A SYMPHONY OF SHADOWS | grishaverse

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one

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The skiff was almost full to the brim when Nerezza boarded it. Even then, everyone gave her a wide berth.

Whispers followed the noirette as she made her way through the checkpoints and onto the vehicle. Stares and fearful looks as she passed them.

Because, they were scared of her.

Not scared.

Terrified.

They were terrified of the gang mercenary with the hollow, deranged eyes. Eyes darker than the soul of the devil, they say, eyes full of malice, sadistic intent, and a cold heart. Or no heart at all.

Nerezza Adiram. The girl with the bow and arrows – who never missed a shot. The girl who took what she pleased and gave nothing in return. The girl who destroyed anything and everything that dared to stand in her way.

She was like a wisp of shadow, striking in the night and then disappearing in the darkness.

She'd made a name for herself in the streets of Ketterdam and later on - West Ravka – where unrest was a plague that struck the hearts of the people. Some turned into the welcoming arms of the first army general, who's anti-Grisha propaganda aligned with the intents of many. And the others turned to the gangs, to the drugs, to the violence, to her.

Of course, there was nothing welcoming about her, and none truly loved or believed in her – but fear caused people to do stupid things. And aligning themselves with Nerezza Adiram was one of them.

She wasn't a gang leader, as per say, but enough people respected her in the gangs to consider her a leader.

Maybe it was the way that she could kill you and never leave a trace, or maybe it was because she was so dark that none feared they would end up having any attachments.

As I was saying, the skiff was almost full to the brim.

Why is a random gang member boarding a skiff to cross the fold, you ask?

Because she was Grisha.

At least, that is what the testers assumed.

For when she was tested, nothing happened – nothing except her veins beginning to go black. Nothing else, just that tiny show of power that displayed that she was not human.

An inferni stepped onto the deck, clasping her hands together, "Here's how it goes; we go into the fold, it gets dark, but we like it dark – that keeps us from drawing attention. That's how we travel. The only light we use is the blue one at the mast," she pointed to a dim blue light, "It's weak, but safe," she turned to the others, "Now, do not – I repeat – do not leave the skiff during the crossing."

Nerezza had done many things in her life, short it may have been, but crossing the fold had not been one of them. As a child, she was obsessed with it – to the degree of running away from home to try and enter it, or devouring book after book on the Black Heretic.

Now that the expanse of pure darkness finally loomed over her, a tiny gleam found its way into her eyes. The girl steely as stone was finally feeling something.

Was it fear, excitement? She didn't know.

She only knew that her heart was beating wildly in her chest as the skiff began to move, adrenaline barreling through her veins as she looked up at that gorgeous expanse of darkness.