Heretics

Chapter 35: The Winter Fete pt.2

     Zoya's arm looped through mine as we walked. Two guards stood by my door when he had exited the room. Ivan was directly behind us and the last guard was behind him.

My nerves were a jumbled mess and I felt faint. My grabbed Zoya hand and she looked over at me. Concerned for a moment and then realizing I had a smile on my face she smiled as well.

I could hear the orchestra from the bottom of the stairs we would be walking up. I had to make an entrance so I walked down a set of back stairs first and then I would be walking up the main stairs to the ballroom. I unconsciously continued to smooth out nonexistent wrinkles on my dress.

"You'll be fine and I'll be a few paces away if you're not. Okay? Breathe." I found comfort in Zoya's voice when she said this. I took a deep breath and began to walk up the stairs to the ballroom. To Aleksander who would be waiting at the entrance. Or at least that's what I was told.

When I got to the top Aleksander was nowhere in sight. I looked at Ivan who shrugged his shoulders and then turned to Zoya. The last guard had been left at the bottom of the stairs so he was no longer in sight.

"You don't need him. Remember that. Go do your little show then find me after. We'll celebrate!" Zoya squeezed my arm and again I found myself taking another deep breath. I let it out slowly as I turned around.

Slowly I made my way into the ballroom. Ivan took his place with his husband. Zoya with the other tidemakers. I walked to the center of the room. Most of the grisha took a step back from me unintentionally. It didn't bother me though. I walked right up to the king and queen and made my greetings posing before them.

"Where is general Kirigan? I was told he would be helping you with your, showing." The kings words were not chosen carefully this I could tell. He had one to many glasses of kvas. I could smell it on him from here.

"I do not need the general. I promise this show is worth it. Are you enjoying your time here in the little palace?" I struck up conversation with the king and queen. They were oblivious to the fact that a little boy had been killed on the grounds a week ago.

"There is something very quant and comforting about it." The queen said giving me a genuine smile.

"I have to admit I'm not bored." The queen chuckled at his comment and I went to bow again ending the conversation. I felt a hand connect with my shoulder and almost yelled.

I walked further away from the royalty and looked to see who had grabbed me. Aleksander stood before me. His hand still tightly grasping my shoulder. "What do you mean you don't need me for your performance?"

His voice was stone cold. Like we hadn't shared so many intimate moments together these last few weeks. Like he had forgotten everything in the blink of an eye.

"Exactly as I said. I don't need you. Now please move so I can show them what I am capable of." I tried to get him out of my way. Instead he grabbed my arm and pulled me down a hallway and into the war room. Mal was leaning against the table.

     He turned to the door and I froze in my place. He run up to me and pulled me into a bone crushing hug. I didn't know how to react. I hugged him back it was awkward. "Why are you here Mal?"

      I placed a hand on his cheek and he did the same with the opposite hand. I closed my eyes and leaned my forehead against his. Totally forgetting Aleksander being here. I didn't realize how much I had missed Mal until he was here with me. This reminded me. The crows.

"I found the stag Yelna!" He was beyond excited that he found something this important. I wasn't sure what he was talking about so I let him explain. "The stag Alina used to draw all the time! I found it. I really did it."

I grimaced in memory of the stag that she had drawn over and over again when we were children and continues to draw to this day. At least I think she did. Haven't exactly been on the best terms.

"What's wrong?" Aleksander came up behind me and placed a hand on my shoulder which I immediately tried to get out of. I ducked a little and went a little closer to Mal. I heard Aleksander almost let out a growl and grumbled instead.

"Nothing General." I didn't meet his eyes. I refused to look at his face. I knew if I did I would fall into a million pieces. "Shouldn't I be preforming?"

He sighed and grabbed my arm again pulling me out of the study. I looked back at Mal with a frenzied expression. Begging him to realize that something was wrong. He stayed in the study though and I was brought onto a little stage. I took a deep breath.

The room got quite when I brought my hands together in a rough and loud clap before Aleksander could preform his own shadows. The room went dark the black smoke moving up the walls like snakes I watched people gasp and jump when they realized the floors were covered in them as well. I let my hands fall to my sides. The darkness still very prevalent in the room. I placed my hands on my stomach and slowly brought them before my face. A small ball of light forming between my hands. I smiled and thanked the child inside me for allowing me to use the light.

The king stood up from his chair clearly enraged by the events unfolding. Aleksander looked beyond livid at my performance but I wasn't done. I brought a wall of shadow down between each person and from the floor arose a small ball of light allowing them to see before I brought my hands together in another clap and everything went back to normal.

I smiled and tried to catch myself from falling. I wasn't used to using this much power let along in a room this size. Aleksander was in the stage in seconds an arm around my waist trying to steady me so it only looked as if I was winded and not about to collapse.