WHISPER- shadow and bone

Chapter 6

"Alina! There you are", cried one of two Grishas that had rushed down the hall towards Alina.

"We've been looking for you", spoke another Grisha.

"We weren't properly introduced earlier. I'm Marie, this is Nadia".

"Why are the guards keeping me inside?", Alina asked.

"You're supposed to be in training now. Are you really a mapmaker?"

"Were you really attacked by Fjerdans?

"How many Fjerdans did you kill?", the pair spoke bombarding Alina with questions.

"Kill? I barely got a swing off at one", Alina exclaimed.

"I did", smirked Ada emerging from the shadows and wrapping her arms around her sisters neck.

Nadia and Marie stared in awe at the girls closeness to their beloved Sun Summoner.

"Who are you?", Marie asked questioningly but politely.

"Adeline Starkov. But you can call me Ada!"

"And you're...Grisha?", asked Nadia.

"Healer. But for some reason they want me to fight too", Ada replied with a shrug.

The girls nodded with a smile. And Marie shoved Nadia in the side as if to say a new friend!, or a way to get close with the Sun Summoner! Ada couldn't decide which one but she would take any friends she could get at a place like this where trust was tension.

"Welcome to the first part of your new daily schedule", Nadia spoke gesturing to the fighting Grisha.

"Combat training", both said at the same time.

"Sun Summoner. All of Ravka's foes want to kill you before you can destroy the Fold. It's a great honor to have so many enemies", Botkin spoke.

"Charming", Ada raised her eyesbrows.

"A very warm greeting", Alina mused.

"He's always like this"

"You must learn to defend yourself fast. Do you know how to fight?", Botkin asked.

"What?", Alina asked.

Mal chuckled and Ada smiled from where she was playfully fighting Ezra.

"Look at this thumb. What's it doing there? It's got to be behind there otherwise you'll break them", Mal spoke softly.

"I knew that", Alina rolled her eyes and continued to punch. Meanwhile Adeline had taken interest in an odd bug and didn't notice Ezra until he tackled her legs and pulled her to the ground. Ada in shock began to wrestle him on the ground but quickly retreated in defeat when he started to tickle her maliciously.

"Whoa!", cried Mal.

"Right. If you hit like that, you're gonna break these two, so make sure it's straight. These two, that's going to get you the win".

"Mmm-hmm. These two"

"Yeah"

"Okay"

"I've had some training", Alina nodded.

Ada shook her head and smiled. Alina wasn't a natural righter, she was moulded for love, not hatred. Adeline meanwhile, fashioned from shadows and thrust into the world screaming and fighting with a passion for protection, was the sister who fought more often in the present. The past had been very different, Ada had been afraid and Alina had been ruthless, it was odd really, how quickly the roles reversed.