Noble Hope| General Kirigan

𝟘𝟘𝟙

{Chapter one}

ADALINE OPTED FOR HER OWN ROOM. The Inn Alina had chosen to stay at was relatively nice. Though despite her sister's pleading and desperate look, Adaline turned to the clerk, handed her a second gold pin, and was granted a space of her own.

She hated being near Mal and Alina. All they cared about was each other, no matter how much it cost others. And what was even worse, Adaline knew she couldn't trust either of them anymore.

Her only options after the battle of the Fold were to go to Ketterdam with the Crows and have to clean up their mess or join Mal and Alina on their hunt for the Sea Whip. She'd gone for the latter.

Now she stood in front of her bed, staring at her hands, and wondering what comes next. She couldn't bring herself to feel anything anymore. Not since losing him.

Her fingers were decorated in rings; his rings. She clenched her fist.

Saints, even just the thought of him brought pain to her chest. She missed him more than she would admit. It felt like a gaping hole was blown through her heart like a part of her was missing. 

That's exactly what he was. Her other half. Her equal.

Adaline grit her teeth and pushed her thoughts of him aside. She loved him, yes, but she no longer had the strength to grieve him. She had priorities, now. She had a plan. 

She would pounce the second she had the opportunity.

****~****

"The fishing boats are coming back. Get a move on it, Oretsev."

Alina jumped up from Mal's lap to her feet. She quickly moved her disheveled hair away from her face and attempted to will the blush staining her cheeks away.

There stood Adaline, leaning against the door frame with her arms crossed over her chest. Beautiful flowy, embroidered purple pants accentuated her waist perfectly, and the white medieval-looking blouse had her looking less like a tourist and more like a Novyi Zem resident. A sliver of her midriff showed when she walked.

The slight heel of her boots clicked as she stood upright and walked away from the two. She had no desire to linger in her sister's presence for longer than necessary.

Even in the traumatized state that Kirigan left her in, Alina still loved her sister. She wasn't upset that Adaline was angry with her, she had every right to be. Alina had abandoned her, drugged her, and Mal was responsible for her lover's death.

Yet still, as her sister walked away, she couldn't stop herself from rushing after her. "Where are you going?"

Adaline was silent for what felt like forever.

"Meet here at sundown."

Adaline had no desire to speak with her sister unless absolutely necessary, though as she walked through the Zemeni marketplace she felt more at peace than she ever had in the last two weeks. The colors and scents flooded her senses in a way that almost brought a smile to her lips.

It was a relatively cool day; the sun was shining but a cool breeze swept through the air. The people of Novyi Zem were very kind and obviously had relatively good lives. If Adaline ever managed to get her happy ever after, she hoped it was here.