The Seventh Crow

Part 36

I jump awake. Fighting noises were echoing around the floor. Jumping up, I make my way towards the noise.
Jesper and Kaz were fighting each other. I don't know what about, but everyone else in the room seemed as shocked as me.

Kaz pushes Jesper against the wall, taking deep breaths to steady himself.

"What do you think my forgiveness looks like, Jordie?” Kaz yells.

“Who the hell is Jordie?" Jesper asks.

Kaz took a step back before gathering his thoughts. He steps towards Jesper again, ready to fight more. Trying to ignore the strange incident that happened seconds ago.

"Stop it!" Colm said from out of nowhere. "Fighting isn't going to help your situation!"

Everyone exits the room without another word. My gaze lands on Wylan. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. He was himself again. His red hair, fair skin. Everything about him was original. No more Kuwei impostor.

What did I miss when I was asleep?

Soon it was only me in the room. I look out the window. There are stadwatch walking around the streets. Each one with pictures of all my friends.

People who want to put my friends in prison or kill them and all I could think about was Alev. A homesickness for a person instead of a place.

I couldn't understand it myself. Alev and I are good friends, but I never want to be away from him.

I miss him. I miss his stories. I miss comforting him when he is sad. I miss his smile. His smell. I miss his humor and calling him iceman. I miss him telling me stories of his life. 

I miss him.

I close my eyes, remembering anything I could about him. Remembering the smell and look of him.

I hand Alev a piece of bread. He was staring at the wall, refusing to break contact for the last hour or so. I've tried to talk to him, ask him what's wrong, but everytime he would say he's fine and end the conversation.

I eat my bread in peace. Alev will speak when he wants too. He gave me my space, it's only fair to give him his.

An hour passed. Still no sign of Alev wanting to start a conversation. It's really starting to scare me. He usually can't stop talking. He's stubborn like that.

"Alev?" I ask.

He didn't say anything. Luckily he was still breathing. Not sure how I would move a body without someone noticing.

"My mother used to tell me a story," he finally says. "She was Ravkan, and moved to Fjerda to be with my father. She always told me stories about her hometown."

"Where was that?" I asked.

"Os Kervo. When I was growing up, she always told me stories about her life. She always had this sad look when talking about family."

I couldn't help but think the sad look was the same one that sat in Alev's eyes.

"Do you miss your family, Nox?" Alev asks.

"Every day."

"Do you remember your parents?"
I look down at my feet. "I remember the night they died. Some small memories here and there, but not much."

"I remember. I remember the fighting between them. I never understood why they fought all the time. It wasn't until I started working with Grisha did I understand."

Where is he going with this? Did his parents have different views on the Grisha? Matthias and I do. I'd understand if that's why.

"My mother," Alev starts before shutting down once again.

I try not to push. It's not my place. No matter how much I want to know.

"My mother was a Grisha," Alev finally said as if it was a band-aid. "My father knew. Of course he knew. But once she started healing some sick people in town things went downhill."

"Your father didn't want to lose her," I whisper.

"He didn't. So they planned something. They were going to Os Kervo. They were going to the place where the sun would shine."

He went quiet again. Lost in painful memories.

"They never made it. Some Grisha's attacked two weeks later. They died."

I understood that pain. Maybe not all of it, but I understood.

"My mother always told me that if we got separated. That if something happened. I was to meet her there. That place where the sun shined."

"Did you go?"

Alev shook his head. "I couldn't. I was lost for a time, trying to forget about them. That's when I met Barge. He gave me a purpose. We knew it was going to end badly at some point, but I never thought it would've been him."

I lean my head against Alev's shoulder. Trying to comfort him in the only way I knew possible. We both were grieving. Him in his and me in mine. The only thing to do, to help lessen the pain, was be there to catch each other from falling.