Swan Song ~ Shadow & Bone

2

"Go." I looked towards the coach as I approached it, where Ivan was trying--unsuccessfully, might I add--to force Alina into a seat. "You heard me. Let's go. Get in."

"No," she said. "There's been a mistake. I need to find Mal."

"The general does not make mistakes. His orders were to get you to Little Palace immediately. Now get in the coach."

"Everyone makes mistakes." I sighed and walked over.

"Ivan," I said. He looked up at me, nodding curtly. "Get in the coach. I'll take care of this." He hesitated but obliged, and I looked at Alina. "I'm sorry about that, Alina." She looked over at me.

"You wear black. Like the general." I chuckled.

"Thank you for noticing." I sighed. "I know you don't like this. But you need to trust me. You're not safe here. We can help you." She frowned.

"What would you know about it?"

"I didn't want to go either." She froze, not expecting that response. "When I was found, I was separated from my brother, but over time I found out that if I had stayed, the Drüskelle would have found me and killed me, or worse." I sighed. "But we can protect you, I promise. You just have to let us." She hesitated but nodded and got in the coach. I then sighed and made my way back to General Kirigan.

"Is she going?" he asked. I nodded.

"It took some convincing, but she's on her way to the Little Palace." He nodded.

"Ride ahead and wait for them," he told me. "I will ride with them and stay hidden, just in case." I nodded and went to leave, but he stopped me. "Katya?" I looked back at him, and he nodded. "Good work." I smiled a bit and left, finding my horse tied outside the stables.

"Lieutenant Markov?" I heard. I turned to find a soldier from the First Army limping towards me. "Are you Lieutenant Markov?" I furrowed my brow but nodded.

"Do you need something, soldier?" I asked. He nodded.

"My name is Malyen Oretsev," he said. "My friend, I need to see her. Please."

"You friend? Who-"

"Alina Starkov," he said quickly. "Your Sun Summoner, she's been my friend since we were kids. Please, I need to talk to her." I sighed and shook my head.

"Mal, was it?" He nodded. "I'm sorry, Mal, but I'm afraid Alina's already gone." He frowned. "She left in the General's coach just a few minutes ago." He shook his head.

"I need to see her, please. I'll go to the Little Palace if that's what it takes." I held up a hand to stop him.

"I'm afraid that's not possible," I told him. "No otkazat'sya are allowed inside the Little Palace. Not unless they are personally invited by the General or the King."

"But you are the General's second in command. Surely you can convince him-"

"I'm sorry, Mal," I said. "It's just not possible." With that I mounted my horse and rode off towards Os Alta, leaving a disappointed Mal behind.

🜂

As soon as I dismounted my horse when I arrived at the Little Palace, I was attacked by two very strong hugs. All I could see before I got the wind knocked out of me were flashes of  blonde and dark brown hair. (^^Hadley on the left, Jeliah on the right) I groaned.

"Off, children," I finally got out. The two stepped back quickly, and I sighed. Out of all the Grisha I had met since coming to the Little Palace, Jeliah Wujong and Hadley Lawson were two of the only ones that weren't afraid of me. They may have been at first, but they soon learned that I was just another chaotic child.

"Where were you?" Jeliah asked. "All Genya would tell us was that you had to leave immediately." I sighed, looking between them.

"They found the Sun Summoner," I said simply. Both of their eyes widened.

"The Sun Summoner?" Hadley asked. "It's real?" I smiled and nodded.

"She is," I told them. "Her name is Alina Starkov." Hadley laughed, while Jeliah just grinned.

"She's really real," Hadley breathed. "I can't believe it." In their excitement, they hugged Jeliah and spun around, cheering. I laughed. The two of them had been together for almost two years and constantly managed to remind me just how lonely I was the majority of the time.

"Yes, she is." I sighed. "And I am really tired. I just had to ride to and from Kribirsk in less than a day." They nodded, and I smiled. "I'll see you two later."