Element [The Darkling]

Chapter Nine

Knocking woke me from my restless sleep, and I sat up sleepily. "Come in." I called, and Genya entered, a smile on her face, her blue eyes lit up.

"Morning, sunshine." She greeted, and I sighed, flopping back down on the bed with a groan, grabbing one of the pillows and covering my face with it. "Oh, get up." She said, taking the pillow off my face.

I looked up to see she was holding a hanger with a mysterious article of clothing hidden behind the white shroud, and riding boots. "I'm... going horse riding?" I asked, confused.

"With General Kirigan." She replied, and I groaned again, flopping forward this time, burying my face in the bed. "Please, do try to sound more lady-like," Genya said sarcastically.

"I don't want to go outside. I don't want to go out where Zoya is waiting to squall me into an open fire pit, since she'll want vengeance for me kicking her ass and calling her a lying whore." I moaned.

"She's off the palace grounds." I pushed myself up off the bed, staring at Genya in confusion. "Didn't you hear? He sent her away to 'reassess her priorities'." She added with a grin as she dropped that juicy bit of gossip with a hint of glee.

"Did he get rid of Ivan the grouch too?" I asked hopefully, and Genya deadpanned me. I sighed.

"Come one. Don't want to keep him waiting." Genya said in a sing-song tone.

"Saints forbid," I said sarcastically, and faltered. "Why, is he angry?" I asked worriedly.

She showed me what the clothing was.

A black kefta.

"This might do the trick." She said with a small grin, wriggling her eyebrows at me.

"Was this your idea, or his?" I asked incredulously. She couldn't be serious. Only Kirigan wore black. Grisha were separated by color, no one wore the others' color, it was a rule.

"You didn't like your kefta. So he changed it." Genya replied.

"Oh no. No no no no no." I protested, getting up and trying to go to the bathroom. "No kefta. I'll do just fine without a-" Genya grabbed me by the back of my neck gently and I let out a squeal of protest.

"Okay, okay, I'll wear the white kefta!"

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I went outside to find Kirigan tending to his black stallion, waiting for me. He looked up at my white kefta, walking away from his horse to stand in front of me.

"Morning." He greeted softly.

"Morning." I replied awkwardly. He gestured for me to go up to the white stallion a guard brought over and I passed him, not missing the way he aggressively took his kefta off, a servant girl taking it from him. "Does this mean I can leave my kefta behind too?" I asked hopefully while stroking the horse.