A SYMPHONY OF SHADOWS | grishaverse

.xix.

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nineteen

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Training with Aleksander was... different¸ more demanding in a way. It showed Nerezza the depths of power that she didn't even know she had.

But it also forced her to become as depraved as she could.

As her relationship with Aleksander developed, Nerezza began to see how nefarious he really was. How willing he was to turn to violence or hate.

His methods were brutal.

And she loved that.

Currently she was standing by the fountain, they'd decided to make it somewhat of their place – since no one else knew where it was. Aleksander stood behind her, so close that she could feel the heat of his breath and her stomach was in knots.

There was a rabbit in front of them that he'd made her catch.

Now she was going to suffocate it.

Nerezza twisted her hands in the way that Aleksander had showed her, and summoned the shadows to be opaque, to be solid. She watched as the ribbons of darkness engulfed the creature in inescapable darkness. So much of it that it was crushing its lungs and asphyxiating it.

She turned her head slightly, "How did I do?"

"I think you're a sadist," he laughed.

Nerezza looked at him and smiled, she turned to him and let her hands travel up his chest until she was cupping his smiling face in her hands. "I love seeing you smile." She pulled him down and she got on her tip toes, brushing her lips against the stubble on his cheek.

He brushed a curl out of her face, "I only smile for you."

She thought that if she was in his arms when dying, she'd be a happy woman.

"Then I'm lucky," Nerezza mused. She let ribbons of shimmering shadow embrace them, clinging to Aleksander with wisps of night.

He rested his forehead against hers.

"You're treading a dangerous path," Aleksander mused, his hands travelling to her waist.

She closed her eyes, "Good."

...

People had been talking about her unveiling for months now, but Nerezza almost doubted it would happen. It felt like a dream or ideal people were whispering about.

But now the preparations were being placed.

Nerezza sat in her room, her bow and quiver on the table. She was dressed in her cloak and riding clothes, and her hair was in its usual braid.

When she looked in the mirror, she couldn't recognise the girl staring back at her.

The girl with the scars marring her face.

The girl with the proud, commanding posture.

The girl with the atmosphere of a general rather than a mercenary.

In the next few hours, she would no longer be a mercenary. She would be a general. She would be the Black General of the West. The Black Heathen.

She would be a title rather than a person. A summoner rather than a sharpshooter.

She looked in the mirror one more time, and then grabbed her bow and quiver. Without another moment, Nerezza disappeared into the shadow.

When she reached the gates, she had her hood on, and was unrecognisable. There were people arriving, but of those people, she desperately wanted to see 3.

Kaz. Inej. Jesper.

She felt like she was buzzing, but also like her stomach was knotting itself at the very thought of meeting them again. It had been so long. She was a completely different person. Maybe they were too.

When she arrived at the gates, it was easy to find them.

For they were arguing with the guards.

Classic crows.

"You're not to be let in," the guard snapped, "Not if you don't leave your weapons."

"We have special permission," Kaz snapped, "The Shadow Summoner–"

"Do you know how many people claim to know the Starless Saint?!" The guard snapped.

The Starless Saint. That was a new one. Nerezza had to admit she quite liked it.

The guards pulled their guns out of their holsters and stepped forward, barring the entrance to the three Crows.

Nerezza surged forward stepping between the Crows and the guards, raising her bow and notching an arrow.

"You will lower your guns or Saints help me you," she gestured to the boy at the door holding a scroll of invitations, "Will have to explain to General Kirigan why I have killed two of his guards."

One cocked his gun, "Miss, who do you think you are?"

Nerezza let shadows rise from the ground, she hooked them around her hood and made them pull the hood off; revealing her face.

They instantly dropped their guns.

"M-my general," One stammered, "I–"

"Save it," Nerezza hissed, lowering her bow. "And I'm not a general. Not yet anyway." She beckoned to the crows behind her, but didn't turn around. She walked inside the Little Palace, them following, until she reached the courtyard, which was filled with travelling caravans and other such entertainment.

"Nerezza," Inej started. She said nothing else.

Nerezza's breath hitched at the sound of her voice. It had been so long.

She turned, holding a breath as she took in the sight of them. They looked good. Kaz still had his cane and Inej was dressed in blue, Jesper wore a tophat.

"Oh," Jesper said, not so subtly as his eyes found her face.

Rather, the scars.

She bit her lip, "I'm so sorry. For not writing back for so long, and just disappearing. It–"

She was cut off by Inej throwing her arms around her.

Nerezza felt a lump build in her throat, she tried to stop herself from crying as she embraced the other girl. The girl who was like a sister to her, a soulmate.

She let out a chuckle as Jesper joined in on the hug, so that the three of them were holding each other until they were swaying and out of breath.

When Nerezza detached herself from them, she turned to Kaz.

"Your face," Kaz seethed, "Who did that?"

Nerezza let out a shaky breath, "Volcra. The day I became... Or really, the day I found out I was – you know."

She didn't know why, but the thought of saying that she was Grisha, that she was a Shadow Summoner, it caught in her throat – it scared her.

Kaz shot her a tight-lipped smile, "That you're Grisha. It's okay."

She thought she imagined his gaze straying to Jesper for a moment.

She nodded, and joined hands with Inej, "Come, there is so much to show you."

And just like that, Nerezza Adiram was a Crow again.