Shadow and Bone - The child of shadow and light

Chapter 8 (NEW)

There were three of them. a woman that was dressed in the red kefta of the Corporalnik and the others were men dressed in the blue keftas of the Etherealki. A heartrender, an infirni, and a squaller judging by the embroidery of their keftas. Just my luck. As if the saints couldn't have sent more powerful and deadly Grishas to deal with. 

I put on my most polite smile as I said in an (As - if - I - didn't- know why - you - are - here-) voice. "Hello, can I help you with something?" 

"Hello mem, do you've any children in the household?" straight to the point, I see.

 "Oh yes, I have a daughter but I'm afraid she's not home at the moment," I said pretending to be sorry. 

"Are you sure?" the infurni asked with a raised eyebrow. kranky bastard. 

"I believe I am, sir" - "She is speaking the truth" the heartrender interfered. The trick to telling a good lie is to always speak as much truth as possible and to avoid the truth you wish to hide. 

"Have you been tested by the Grisha mem?" the squaller now asked. I felt my heart stop for a moment. Keep calm Alina, or they'll know. 

"I'm tested.-" 

"when?" 

"a few years ago, 17 - 18 I believe" now it was the squaller who raised an eyebrow. 

"17 - 18? Why were you not tested when you were younger?!" I shrugged

 "I was either sick or wounded when the testers came" he turned to the heartrender who nodded in confirmation. 

please be gone soon. I really didn't want to be near them more than necessary, I silently cursed myself in my head as the grishas threw a few more questions at me. 

"We can't linger any longer. we have to get the other houses checked, we can just return later" the infirni whispered to the squaller. The heartrender grunted in agreement. 

"Well, it seems that we're done here. Thank you for your time" I merely nodded before slowly closing the door. Trying not to make it look like I was glad to be rid of them. 

After making sure that the door was locked, I fell against it. This was fucking nerve-wracking. But Genya was right. We had to move. Now. I grabbed two small suitcases and started to pack them. We didn't own much but I made sure to grab Anastasia's favourite toys and clothes, putting her things in the smallest suitcase. 

"Alina-" 

"We've to leave. Now" 

"Are you agreeing to go with us to Novyi Zem?" Genya asked sounding excited. The excitement quickly faded when I didn't reply. 

"You're coming with us, right?" I made sure to pack my clothes and art supplies as well as Anja's baby pictures that I had asked a coworker who owed a camera to take. 

"Alina" 

I slammed to suitcase shut before taking a deep breath. When I finally looked at Genya and Mal, they stared at me like wolves, ready to start a fight.

 "I can't just move to a foreign country out of the blue. How am I supposed to explain it to my daughter?-"

 "She's just a child" Mal concurred. 

"Do not dismiss her like that. She's not an object without feelings or thoughts!." I snapped angrily. I took a breath before continuing. 

"I can't just move her to another country where she won't understand the language of the people around her. Moving her away from her life here will be hard enough".