Shadows and The Sea - The Darkling

The Little Palace & Iris Message

Third POV

After a few more days of traveling, Percy with the group this time, they made it to the Little Palace. The palace itself was grand and elegant, but the city of Os Alta did not match its description.

It reminds me of New York slightly, Percy thought to herself. People selling shit and dirty, only here there's no traffic or sirens.

The general walked Alina and I up to the gates of the Little Palace. Alina scanned the building from the ground to the tall spires that adorned the roof in complete awe. Percy did not share this sentiment. When you've been to Olympus and Atlantis as many times as she has, grand palaces tend to lose their wow factor.

Aleksander appreciated Alina's expression but frowned at Percy's. Does she think so little of my palace?, he thought before shaking it off.

The sea-green eyed girl had dominated his thoughts more often since their rendezvous at the creek near the abandoned church. The feeling of ice rushing through him was exhilarating and something he had never felt before in the over four hundred years he's existed.

As the three approached the gate, they walked through the gate and the general thought to speak up to ease any potential nerves the girls might have been harboring.

"You'll be safe here. The palace is the most secure building in the whole country. I made sure of it," he said and gestured to the girls to turn down the hall on their left.

Okay...not weird at all, Percy thought to herself. She let Alina walk in front of her and as Percy rounded the corner as well, the Black General stopped and the two oprichniki stood to attention.

Alina looked back to him in confusion, "Where are you going?"

Aleksander disregarded her question and addressed the two guards instead. "Take Ms. Starkov to the vezda suite and Ms. Jackson to the okean suite," he commanded the guards.

"Are we prisoners?" Alina asked hastily.

Hah, I could get out of here without anyone noticing for at least six hours, Percy joked to herself.

The general stopped and looked at Alina with an intense gaze. "All of Ravka is. Until you and I have banished the Fold," he answered. They held their eye contact until the general looked to the guards behind them and gave a sharp nod.

The man walked away and the guards led us the opposite way.

"So no pressure," Alina said softly to herself. Even though it was meant to be under her breath, Percy still heard it. She looked over to her Shu friend with a worried look. She knew what it felt like to have the weight of a great responsibility on her shoulders.

The demigod linked arms with the Sun Summoner and squeezed her hand, "Don't worry, Alina. Everything will be okay. I have faith in you."

ALina shot the girl a small smile and Percy mirrored her expression. Even though Alina didn't want to be here, she was thankful for Percy's presence. She always had a knack for cheering Alina and Mal up when they were in a foul mood and it seems her friend had not lost her touch.

They walked down the white halls of the Little Palace, their footsteps echoing throughout. They stopped at a set of double doors and opened them.

"Ms. Starkov," one of the oprichniki said while gesturing with his arm to the room.

The girl in question whipped around to face me, "Percy please don't leave me alone."

Percy looked at the girl and her frazzled state. "Where is my room?" she asked the guards promptly.