RAYA ~ SHADOW AND BONE

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Maxim had shown up at Raya's bedroom door not even ten minutes after she'd entered herself. She'd just shown Alina to her suite and had returned to her own, flopping down onto the bed in exhaustion, when a knock sounded on her wooden bedroom door.

He let maxim inside, knowing the Darkling had probably found a way to tell her healer about her wound. "I'm fine; he exaggerating," she groaned, sitting at the edge of her bed and reaching her arm out to show Maxim.

"He's worried," the Healer corrected, grabbing Raya's desk chair and placing it in front of the bed. He sat down, smiling widely when callus ran up to greet him, and pet the canine's head. He then held onto Raya's arm with one hand, concentrating on his work. His other hand softly ran along the cut, the wound closing up in the areas his fingers touched until there was no scar or bruise to prove it had even been there in the first place.

As he did so, Raya cringed, scrunching her face as she felt an unfamiliar feeling run up her arm.

"You know, Raya," Maxim started after he pulled his hand away, job done. "You're the only person I know who hates getting healed."

Raya shrugged, running her fingers over the skin the wound had once ripped through. "I like the scars; they're reminders."

"Reminders of what?" Maxim asked as he returned the chair to its original position.

"That even though we're powerful Grisha, we're still mortal."

"How you're both the silliest and wisest person I know is beyond me," Maxim commented lightly, reaching out to comfortingly squeeze Raya's shoulder. Genya came upon Raya's room then and the Healer made his leave, allowing Genya to slip past him into the quarters.

"Thanks, max," Raya shouted after the Healer, thankful for his services. She then turned to Genya and laid back down on the bed, letting the tailor join her.

"So? What's she like?" Genya excited asked, staring up at the intricately painted ceiling above Raya's bed.

"She's... ordinary." Genya gave her a curious look. "She grew up in Keramzin. Probably an orphan. And... she's at least part Shu."

"What was it like? When she demonstrated her powers?"

"It was amazing," Raya breathed out. "I've never see anything like it."

"So, powerful?"

"Very."

"More than you? Or the General?"

"Different than me or kirigan," Raya explained. "Maybe she really is the answer we've been searching for... I don't want to get my hopes up but... it's something."

Genya smiled softly at her friend, reaching out to squeeze her hand. "Sometimes that's all it takes."

Raya nodded her head before changing the subject. Herself and Genya caught up and discussed one thing or another until nightfall, when their stomachs grumbled so loudly, they couldn't ignore their dinner.

With Callus in tow, they made their way to the dining hall, taking their seats beside one another, with Marie and Nadia on Genya's other side. Both girls were curious about the newest resident of the little palace and barely had time to eat dinner with all the questions they asked Raya. They only quieted down When the General kirigan entered the room, his presence commanding the room.

"Genya," he softly spoke, attracting the tailor's attention. "Will you see to Miss starkov tomorrow morning? She is to be presented before the king?"

"Certainly, General," she abided, accepting the task.

He then turned to Raya, pressing a soft kiss to the side of her head before taking a seat on her other side to attend to his own meal. He reached down to lovingly scratch behind Callus' ears as the canine ate his own meal in a bowl set by Raya's feet. "How's she settling?" He asked the Grisha beside him.

"First few days are always the hardest," Raya stated knowingly. Every single Grisha sat at the table knew as much.

"She trusts you, Raya. Would you..."

Raya's eyes rolled to the back of her head. "No," she grumbled out.

It wasn't that she disliked Alina at all; in fact, she already preferred her company over most of the people sat alongside her at the dinner table. That being said, she wasn't Alina's maid, nor her caretaker. And Alina wasn't a child.

"She's going to be fine," she told the General. "You didn't baby the rest of us when we came here. You don't have to with her."

The Darkling took notice of the light edge to Raya's tone. "I suppose you're right. Besides, a night not spent tending to Alina means you can tend to me," he smirked her way, reaching out to grab hold of her hand. He leaned in to whisper in her ear. "And I to you... to your needs."

A furious blush coloured Raya's tanned cheeks as she stared down at her plate and smiled. "What about Callus?"

"I'll have one of the maids look after him for the night," he offered without missing a beat.

She was impressed. "You've really thought of everything."

"It's been a long few days," the Darkling replied with a mischievous smile. "And I think we both could use some... relaxation."

"Well then, what are we waiting for?"

The General left his dinner completely ignored before standing up from the table and pulling Raya along. In his free hand, scooped up Callus before handing him off to one of Raya's maids. "Please take care of Callus for Raya tonight. We'll be rather occupied in my suite."

He led Raya down the hall and into the east wing of the little palace, into his quarters. The moment Raya shut the door behind them. He pushed her against it, his lips immediately capturing hers in a slow and sensual kiss. Raya felt herself get lost in it and wrapped her arms around the Darkling, allowing him to carry her to the bed and lay her down upon the soft linens.

His lips traveled south to her neck, softly sucking on the tender skin and eliciting low gasps from Raya's mouth. Her fingers tangled in his hair as she felt his own fumble with the buttons on her blood red kefta, hands slipping under her top and resting on the smooth skin below.

"Aleks," she moaned out, eyes rolling to the back of her head in pleasure.

She brought his back to hers as she wrapped her legs around his waist, flipping them over until he was on his back and her on top, straddling him. He smirked up at her, eyes as dark as the night sky outside his window, and watched her rid herself of the kefta and the top she wore. Her own wandering hands then pushed his black kefta off of him, quickly followed by his vest and pants.

She had her way with him for the rest of the night, sure that the servants could hear the echoes of their passion... or at least the rhythmic sound of the headboard hitting the wall.