Four grumpy crows greet the waning sun of Ryevost that afternoon. After driving through the night and into the day, even those not at the reins are ready to drown themselves in a vat of scalding coffee; slumber had decided not to rear its peaceful head for any of them.
"För bövelen!" Ileska curses, desperately trying to ease some blood back into the iron blocks of her feet. When merely stretching them doesn't suffice, she chooses to whack them against the side of a nearby wall. Pain is pleasure and all that.
Her three travelling companions have chosen to form a line of defence against the trunk that carries their (very much awake), cargo. The idea that - as formidable as she admits the crows are - the three teenagers could go against raw small science in the unpredictable vessel of an enraged young woman, is pleasantly amusing. Rather than add to the human wall, she chooses to observe from the side as their - sort of - captive works to free herself from the bolted compartment.
Alina Starkov is clearly not expecting company, having hoped that her choice of getaway vehicle was manned by a couple of hapless servants. The girl was not expecting to be greeted by a revolver, even less so the ghost that had haunted her ever since that first vision of the chalk white stag.
"You!"
Ileska smiles at her - a proper smile, not one of her usual crocodile leers - it wouldn't do to scare her potential ally off so soon. But the truth cannot be discussed here; foul admittances sell well under the steely gaze of hungry purses. "I think you have me mistaken for someone else, darling. I think I would remember meeting a sun saint."
Brekker hides his confusion well, but his annoyance - less so. Jesper, ever wary of his boss' temper, immediately steps into his role as mediator.
"We don't want any trouble".
Vieder doesn't think that sentence could sound any less convincing than if it wore a sign around its neck and started tap dancing across the fold. One look at the bone-shard glare of Kaz Brekker and the constant itch in his eyes that spelt danger for anyone who dare to obstruct him, intentionally or not, was clear to see.
"Neither do I, so I'll be on my way."
"Clearly you want out of East Ravka, we can help with that." Ileska gives him credit, the sharpshooter's easy charm is quick to turn into treacly persuasion.
If you had placed the Keramzin orphan in the same situation several months ago, she probably would have caved to the demands of the strangers. But her time at the Little Palace had not turned her soft, nor pliable - the very opposite: harsh truths have whicked her tongue into a honed knife, betrayal of one she was beginning to call home only serving to light the fires of insubordination within her saintly heart. "I prefer to travel alone".
Starkov directs a meaningful eye towards the liar at the rear of the party, calling her out on her deceit. I see you. If the dream walker wants to play with her, so be it.
"Don't be rash" the Zemeni boy is not so unobtrusive now, wiry frame claiming space that previously shrank from him.
"Ah, ah Jesper", Ileska keeps her tone light, teasing the threat in her voice into multiple strands of feigned levity. "Let's not make an enemy of the sankta."
It is hard to tell whether the fourth member of those accosting her speaks truthfully, or is merely making a mockery out of the fact she is still here; a true saint would probably have killed them all by now. Even if Alina wanted to, the power that would take continues to evade her. Regardless, an Etherealki is never not dangerous and it takes laughable effort to pull up a biting ray of sunlight into the eyes of her antagonists. All except two: the Suli girl staring at her in pious awe, and the intruder of her dreamscape that vehemently denies ever seeing her. Whilst the former indicates mercy, eyes speaking for her - Sankta Alina - she finds herself physically unable to move against the latter. Iron will remains staunchly under her own control - neurons working overtime as they urge her synapses to move - yet her limbs twist away regardless, obeying the laws of attraction of an external user. Growing up without the presence of other grisha and being only recent in the discovery of her own abilities, Alina can only suspect some form of malevolent witchcraft. No heartrender can fully puppeteer another person, only manipulate certain areas of the body - command certain organs. What is this trickery?
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Better The Devil You Know (Zoya Nazyalensky)
Fanfiction"Isn't it funny. I'm enjoying my hatred so much more than I ever enjoyed love...hatred, now that's something you can use." - White Oleander, Janet Finch If Kaz Brekker was a demon, then she was the Devil incarnate. On that, all of Kerch agreed. Il...
