The Seventh Crow

Part 44

I stand on ice. Everything is peaceful around me. Wind blowing through my hair. Wolves howling in the distance. Up ahead a tree stood, high and powerful.

I thought death was going to be different. A meadow of flowers or a village of the dead. Not ice and a tree.

"You're not going anywhere," Nina's voice echoes.

I push the voice away. I'm hearing things. Things that I wish were true. That I wish came true.

"Open your eyes for me," a somewhat familiar voice echoes.

The once sunny sky goes dark with rolling storm clouds. The wind is getting worse. The howling stopped. The only sound was the leaves and branches moving throughout the dark.

"Open your eyes!" that same voice echoes.

What is happening?

"Nox," Matthias's voice echoes. "Nox, stay with us. Please. Open your eyes."

Lighting lit up the darkness. With every breath I take, the streak gets closer and closer. Though, I'm not scared. I don't run from it. 

The blue streak is familiar. It's calming. I should run from the lighting. Knowing it could kill me, but I'm already dead. Nothing can hurt me anymore.

Taking one more breath, the lightning comes down on me.

My eyes snap open. A gasp of air filling my lungs. There were multiple people around me. I only recognized three; Nina, Matthias, and Zoya. Another with fiery red hair that looked vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t remember why. The red head looked thankful while Zoya looked slightly annoyed but relieved.

"Nox!" Nina cries out. Her arms wrap tightly around my body. I brace myself for pain, but nothing came. I was fine, everything was fine.

"What-" I tried to speak. It came out as a weird squeak.

"You died," Zoya said. "Well, technically, on the brink. We brought you back."

"I was on ice," I murmured. "There was a tree."

"Well you're here now."

"What Zoya means to say," the red head interrupts. "You need to rest. This all must be very strange and stressful."

Nina pulls my face between her hands, forcing my eyes to meet hers. A huge smile plastered on her face.

"You're alive," she says, "and safe. We'll be here when you wake up."

Nina and Zoya left the room, I still couldn't wrap my head around what happened. In Ketterdam once second and now I'm on what could only be a ship?

"Kaz wanted me to tell you that you also have a share of five million Kruge," Matthias whispers. He wanted to say more but couldn't bring himself to say it.

He turns to leave, stopping short at the entryway. I noticed he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

"I'm glad you're alright," he says before leaving.

Looking back at the red head, everything becomes even more confusing. The room I'm in is made of wood, it feels like I'm floating on the sea. Which only means we are sailing away somewhere.

"How did I get here?" I ask.

"Your friends helped carry you here," she said. "Making sure to keep you as stable as possible. We had a Healer on hand and with the help of Zoya, we got you back."

"Where are we off too?"

"Ravka. Speaking of which, the captain will converse with you once you've had your rest. Sleep, Nox. You need it."

She turns to leave. "Wait." I grab her wrist. "What's your name?"

"Genya." She gives me a small smile.