WHISPER- shadow and bone

Chapter 2

Ada admired clothes, the silks and fashions of the changing style in Ravka were something she always found a point of interest. The way kefta's were designed with their intricately woven design, specific to the wearers talent kept her thinking what she would look like had she been born into a life at the Little Palace. Clothes were beautiful to her but right now they were getting in her way as she pushed through the weaving stalls of the Zemeni market.

Ada, the girl with no sense of direction, had somehow managed to lose her sister and way in the span of about a minute. She heard chorused shouting from the other side of the market and the smashing sound of something fragile but she continued on away from the ruckus.

"Being the sister of a Sun Summoner is not for the weak," she whispered to herself as she tore down the cobbled streets that she had hoped to take the time to stop and admire. "Too much running man, I should retire."

Gathering up speed in the hope of finding Alina before someone more dangerous did, she wheeled round the corner and ran straight into a large figure dressed in a trench coat. Winded, she groaned and stumbled to the floor, scrambling away from the man she had slammed into.

"Mal?!" she yelled. "Why are you so solid?" she wheezed as she tried to gain her breath back, her body aching from her encounter with what felt like a brick wall.

"Ada get up, we need to go," Mal roughly hoisted the girl up from the floor and into his arms.

"Why?" Ada raised and eyebrow, before the din that she heard earlier suddenly rounded the corner clothed in Ravkan army dress and molten fury.

"Ah. That would be why," Ada nodded. "Oh shit," she widened her eyes and shoved Mal forwards so the pair were running together. As they weaved through the Zemeni stalls piled high with produce and deli cases they rounded another corner to face a large ochre door.

"Open it!" Ada urged Mal who scrambled with the handle with no avail. It was locked. The soldiers were on them.

"Oi! Stop!" came the satisfied yell of a hunter who had his prey cornered and ready for the catch.

"Get behind me," Mal gruffly whispered to Ada who simply ignored his comment and strode forwards, arms raised.

"We mean no harm" Ada smiled softly at the soldiers who began to crowd around them.

"Yeah, no that's a lie," Mal grunted as he swung a fist and then two at the oncoming men, knocking them to the ground before focusing on the others who were swarming.

"You were meant to keep up the charade a bit longer Malyen," Ada sighed, sticking a foot out and tripping a soldier, catching him in her arms before swiftly punching him in the jaw and dropping him to the ground. She wheeled around to stick out another but felt a hand pin her arm to her back. With her free hand she reached out to claw the soldiers face, grabbing a hold of the skin of his neck. She channelled her anger, shoving him backwards as she felt her arm wrenched out of its socket. Her hand pressed deeper into the man's neck and she felt a pulse of energy run through her, sending shivers down every fibre of her body.

She felt a release, the man had let her go and her arm fell back into its natural position, slightly dislocated but nothing she couldn't fix herself.

"What the fuck," Ada whispered as she turned to face the man who had a placid smile on his face.

"What a lovely day it is today. Feel free to go, I'm sure you have much to do in Novyi Zem," the bearded man grinned at her.

"What the actual fuck," Ada lifted her hands to her head in disbelief at how the man's mood had changed so quickly. "Are you... okay?" she asked.