Shadows can heal too

The Apparat's Holy Army

"You've handed him Ravka," Nikolai breathed.

The guests rose, pushing back from the table in a gabble of panic. Mal was at Alina's side immediately, his saber already drawn.

"We have to get to the Little Palace," Alina thought quickly. "Where's Tolya and Tamar?"

'Shit'

'Shit'

'Shit'

The windows exploded. Glass rained down. The guests screamed, huddling against each other. The nichevo'ya swarmed into the room on wings of molten shadow, filling the air with the whirring buzz of insects. The apparat's holy army was also behind the nichevo'ya, fighting their way to get to Alina and the Royals.

"Get the King to safety!" Nikolai cried, unsheathing his sword and running to his mother's side.

The palace guards stood paralyzed, frozen in terror. A shadow lifted the freckled boy from his feet and threw him against the wall. He slid to the ground, his neck broken. Vasily still stood at the table, the King cowering beside him, while the apparat's holy army surrounded them.

"You did this!" he screamed at Nikolai. "You and the witch!"

He lifted his saber high and charged, bellowing with rage. Mal stepped in front of Bianca and Alina, raising his sword to block the blow. But before Vasily could bring down his weapon, a nichevo'ya grabbed hold of him and tore his arm from its socket, sword and all.

He stood for a moment, swaying, blood pumping from his wound, then dropped to the floor in a lifeless heap.

'Thank god'

The Queen began to shriek hysterically. She shoved forward, trying to reach her son's body, feet slipping in his blood as Nikolai held her back.

"Don't," he pleaded, wrapping his arms around her. "He's gone, Madraya. He's gone."

The nichevo'ya were clawing their way toward Nikolai and his mother. Nikolai turned to Bianca, who was on the other side of the room. Stefan was by Nikolai's side and the queen

"Uncle Nik I will be fine, get to safety with Alina and Mal and the twins, I have to go to the Little Palace"

"Bianca-"

"I won't leave the grisha, I promised them"

"I'll get everyone out and come back. I promise."

"On your word as a prince or a pirate?"

"As your uncle, don't die little fox"

"You're not getting rid of me that easily," she flashed him a cheeky smile then headed to the Little Palace

The Little Palace was wreathed in seething shadows. The druskelle were swooped down on the roof. There were bodies lying on the steps, bodies crumpled on the ground. The front doors were wide open. The path in front of the steps was littered with shards of broken mirror.

All the grisha were huddled in the dining hall, surprisingly, nobody was killed or captured, yet.

"General, what do we do?" asked a tidemaker

"Druskelle are heading our way, I want you to evacuate, if you see any of them or the nichevo'ya, fight them and get out."

"But general-"

"You heard me! Right on the wall behind the Darkling's chair and on the corners of the room there are tunnels that will get you to safety. Prince Nikolai will meet you at the end. For the fabrikators make sure you're either with a corporalnik or an ethrealnik"