Katya turns out to be a Fire Summoner with unusual power. General Kirigan gives her private lessons and she loves his shadows - especially when they summon together, skin against skin. But what happens when a Sun Summoner shows up?
Based on the Netf...
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Another sandskiff was entering the Fold. From the roof of her temporary home, Katya watched it a bit wistfully, wondering if she knew anyone onboard. That was the downside of her new residence: it was a very lonely place.
In the distance, she heard volcra screeching. Though Katya had converted a huge number of them now, more than she could count, still the larger part remained.
The skiff was about midway through when something different happened. A tunnel of light extended from its prow, creating a safe passage for the vessel. The surrounding volcra screamed in terror and flapped far away.
Katya gasped. The Sun Summoner was here.
She felt her army draw closer to her. The shadow men were afraid, though they normally didn't fear light. But this was not ordinary sunlight.
Jumping down from her vantage point, Katya slowly followed the skiff at a safe distance. As it progressed, the light gradually disappeared behind it, leaving enough darkness for her to walk with her shadow army.
At the edge of the Fold it unexpectedly stopped. Through the tunnel, Katya saw the city they had been traveling to; Novokribirsk, and a huge crowd that had gathered to meet them.
A voice drifted down from the skiff, a very familiar one.
"One more demonstration," Aleksander said to the passengers. "You've seen what the Sun Summoner can do. Now bear witness to what I can do... with her power."
Katya's throat grew tight. So he was still with her, then, and somehow he must have managed what he intended to. He had found a way to harness the Sun Summoner.
Before she could do anything, the tunnel grew darker. Then the enormous wall of shadow began to expand, the border of the Fold creeping towards the gathered people. They fled in panic as it slowly consumed the ground, adding their city to the dark desert.
The Sun Summoner yelled something in protest and a brief sun appeared.
"No, you don't," growled Aleksander, easily snuffing the light. "They are traitors who tried to kill you. This is retribution." He turned to the passengers, explaining how he could now control the Fold completely, move it and its monsters to any border or city he wanted to destroy. Here were representatives of many countries, and he wanted them to take the news back home. From now on, all wars against Ravka were over. Forever.
At that, a tumult broke out among them and a gun was fired.
Katya tried to get closer but the sphere of light surrounding the skiff frightened her. She wasn't strong enough to beat it, not yet. Give her another hundred shadow men, then maybe... This was happening too soon.
Things were not going Aleksander's way either. The fighting grew intense, his own Grisha turning against him.
Katya thought she heard Mal's voice. Was he behind the revolt?
