ARSONIST'S LULLABY ¹ | shadow & bone [ON HOLD]

TWELVE

( 𝗔𝗥𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗜𝗦𝗧'𝗦
𝗟𝗨𝗟𝗟𝗔𝗕𝗬 )

THE LITTLE PALACE WAS packed to it's brim. Hallways filled with cacophony of small laughter and loud chatters. Though the main stairway was in no means narrow, they were packed as the trio along with Zoya climbed up. Yelena and Lavinia had their arms around each other and were quietly laughing while pointing around them.

"Are they drunk?" Zoya cast a glare at Katerina who raised her hands in surrender.

"Hey, I tried to warn them off, but they wouldn't listen, and my word only goes so far."

"Grab them some sort of ginger and yolk tonic that's bound to be in the kitchens, before Ivan sees them."

"Don't worry about it, I'm sure they'll be fine. And besides, Lavinia's leaving again soon, she's been stationed in Kirbirsk again." Katerina huffed.

The fact had come up some time ago when they were all still very much sober. Though it was quite normal for Lavinia to be away from home, it was getting more consistent these past months. And she hadn't had the heart to stop Lavinia from drowning herself in brandy before she would leave again.

"Will she be leaving with me?"

"I don't know yet, but I'm sure we'll know by tomorrow." Katerina shrugged and cast a look back at her friends still giggling like schoolgirls. "Come on, you two."

The crowds increased as they reached the third floor, with Zoya clambering on ahead as if to clear a path. Katerina grabbed onto Yelena and carefully followed Zoya as a single file.

They passed David who looked to be nervously fixing his hair and Genya, who stood a few feet away from him. Fedyor and Ivan seemed to be stuck in a conversation of their own, which sounded like the former trying to convince the latter to try some dessert.

The loud murmurs of conversation filtered through her ears. Everyone was on edge. Whether it be the lord's and ladies laughing at seemingly nothing, drinking their champagne or the ones huddled into corners having hushed conversations, looking around to see if anyone could hear them.

"This is bad." Zoya muttered beside her. "On one end we're fighting a war that never seems to end and on another we have to deal with the of these backstabbing bastards."

"Possible backstabbers, we don't know anything for sure yet." Katerina looked around to scout more Grisha soldiers settled around every other corner disguised as Oprichniki.

To the Oprichniki themselves, the Grisha would be known as new recruits.

It had been Ivan's idea. Even the most elite guards of the general himself couldn't be trusted at a time like this. So, she and Ivan had picked the best of the best. Those who could blend in easier than the wallpaper itself or even go unseen through an empty room.