My Name Is Adela Kirigan (A Shadow and Bone Season 1 Fanfiction)

Chapter 38: A Battle Won, A War to Win

Kaz came to Inej and Zoya. 

'I recommend we get moving,' he said. Inej pulled Zoya up and the two women gave each other a glance and a nod of recognition. 

Kirigan and Mal fought. Mal finally got his hands on the gun and fired once, twice, then three times, all of which Kirigan blocked. When Mal finally lowered the gun, Kirigan lowered his hands. 

'I've survived for centuries,' Kirigan scoffed. 'Did you really think you could kill me?' 

'I don't need to kill you, Darkling,' Mal said. 'Your past will do it for me.' Kirigan turned just as several volcra swooped on him, throwing him to the ground. Taking the distraction, Mal ran towards the skiff. 

Mal found the skiff and jumped aboard it, running to the unconscious Alina. Inej was near her, and Kaz and Jesper were standing guard. 

'What happened?' Mal asked, panicking. 

'It's Kirigan's Heartrender.' He picked her up in his arms. 

'Come on, Alina. Alina, come back for me, please. Alina?' He swiped the blood from her nose and mouth, tears springing to his eyes. 'Please wake up. Please come back. Please.' The volcra growled, circling above them, and one swooped over the skiff, barely missing Inej. 'Come on, please.' Alina cracked open her eyes, staring up at Mal.

'Mal..' 

'I'm here,' he said, letting a smile slip despite his tears. 'Don't you dare say, "Meet me in the meadow".' A volcra swooped for Mal, and she raised her hand, flicking her wrist and incinerating the volcra, opening the light tunnel and sending the skiff through, with the help of Zoya in the crow's nest. The skiff skidded to a halt. 

Hours later... 

Kaz Brekker walked through fields facing the Shadow Fold, carrying a bag with him to where Alina Starkov, Jesper Fahey, Inej Ghafa, Malyen Oretsev, Zoya Nazyalensky, and Adela Kirigan all sat around a small fire. Alina had wrapped a cloak around her shoulders, sitting next to Mal, and Jesper was next to Zoya, the latter's expression blank after having seen the horrors that had taken place. Adela was sitting next to Mal on a log, holding a hand to her side, underneath her black kefta. The bullet had gotten lucky. She'd gotten the bullet out moments prior, but her face was pale and she hadn't eaten well in weeks. She'd seen better days. 

'I've never met a Saint before,' Inej said in awe as she held Alina's hand. 

'I've never been a Saint before.' The two women chuckled as Kaz limped closer with the bag, dumping it, Jesper rising to talk to him. 

'Wherever you are, whatever you need...' Inej said, holding Alina's hand tighter, 'my hand is yours.' 

'I like that hand with a dagger in it,' Alina said warmly. 'I couldn't hold onto yours, so take mine as a replacement.' She slipped a dagger into Inej's hands, who took it with a grateful, awed smile. 'It's not much, but it'll fend off a bully or two.' Kaz looked over at the two with a passive expression as Inej smiled at the sight of the dagger. 

'I know just what to name it,' she said, beaming. 

'Step one for any good plan,' Jesper said, handing over the bag to Mal as Inej helped Alina stand, 'a change of clothes. It's worked for me. Here.' Jesper came to stand beside Kaz. 

'Thank you,' Mal said gratefully. 

'So...' Alina spoke, 'will you still be trying to kidnap me?' 

'Course not,' Jesper replied. Kaz frowned at him. 

'Have you found religion too?' 

'No, it's just... I'm exhausted. Besides, it'd be bad form to kidnap someone after they saved your life.' Kaz lifted his head to meet Alina's eyes. 

'You are quite valuable, you know?' he asked her. 'As are you,' he said, nodding towards Adela. 

'Glad to know I'm still worth something,' Adela replied sarcastically. Alina walked up, placing a headpiece in her hands, the same one that she wore on the skiff during the demonstration. 

'It's not a gift,' she said, meeting Kaz's eyes. 'It's to keep quiet about who I am. Where I go from here.' He seemed to understand, tucking the piece away into his coat. 

'The deal is the deal,' he said, and held his gloved hand out to her to shake. She took it and shook it. 

Moments later, Alina and Mal walked back in their new change of clothes. The dress that Alina had worn on the skiff was bundled up in her hands, and she tossed it on the fire. 

'I didn't expect it to burn at all,' Mal remarked. 'But it can be destroyed in the end. Just like him.' He nodded towards the looming cloud that was the Shadow Fold, surrounded by fog and mist. Alina walked towards the top of the hill and stared out at it. Mal walked up to her. 'I know that look. You're staring down your new bully.' 

'We're worse off than we were before, Mal,' she said. 'Kirigan turned on his own people...' He grabbed her hand, stopping her rambling of guilt. 

'Okay. You're not ready yet.' 

'Neither were they.' 

'That's not your fault.' 

'Who do you think the world will blame?' she retorted bitterly. 

'We'll come back, I promise,' he said reassuringly. 'You will tear it down. Just not today.' Zoya got up from the log. 

'I have to go.' 

'Wait!' Adela exclaimed, standing from her log, still groaning with the effort. 'You can't go back into the Fold.' 

'To Novokribirsk,' Zoya replied. 'I had family in that city. I need to know how much of it is lost.' 

'It's dangerous to go looking for the dead,' Kaz said, standing, using his cane to support himself. 'What you see may haunt you for the rest of your days.' 

'Not going will haunt me more,' Zoya replied, barely making eye contact with Kaz. She came up to Alina. 

'You can't stay in Ravka,' she said to Alina. She nodded towards Adela as well. 'The both of you can't stay. The Apparat will try to keep his power. Blame this on all of us. The people will turn on Grisha again. The both of you need to find new allies.' 

'Then I'll come back...' Alina said, 'and reclaim our country.' She pulled Zoya into a sudden hug. When they pulled back, she hugged Adela too, and faced the both of them. 

'I still don't like you,' she said to Alina, 'but I'm grateful for you.' She gave Zoya a smile, letting out a small chuckle, but then Zoya's next words made her smile disappear into an expression of thought. 

'So remember this. Saints become martyrs before they get to be heroes. So... stay alive.' 

'They'll have to get through me first,' Mal said defiantly. Zoya looked over at Mal. 

'You'll need more than bullets and bravado to survive the people hunting you now. Especially you, Adela. You're the General's sister - and they'll be out for blood.' 

'I know, Zoya. Besides,' she replied, looking over at the Crows, 'I think I've found my new allies.' She nodded and walked away to the remains of Novokribirsk. Kaz turned to the rest of the group. 

'It's a two-day walk to Os Kervo from here, given our condition,' he said.

'Two days as the crow walks,' Jesper chimed in. 

'We can smuggle ourselves onto a ship for Ketterdam from there.'