𝑺𝑯𝑨𝑫𝑶𝑾'𝑺 𝑨𝑳𝑻𝑨𝑹 - 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈

CHAPTER XVI.

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𝟑:𝟒𝟒 𝐩.𝐦. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞.
𝐎𝐬 𝐀𝐥𝐭𝐚, 𝐑𝐚𝐯𝐤𝐚.
༻✧༺
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               "𝖄ou have to leave." Nessa insisted, looking around for signs of incoming company. "Go back to Kerch. The mission was to stop the Fold, and I've done it."

"The mission was to kill the Darkling, and you failed." Kaz corrected her icily. "If we go back now, we have nothing."

Nessa looked at her old friends, all staring at her with anxiety. Once, she might have smiled to them, or reassured them. But now, two weeks had passed, and the event that happened that night had changed her.

"Let me reformulate." She said slowly. "Fjerda's armies will be here any day now. You said yourself you would not be involved in a full scale war, Kaz."

"I've written to Nikolai." Kaz ended up sighing. "He can send someone here tonight, but we need to leave immediately."

The Dregs started to turn around, but stopped when they realized Nessa was not following.

"Nessa, what are you doing ? " Jesper asked. "You said it yourself, we need to go."

Nessa sighted loudly. Now was the time, and there was no turning back.

"I'm not coming with you." She said, refusing to look away.

"Now is not the time, Shadow." Kaz grunted, his arms crossed. "Hurry, we don't have all day."

One look from Nessa was enough for him to understand that she was not joking. Inej was the first to come around.

"Why ?" She asked softly, her black eyes widened.

"This is who I am now." Nessa snapped, her black kefta embroidered with red enhancing her sharp features. "I have no choice. Someone has to stay behind to make sure the Darkling keeps his word. And that someone needs to be me."

"So you are on his side now ?" Nina questioned, her mouth torn in a grin as she looked the black kefta up and down.

"I am on my own side. The Darkling is simply of use to me in this moment."

Jesper shook his head and ran a hand on his face as Kaz looked at her with his deadliest look, one that Nessa, for the first time, managed to bear. "You do realize that if you decide to stay, Shadow, we won't be able to come back for you."

Nessa inclined her head. "I do. And it was an honor serving among the Dregs. This is for the memory of our friendship that I doing this. My place is here. I have made my choice, and will deal with the consequences."

As she thought Kaz was going to jump on her, he simply outstretched a hand for her. One that she shook firmly.

"Farewell, Dirtyhands. May Ghezen be with you."

He nodded as Inej hugged Nessa, her own embrace being colder than it used to be. In her mind, there was not such place for regret or sentiment. But this one time, she allowed herself to whisper in the ear of her former best friend. "I am not sorry, Inej. But I'll miss you."

"I know." The young Suli said, holding Nessa tight. "I just hope you know what you are doing."

"I'm staying here to protect you, Wraith." Nessa whispered at her ear. "All of you." Inej backed up and they exchanged a nod, a silent message passing through them.

Take care of them for me.

I will.

Then Nina came, and sighted deeply. "It took so long for us to escape this place. I don't want to leave you here."