Nikolai expected blood. He expected carnage. For the assassin to be lying prone once again, once again almost killed by his hand.
He did not expect his soldiers to be firing at the roof.
A crowd has assembled at the edge of the palace, where one of the sunrooms opens out onto the gardens. The large glass doors are thrown open, panes shattered, glass glinting amongst the gravel.
The bullet from the first army soldier's gun pings hollowly off the roof. In answer, a flash of gold comes hurtling down, scattering the guards below like ants running from a boot. It lands amongst the gravel, similar artifacts are littered over the ground and in the nearby garden hedges.
It takes a moment before Nikolai recognizes the projectile. Gilded roof tiles and ornaments, all being thrown with vigor at the soldiers below.
Despite himself, despite the fear still thrumming through him, he grins.
It's short-lived. Another soldier hoists a rifle, aiming at the roof.
Nikolai storms forward, "Who gave you the authority to shoot at her!"
The guard glances at the King, lowering the gun slightly. "She won't come down." He says it as if in explanation.
"You are dismissed," Nikolai raises his voice, "In fact all of you p, go find something better to do. Now."
The soldiers scatter on the wind, leaving only Zoya and him on the garden path. He comes to a stop beside one of the golden ornaments, a snake curling around itself, fangs bared in an angry snarl. From this vantage, he can't see atop the roof, but he can imagine her sitting up there, bracing again for a hail of bullets.
"Please stop destroying my palace!"
A face peeks over the edge, an answer coming back in rapid, angry Shu. The sentiment of which would make even the bawdiest pirate cringe.
A grin flashes over his face, "I'll try not to take that as a comment on my character."
"You want me to get her down?" Zoya looks exceedingly bored, examining her flawless nails as if even they are not up to her standards.
Another ornament comes down, a golden-plated falcon that narrowly misses Zoya as she jumps aside. Another string of curses follows. Nikolai doesn't hear all of it over the Squallers snarl, but he catches the last word.
Monster.
Zoya's hands are in motion, readying to sweep gales over the roof. Nikolai puts out his own up to stop her, "No, I'll talk to her."
It only takes Nikolai a few minutes to get back inside, climbing through the palace, up the ladder to the hatch onto the roof. Zoya had dismissed herself in a huff, sending Toyla to watch over him in her stead. Probably for the best, considering the state Rani is in.
The trap door gives an inch under his hand but stops, leaving only a slice of sky visible. It shutters as something hits the back side of it. More Shu follows, "I will cut your hands off and feed them to that demon if you try to move me."
Toyla seems rather amused at that. It's lucky most of the guards can't speak Shu, or else she would be proclaiming his ailment for the entire palace to hear.
"Last time you tried something like that it didn't go so well."
This time a foot lands on the other side, causing it to drop a few centimeters.
Nikolai curses, branching himself against the door. Over the din of her stomping, he shouts, "I know what you saw."
Golden eyes appear in the slit. They stare down at him, wide and distrusting. Waving a hand for Toyla to back away, Nikolai lowers his voice, "Let me up, Rani."
After a long moment, something shifts. Slowly the door creaks open.
Nikolai tries not to flinch at the sight of her. He had expected, known that she must have been the one the demon attacked last night, but this.
Her face is bloodless. Three long cuts run from her left ear to her collarbone, shallow but crusted with blood. Puncture marks are sunk into her other shoulder. Strips from the bottom of her shirt are torn and warped messily around the wound, the green fabric stained almost black. She clutched another gilded tile, hefted over her shoulder to throw at any moment. Most of her hair has come loose from its braid in long wild strands, the rest tangled in a mess at the nape of her neck.
Her eyes are the worst. Even in that forest, stabbed with an infection ravaging her, she had been fiery, angry certainly, but never afraid.
Now though, her eyes are wild, terror stark on every plane of her face.
"And have you come to finish off the job that beast started?" She hisses like a corned animal.
"No."
"I don't believe you."
"You do," Nikolai extends his hands, a show of peace. He keeps his voice low, afraid at any moment she'll throw the door closed on him, "or you wouldn't have opened the door."
Rani stands still for a long moment. Ever so slowly she steps back, lowering her makeshift weapon. Even that slight movement sends a flash of pain over her face, though she tries to hide it. There's just enough space for Nikolai to follow her onto the roof, but he waits. There's enough pain still lacing her eyes he's worried she'll run him through with one wrong move.
Bracing his arms against the opening, Nikolai leans forward, "Is your plan to just stay here, bleed out, and chop Ravanks into tiny bits."
"I don't have a knife." Rani's words are soft, like an apology, an invitation.
Nikolai steps onto the roof.
I had to put in a little maze runner moment - that was peak dystopian era.
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heartless | nikolai lantsov
Fanfiction"You enjoy knowing someone in your palace would as soon have a knife to your throat as help you?" "Oh, I count on it, keeps my wits sharp." \\ Kidnapping the King of Ravka was easy. Until it wasn't. When her plan goes awry, Rani is given two choi...
