Element [The Darkling]

Chapter Thirty-Seven

I stood on the deck of the Hummingbird, fidgeting with my hands as nervousness took over me. This was it. This was finally it.

I felt a hand brush my elbow and looked over my shoulder to see Tolya standing behind me, his eyes on me.

"Are you going to tell me what happened?" He asked gently, and I knew he was referring to what I'd experienced under the poison. I inhaled deeply.

"I saw my mother, and she led me through the door of our old cottage. Only, we didn't step inside, we stepped through the door, into more woods. Different woods, woods I'd never known." I explained and he nodded. "She said... she said the dead had certain abilities, so long as their bond to the living was strong enough. She said that I had a mental tether to Alina and Kirian, but not just them. I had some sort of connection to Baghra as well. It's why I've been hearing her voice in my dreams. Something different than the connection to Kirigan by the stag."

"So it wasn't a hallucination. It was real." Tolya realized, and I nodded.

"She said 'this is a hallucination, but it's about to get very real'." I quoted. "She said that my heart was beating so slowly, I was walking the line between life and death. I could travel both planes, so long as you were keeping me alive, just barely." I added, and I saw his jaw clench from the memories of my near death. "I... saw things." I said, my voice shaky. "I heard things."

"What kind of things?" I turned around to see the other crows standing behind us, with Zoya listening intently from where she was directing us with wind at the sails. Kaz was the one who had spoken up, and I looked at Tolya before I looked at them again.

Something in me told me I could trust them.

That it'd be useful for them to know.

"Darklings are from Morozova's bloodline." I said, and everyone's eyes widened.

"You're sure?" Nina asked, and I nodded.

"Straight from Baghra's mouth. Morozova messed with merzost when creating the Sea Whip and the Stag, and he impregnated his wife. A child who could summon darkness was a side effect of his meddling. My father, Orion Sisko, was apparently an explorer." I added, inhaling deeply. "He studied everything mythical. Baghra says he was the only person who knew where every amplifier was." I added.

"Saints." Nina breathed.

"Your family really are a bunch of overachievers, aren't they?" Jesper asked incredulously. "Explains where you got that from."

"It gets worse." I said faintly.

"Worse?" Wylan stammered, and I nodded. I looked at Tolya, wariness filling me. Once I said this, I could never go back.

"Whatever it is, we won't think less of you." Tolya promised, putting his hand on my shoulder.

"Of course we won't." Inej agreed genuinely. Wylan, Jesper and Nina nodded in agreement, while Kaz stood stoic and Zoya focused on the sails.