WICKED GAME [shadow and bone]

she did it

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄:

"do it I dare you"

Unlike General Kirigan, Katerina liked to dine with other Grisha. The one thing she hated was to be alone by herself. Most of the days when Aleksander had his things to do, dealing with King and that all, Katerina was left to do nothing but to wander through the hallways of the Little Place like a ghost. At least at dinner, she could have some kind of company.

Being the second in command Katerina was the one who sat the closest to General's seat, yet sometimes she wondered why it was even there as he never dined with everyone else. The girl was conversing with Ivan who sat to her right when a servant came and delivered the news. The man offered the paper to Katerina, but she shook her head, allowing Ivan to read it.

"News from the Fjerdan front." He stood up from the table and everyone around fell silent. "In the First Army, many casualties in the 18th, 27th and 36th battalions." Katerina dreaded to hear the following part. "Also, among the dead, six Healers, four Inferni, and three Heartrenders." The redhead sighed while bowing her head. It was always hard to hear the news and it seemed that each day they became even worse and worse.

"The Fjerdans will be no match against a unified Ravka. Why are you here eating figs, hmm?" The last part was directed to the Sun Summoner and as much as Katerina wanted to defend the girl, she couldn't. "You should be training every waking moment to tear down the Fold."

At some point Alina's eyes met Katerina's, the redhead saw the desperation in them. She knew the dark-haired girl is looking for help, yet Katerina could provide her none causing the Sun Summoner to drop her gaze. The Inferni decided she was done with the dinner and quietly excused herself.

There was still one thing she had to do.

Katerina arrived at his rooms to find the main room open. He as always was standing by the table in the middle of the room looking over the map. She leaned her side against the doorway. Aleksander hadn't yet noticed her therefore she had a chance to observe the man.

If the Sun Summoner's presence has changed him in any way, then he was really good at hiding it. To Katerina, Aleksander seemed the same as he was, always desperate to make things right even if it was not fully in his power.

"Did you know that worrying causes wrinkles?" The man was so deep in thought that he hadn't even noticed that the redhead had appeared. The moment when Katerina spoke up it startled him so much that he summoned his shadows and almost sent them to attack the girl. She noticed how the room suddenly became much darker and gloomier.

Instinctively Katerina raised her hands and her palms lit on fire. For a moment they both looked at each other; his shadows still behind him and Katerina's fire still licking her fingers. The redhead was the first one to disturb the silence, a teasing smile gracing her lips.

"Do it. I dare you." Aleksander sighed and returned the smile. The shadows disappeared, and Katerina slowly lowered her hands. "You seem troubled, I thought that from now on everything should be considerably easier since we have found the Sun Summoner." She walked around the room while Aleksander remained in the same place, at the head of the table.

"Everything is still complicated." He looked up where the redhead had stopped at the other end of the table. "How is she going? In the training?" Katerina cleared her throat and avoided his gaze.

"Could be better." Then she remembered the incident that included a certain Squaller. "About that..." The dark-haired man looked up waiting for whatever she had to say. "A certain... Squaller today at the combat training decided to use her powers against our new guest." Katerina was tracing patterns on the table surface with her finger, when she finished her sentence, she glanced up for a second to see if she has the General's attention.

"A certain Squaller?" Even from the other end of the table, Katerina noticed how his whole demeanor changed. All the worrying disappeared from his face, and he concentrated his attention on the woman at the other end of the table. Yet there was something more to his appearance. Something that forced a slight smirk to appear on the redhead's face.

She hummed still tracing a random pattern on the table. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a movement to her right, however, she knew that Aleksander was still standing at the other end of the table. The redhead glanced to her right to see a shadow lurking very close to where she was standing.

She turned back to face the man with a 'really?' expression on her face. Shaking her head after the man directed a smirk her way.

"Sometimes you act like a child, honestly." The redhead sighed in annoyance when she felt the shadow's touch on her back, then her shoulders. Lastly, it gently stroked her cheek before disappearing. "Are you done?" After receiving a nod, she continued. "The Squaller's name is Zoya Nazyalensky." A pause. Then she continued. "I trust you will think of a good enough punishment for the girl."

After delivering the name, Katerina stayed in her place for a moment before moving in the direction of the doors wanting nothing more than to finally get much-needed sleep. Before she slipped out of the room a soft call of her name halted her. Katerina turned around to face the man who was already looking at her.

"Thank you. I can always count on you."

She sent a faint smile his way before turning around and disappearing into the dim hallway.

⸺

𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞:

' soo, I feel like after this chapter I need to remind you guys that this is NOT a Darkling fanfiction. Katerina and Darkling have a really close relationship and I think  I explained it a bit in one of the upcoming chapters.

however, the next chapter is when things will start to get really interesting. someone will make an appearance. I'll give you a hint: fancy clothes, leather gloves... ya know.

Moony x