconscious." I said, "Baghra has gotten me past that problem and now I can use them when I want but everyone has limits sometimes."

"you could push past those limits and become a very strong Grisha." Genya said

I didn't want to talk about myself that much as I knew there was so much more going on. Genya noticed as she sat by me seeing something was troubling and she seemed to be wanting to listen. I questioned that as I didn't let just anyone in on what was going on.

"It seems you need someone to talk to." Genya said

"I really don't want to trouble you." I said

"nonsense, I'll be helping you everyday from now on so we must work on forming a friendship." Genya said

"I wouldn't know where to start. I mean I'm in this room because of what happened today." I said

"Let's start there or rather last night since it may have something to do with this morning." Genya said

I thought about last night with my parents leading up to walking in the little palace with shadows around. He'd pushed me to use the light in a way but I hadn't realized it and then he kissed me which I had mixed feelings about. I knew it didn't really have anything to do with last night how this happened but the task of the fire.

"It goes back farther, the task of the fire and the dinner. But Last night is when he discovered my power." I said

Genya listened but I think she knew there was more to this story than I shared. I just wanted to not talk about it if I didn't have to. Still she seemed to know more than I Was telling as she smiled some knowing what it was like around the darkling.

"He's tempting, isn't he? The darkling." Genya said

"Sort of." I said

"If you win his favor, you'll make Zoya jealous." Genya said "I quite think she deserves to be replaced."

I shrugged a bit before there was a knock and I got up to go to the door. When I saw Marie and Nadia with my things from the tidemaker hall I let them in. I was glad for familiar faces and I let them in as they looked at my new room. It was more sun summoner than I liked as I saw Nadia put it down and she handed me my sketchbook.

"Thanks, I need that." I said

"You're not wearing your kefta." Marie said

"I am not supposed to go out training till the new one is made." I said

"These are your friends?" Genya asked

I nod and they smiled as they hugged me but helped me set some tidemaker things within the decorative room to be the real me. I was glad that they were willing to help me so much when it wasn't necessary. After they left for dinner I sat down with Genya who went about ordering two dinners for us. She looked at my sketchbook as she offered her hand.

"May I?" She asked

"uh sure." I said

Genya took my sketchbook and she looked through it seeing that it was the same thing over and over again. Then she stopped at my last sketch where it was the darkling himself as she showed it to me. I blushed slightly and looked away as she had a knowing smile.

"You seem to have talent but it seems he has chosen to take interest in you." Genya said "Be careful of powerful men."

When our food came she was there and we talked about a few things that she was able to do in the grand palace. I didn't really plan on being a part of the grand palace anytime soon but I knew that there was nothing that would stop it from happening. I couldn't avoid it forever and I knew that better than anyone when it came down to being presented to them.

After we ate she took our dinner trays as she left the room and left me to my thoughts. I looked out seeing it was dark but I was restless. I had another coat that I could wear as I got into my things and got the coat Baghra gave me once as a present. I went for a walk in the dark to enjoy some time as I put my hands together to use the light as I walked.

I can't sleep in there right now..I won't be a prisoner. I thought

I walked until I came to the training ground as I checked to see what was around me. Grisha soldiers who knew me were there watching the grounds but I made my way to Baghra's area. She knew that if I had to I would sneak out to train and I made it again to her training home where I saw a note.

Meet me by the lake, silly girl. I know you came out here to train against the general's orders. - Baghra

She knows me better than he does but then she tolerated me for nine years. I thought

I made my way to the lake where I saw her standing in the dark as she noticed me with the light. It was small enough for me to see but small enough to sneak by people, this area we had always talked about training in but had waited off. She noticed I was out of the kefta and in the coat she'd given me as a gift for a birthday.

"That coat does look good for you. I knew you would come out." Baghra said

"He wants me to hold off training until my new kefta is made." I said

"nonsense." Baghra said, "training everyday gets you closer to being strong enough to take down the fold."

We had to make sure that we were not seen so I had to keep the light small and she gave me instructions to see how far I could send it. I expanded it just a bit as I threw it out and concentrated on it as it kept going and slowly expanded some. Being this was in private there was more at stake if I were to be found out for disregarding orders but then Baghra seemed to be unconcerned.

"Ok enough." Baghra said as I stopped and looked at her "We'll do more when you are in your new kefta. Now head off to bed."

I nod as I made my way back before going and laying in my new bed as I laid down it was soft and I was glad that the bed was soft and comfortable as I fell asleep.