stardust chords | the darkling

4 | WAR PAINT

LIGHT AND DARKNESS OR WHATEVER. IT'S POETIC.

Ithaca had taken to sleeping in Alina's room the last few weeks. It made them both feel more at home. And maybe, Ithaca felt a bit anxious sleeping so close to the General — not that she'd ever admit it because nothing ever made her anxious, much less a boy.

But how could she not when she spent every day with him out in the woods, training and honing her skills? He was so stern and commanding with her, rarely giving out praise and usually chastising her for the attitude she gave him. He'd threatened to gag her one time, and her intrusive thoughts won out with an image of something else filling her mouth to keep her quiet.

It was safe to say she was denying the fact that she was developing a small, minuscule, barely-there crush on General Kirigan. She kept telling herself it was attraction and nothing deeper, because deeper feelings meant danger.

It was a weakness, and the Saints knew Ithaca would never let herself be weak.

Her morning contemplation of the general was interrupted by a knock at the door. A still sleepy Alina muttered for them to come in but she still didn't get up properly.

"Morning, Sunshine," Genya said, letting herself inside. She had a garment bag and a pair of boots in hand. "And there's Starshine."

"Have any letters arrived?" Alina asked, desperately hoping for something from Mal.

The look on Genya's face gave her away before her answer did. "No."

Alina sighed before studying the items in Genya's hands. "I'm going horse riding?"

"Not you," she smirked, her eyes falling in Ithaca. "The General came to your room this morning to invite you to go riding. He was quite disappointed when he found you missing. But I knew where you'd be."

"Is being trotted around town part of my anger management training now?" Ithaca grumbled while reaching for the riding boots, studying the nice leather.

"At least you get to have fun. All my life is now is Zoya waiting to squall me into a wall or an open fire pit," Alina muttered.

"She's off the palace grounds," Genya revealed to the girls, surprising them. They hadn't seen Zoya but just figured she was avoiding them after Ithaca nearly killed her. "Didn't you hear? He sent her away to reassess her priorities. Come on, you don't want to keep him waiting."

"Saints forbid. Why? Is he angry?" Ithaca asked. "He's usually angry with me."

"This might do the trick," Genya said while unzipping the garment bag, revealing a black kefta with shining silver thread embroidered on it. Ithaca couldn't help but reach out and touch the fabric in awe.

"Black is his color. Not mine," she mumbled.

"I think we all know why he wants you in it," Alina said with a smirk.