Favored and Forgotten

The First Crossing*

The next morning trudged by, slow and tense, the crossing casting a dark cloud over Milena's mood. The tiny bit of breakfast she was able to stomach tasted bland on her tongue, drying to sand in her mouth. She did not know why she feared the Fold so much given it was her own creation and that she was centuries old. A powerful Grisha shouldn't fear the dark.

To try and calm her nerves, she fiddled with the contents of her pouch. It was always tied to her hip, containing basic materials to be used in Fabrikation: a lump of Grisha steel, a coin, a strip of bark, a stone, and a gold ring. She could transform anything from one material to another if she had it on hand. It was similar to Tailoring, just on inanimate objects as opposed to human faces. It all came down to the cellular level of objects, feeling them out and transferring them, transforming them into something new. The Small Science really was incredible.

"Thinking of turning yourself to stone so they can't take you with them?" Fedyor said, sitting beside her by the tile oven, two cups of tea in his hand.

She accepted one from him and sipped it carefully. "I'm good, but I'm not that good. Not that I haven't considered trying."

"Lena, you are one of the most fearless people I know. Why are you so scared of crossing the Fold?"

Because it is the single worst thing I ever did in my life, and it has haunted me for almost a millennium. "The volcra. Better Grisha than me have died at their jaws. I am far from fearless. Fearless is just a nice way of saying stupid. I am brave."

"And still humble as always."

"Cut me some slack, I'm about to die."

"No, you're not. You aren't allowed to die. I need you."

She raised an eyebrow at him over her teacup. "Really?"

"Don't look at me like that. No one else is bearable."

"What about Ivan?"

"He has his uses."

Milena snorted. "I'll be sure to tell him you said that."

"Say anything and I will feed you to a volcra myself."

"Clearly you don't need me that much if you are willing to murder me."

The lively chatter buzzing within the tent dulled to a murmur as a familiar figure in a black kefta swept into the room, his entourage in tow. "Those taking part in the crossing shall report to the docks immediately."

Milena swallowed the rest of her tea, setting her cup down on the table beside her. She took a deep breath, twisting her gloved hands in her laps, trying to keep her nerves suppressed.

Fedyor gently pried her hands apart, giving them a comforting squeeze. "You will be fine. I'll see you when you come back. Now go before you get in more trouble."

Milena stood, rolling her shoulders back and lifting her chin. "I'm going to make the Fold my bitch."

"It's good to have goals," Fedyor chuckled.

She winked at him and turned to follow the rest of the Second Army "volunteers" out of the tent, only briefly looking at her brother as she passed, cursing him inside her head.

They met the First Army soldiers and cartographers at the drydock. Milena recognized one of the soldiers, blue eyes, the brown-haired girl's guy. She also caught a glimpse of the girl amongst the surveyors, waiting their turn to board one of the sandskiffs. Behind them, Kribirsk was waking up and going about its business. Ahead lay the strange, shifting darkness of the Fold. Milena tried her best not to shiver.