Rule of Saints {The Red Ribbon Sequel}

And so the Balance Shifts

~ Y/N Pov ~

The next morning, Nina breaks into our bread stores while I wash my kefta sleeve. She never scolded me about the fight, but I know she has some words to say to me about it. She breaks a bread roll into smaller pieces and casually stands beside me. The silence is thick.

"I know I shouldn't have punched him, spare me your lecture please," I say, scrubbing the blood out of the blue fabric.

"Well, it could've been worse. It's not like you were standing in a kefta, decking him while the Darkling watched, while he doesn't have his cane...," she says.

"Thank you, Nina. I feel much better about it."

She breaks off a piece of bread for me. "Listen, I'm just saying, maybe there is a reason he is so persistent about your skills-"

"He is jealous of me," I state, snatching the piece of bread.

Nina looks out to the horizon. "...or maybe he was you. Who knows. Anyways, I'm going to help Jesper. I remember the relentless ache when I was fighting through parem. Terrible. Matthias helped me through it, so now it is my duty to aid Jes."

I finish my piece of bread and hang my kefta on a railing to dry. "Do you think Jesper's power will change like yours did?"

"We will have to see. I've never met anyone else who has survived a dose of parem," Nina states.

"You really know what to say in dire situations, don't you?"

She smiles, heading belowdecks. "Ah yes, Matthias really liked that about me. Before...uh..you know.."

"Nina!"

"Okay I'm going!" She says, disappearing down the steps. At least she is comfortable talking about Matthias' death now. Even if she is a bit out of pocket sometimes.

I leave my kefta drying on the railing and climb up the crow's nest where Inej resides.

"So, Captain. Where to?" I ask.

She leans on the railing, contemplating. "Well, since the Darkling thinks Jesper is a Saint and is now following us, then we have the freedom to choose. We already know Fjerda is Saint-free, and you've been to Novyi-Zem recently with no miracles, so that leaves limited options."

I think I know exactly where we are headed. "There are no Grisha in Shu-Han even capable of creating a miracle due to the kherguud program. And no miracles have been reported in Ravka..."

Inej smiles. "And where is the best place for someone to go if they don't want to be seen? Perhaps, if they knew they were a Saint?"

I nod slowly while looking out into the endless sea. "Ketterdam."

City of tourists. City of pigeons. City of masks and fake personas. The Saintless City. Or not. I'd say it is a perfectly fine choice to go with. If you aren't given a way, you make one.

"It should be about two weeks if we make good time. I want to get Jesper to mainland as fast as possible. How is he doing, by the way?" Inej inquires.

"I'll have to go check in on him after this. Nina and Wylan have been tending to him last I heard. If you want to get Jes on land, why not stop at the Ravkan border?"