Shadow and Bone - The child of shadow and light

Chapter 11 (18)

My mother stood in the kitchen when I burst through the door, unstoppable tears falling down my cheeks. 

"Anastasia what's wrong! What has happened?" She asked in both shock and panic as I fell to the floor, not having the strength to keep myself standing.

"Mama - I - It - It happened again. P-P-Please don't get angry" She looked at me in confusion as she walked over to me and knelt by my side, taking me into her arms hushing me, and doing her best to calm me down. 

"What happened again, Anja? Tell mama"

"It just happened and I - I c-couldn't stop it" I stuttered as I sobbed - "The shadows just appeared"

I could feel her stiffen before she looked me in the eyes "Who saw it? Did anyone see it?!"

"What is going on mama?! I-I-I don't understand! Why is this happening to me?! Mama please-"

"Anastasia answer my question!" my mother's voice boomed in the small house. I hicked, desperately trying to get out an answer through my sobbing.

"T-There were three k-kids from my school. My teacher appeared later o-on - but I don't know if h-he saw anything"

I could feel her arms retreat from around me, her warmth disappearing with her. Was she angry? am I ever going to be able to leave the house again? It took them 4 years to even let me go outside alone, last time. What is going to happen now? Was I to be locked up again?

"Mama "- I was interrupted by a pounding sound on the front door. My mother was on her feet in an instant dragging me up with her. 

"Anastasia you need to run! Out the window now, hurry!!" 

"but-" - "Hurry!" She cut me off as she dragged me to the kitchen window, and flung it open. She was just about to shove me out when a loud boom was heard from the hall. The sound of the front door being kicked open rang through the wooden walls of the small cottage. But I was not allowed even a moment to hesitate as my mother shoved me hard, out the window. I could hear the window slamming shut and locking behind me.

The fall was not high but it did not make it less painful as I landed hard on the ground outside. My legs felt weak and sore after all the running but despite it, I still hurried to my feet and sprinted for the woods. I could hear yelling from the house but I still didn't stop. Didn't dare to. 

"Don't ever stop Anastasia. Whatever you hear - Don't stop running" I could hear my mother's voice inside my head loud and strict. But all of a sudden, a pair of running steps could be heard not far from behind me. In confusion I turned my head to check, taking my focus away from running. big mistake. The person running after me used the few seconds of distraction to his advantage as he threw himself onto the ground grabbing hold of my feet. I fell to the ground hard with a loud thump. The person placed himself on my chest, trapping me as he shouted 

"I got her!". Thundering footsteps followed his shout as I desperately tried to get him off of me, but damn he was heavy. 

"Get off of me!" I yelled hitting his chest only for it to hurt my hands. What was he made of? Stone!?

"Not a chance. Do you have any idea how long we have been looking for you?" Said a female voice from behind him. A woman in blue shortly appeared, her blue eyes leaving mine only to glare at the man. The woman turned to the man sitting on me, 

"Mikhailov - You could've just slowed her heartbeat instead of hunting her and tackling her to the ground like an animal". The man shrugged and said with a smirk 

" And what would the fun in that be? Besides - it's not every day I meet someone who can outrun me." he looked me in the eyes as he said the last part. "She is so tiny, yet so damn fast". Okay - that hurt my pride a bit. I'm not tiny. I'm the tallest in my class being 5,4 ft (163 cm) and my mother often says that I'm quite tall for my age. 

"I am not tiny you big oaf, get off of me!" I spat the words out making yet another failed attempt to get him off. "In a rush now are we?" he said as he let out a low chuckle.

"Mikhailov get off of her, we need to get going. We don't want to keep the Soverennyi waiting". The man who I now noticed wearing a red kefta, turned serious as he slowly got off of me. I stumble off the ground and took off, only to get knocked down by a burst of wind. A squaller. The woman was a squaller. A Grisha. 

"stop it will you? Do you think you have any chance of escaping five Grishas?". He said. I gazed at him in shock. "Who are you? W-W-What do you want with me? I-I have done nothing!" he smirked but said nothing as he and the squaller started dragging me back towards the house. When we got close to the house there was a black wagon waiting outside, together with a group of people. Some looked like Grisha and some like Otkazat'sya. Though there was one person that stood out among the others, like a leader. The man was dressed in a red kefta, a twin to the one Mikhailov was wearing, and he looked... Pissed off? or rather less amused by being here? Well - he looked anything but happy that's for sure. 

His attention landed on us as we appeared, his eyes widening as his eyes landed on me. What was so shocking? Has he never seen a normal girl before? 

The man turned, "Mikhailov, give her your kefta and let's go" he spoke over his shoulder before opening the door to the wagon and getting in. Mikhailov did as he was told and took off his kefta before grasping my arms, and putting them in each sleeve before he started shoving me towards the carriage. 

"I don't want to! No! Let me go! Mama!!" I struggled against the man as I shouted for my mother to save me. For anyone to save me. "Mother!!" Tears were gathering in my eyes. I was scared. Who were these people? What do they want? What were they going to do with me? Where was Mama? Why was she not coming to save me?

"Mikhailov! Put her down before the Shus and Fjerdans hear her" and that was the last thing I heard as I felt my heart slow and I fell into a deep slumber.  

A/N: So-Sooo sorry for being gone for so long! But here is a new chapter as a small peace offering.