Shadows and The Sea - The Darkling

Tour & Fedyor

Percy's POV

I walked through the grounds of the Little Palace, trying to cool off from meeting Baghra but it's not exactly working. I could feel the tension in my brows starting to form a headache that was making me even more frustrated.

Dam cave bitch, I swear to the gods that I'll show her water. This amnesia shit is really getting old.

I huffed and continued to stomp my way to the palace until someone called my name.

"Persephone!"

I whirled around to see Fedyor walking to me with a smile. As he approached, his smile faded and was replaced with a worried look.

"Are you alright?" he asked kindly.

I scoffed, "Oh, I'm fine. But that dam cave bitch got on my dam nerves. Spewing shit about how I can't summon then brushing me off like a child." I threw my arms up in exasperation before crossing them again.

Fedyor's worried expression relaxed into understanding, "I see. Yes, Baghra is not the easiest person to get along with but she has trained many Grisha."

He smiled once more at me and my tense frame before swinging one of his arms over my shoulders. He began to lead me through the grounds rather than me wandering alone.

"I've realized that you have not received a proper tour of the Little Palace. Since you are staying here, you should know how to not get lost," he chucked while walking towards the gate.

My shoulders relaxed slightly at the joking tone and I let my lips tilt up.

We walked inside and the set of stairs that led to mine and Alina's rooms.

"Might as well start somewhere familiar," Fedyor reasoned.

We turned and he started to narrate the rooms we passed by.

"This room just near yours and Alina's is the library. It's open to everyone so feel free to peruse the shelves if you desire to. It's mostly the Apparat that lingers around here."

I interrupted him, "The Apparat? Who the hell is that?"

He looked at me confused, "You do not know who he is? He is the King's spiritual advisor. He was present when you and Alina were brought in front of the King. He has some influence over the King due to his belief in the Saints and religion but he does tend to rub people the wrong way. Quite a creepy man, if you ask me."

Note to self, avoid the Apparat.

I hummed in understanding and we continued down the stairs. Instead of turning to the right like Nadia and Marie did when going to the training grounds, Fedyor and I turned to the left. The halls were littered with pairs of guards on their rounds and fluttering maids tending to their chores.

Fedyor led me to a pair of French doors that led to a room with four tables. Three of the tables were long and formed a triangle. The head of the triangle was another table that was shorter and unlike the other three, it was completely black. The other three tables were lined with identical white chairs that contrasted the larger, black throne-like chair.

"This is the dining hall. All the Grisha sit together but the three factions sit together at each table. The Coporalki sit to the left of the general, the Etherealki to the right, and the Materialki directly across. However, General Kirigan rarely dines with the rest of us," my Heartrender friend told me.

This made me chuckle just a little, "Why have a separate table for him if he doesn't even use it?"

"Respect, Persephone. And just in case he does decide to use it," he answered.