Lost at sea

Chapter 23

"Saints!" I hold my hand to my chest, shocked by my friends being right there and scaring me. "Lena." Paja holds my shoulders. "YOURE DATING THE PRINCE?!" She shakes me violently, giving me whiplash. "Ow relax" I yell trying to get out of her death grip. "Oh my, you've probably slept with him" Paja says holding a hand to her mouth. Zoya smirks, "Is he good?" I roll my eyes and shove her. I feel my face flush red as I think about the night before. A slight smile tugs at my lips. Zoya laughs, "oh so he was?"

"That is besides the point" I say shaking my head. "We aren't dating. It was a one time thing." I rub the back of my neck. "Oh come on I've seen the way you look at each other" Paja whines. "Yeah I just. I don't know" I mumble. "We're better as friends." They exchange glances and independently decide to stop talking about it. As we stand there in silence some guard comes up to me. "Ms Oretsev, The Darkling And Baghra would like to meet with you. Now." Once he says his piece he walks away swiftly. I purse my lips and shrug as I look at my friends. They wave me goodbye and wish me luck as I walk away.

As I make my way to Baghra I stop outside her door. I could feel the shift of everything the moment I came by. The crack of the door leaked out shadows. "The Darkling is probably upset" I think to myself. My thoughts were acted upon by voices from inside. I hear the Darkling's raised voice followed by Baghra's calm tone. "I- I can't tell her." I had never heard the Darkling sounded so upset. At least not like this.

Baghra spoke curtly, "She's your daughter. If you don't tell her now something is bound to happen." I furrow my brow as I think "daughter?" From what I knew the Darkling wasn't even ever married. I chuckle to myself as I think that. I could hear the hurried footsteps and sighs of the Darkling pacing back and forth.

"She's smart, she's going to find out herself." Baghra obviously wasn't helping with the added on comments. But I still stood outside the cool door with my ear pressed firmly against it.

"I know she's smart! She's the top of her class and one of the best Grisha!" I joke to myself saying that could've been me. I laugh softly as a small part of my brain contemplates it.

I mean after all I was an orphan. He probably didn't even know I was born until he met me. My powers are rare, like his. He also always checks on me and keeps me at his side. "Im overthinking this" I chuckle to myself.

"You've been putting this off for years now. Lena deserves to know."

Everything around me started to sound like static. I could feel my heart in my head. It's fast paced beat echoing in my ears. I felt the quickened rise and fall of my chest. I close my eyes and shake my head. Everything felt so... unreal. My vision blurred. The Darkling was my- my father. I had been orphaned for as long as I can remember. My mother died when I was young. I guess I just had a different father than Mal. I just still couldn't wrap my mind around it. I step away from the door. My knees felt like buckling under the pressure. I didn't know what to do.

I felt the warmth of someone's hands on my arms. It was the only thing holding me up at the moment. I could hear them trying to ask me something. I just couldn't focus.

I make out the words. "...just breathe..." I could feel their arms rising up and down to match the speed I should've been breathing at. I slowly match it and calm down a little. By the time I stopped panicking I could feel my face drenched in tears. My eyes felt puffy and strained already.

Whoever was there in front of me wipes the tears off my cheek. "I'm here for you, just breathe." I take in deep breaths. Exhaling through my mouth with slow steady breaths.

I could soon make out who was there for me. Kneeling down beside me. Holding me steady. My eyes start to focus as I see bright hair and a stern face. Nikolai.

751 words!!