Chapter 2: Traveling to the little palace
I should of just ran with Nico when I had the chance. I should have said screw first army and just ran where no one had saw us...where he hadn't seen me...where we never went in the fold. I thought as I sat there across from General Kirigan...no, Aleksander Morozova's heartrenders.
I don't know how long we were riding before one of his heartrenders spoke up. "This is Fedyor" Ivan said as I looked at them. I was looking normally anywhere else but them as I moved the kefta sleeve seeing the initials fade. I was far away from him but Nico was back there where he could hurt him. "Pleasure to meet you." Fedyor said as I was looking at the Kefta. "It's called a Kefta.. It's.." I knew what he would say "Bullet proof, I know. My mother wore one before she left 2nd army." I said as Fedyor was surprised by words. My mother was great tidemaker, I was her daughter and I had her keen talent for tidemaking. "Who is your mother?" Fedyor asked as I looked at him "Amara Cortez was her name when she was in 2nd army." I said as he seemed surprised. It'd been a few years but Grisha didn't age so she looked the same as she'd left. Ivan took a better look at me "I see your mother in you, she was a bit of a troublemaker." Ivan said
I was waiting knowing if we were ambushed, I knew what to do even if they told me to run. I could remember Nico's words as were training together. You get caught by 2nd army, you wait for an opening and then you run like it depends on the saints lives. You run into druskella, you hit them with light and keep running. Nico had said as I sighed. "The little palace is safe, why did your parents not send you there? Why did the testers not find you?" Fedyor asked as I looked at him. I knew that I could probably make a run for it but they would still find me from my heartbeat. "Sun Summoners don't want to be found, we don't want to be Ravka's Saint." I said as they looked at me. "But you are the first of your kind of Grisha. of the Etherealki." Fedyor said as I scoffed a bit. "Your General knew there were sun summoners this whole time and he probably approached the most Ancient of Grisha for help and she refused." I told them as they both seemed surprised.
So you didn't mention that the De La Rosa descendants were Sun Summoners. I thought
After so long the carriage stopped as the road was blocked, "Stay here, don't leave." Ivan said as I watched them get out. Once I was left alone, I waited till I heard them yelling Druskella, I knew there was two options. Wait and be dragged out by the enemy or get out to run. For me it was no brainer but I waited some as I heard the sounds get down and I opened the side that Ivan and Fedyor came out, just in time too cause a Druskella opened the other door as I got out. I ran like hell as I heard the sounds of guns and arrows but concealed myself in light as I ran to be my barrier so it bounced off.
Nico...I'm coming back...I'll make it. I thought
After so long of running, I had to stop to catch my breath but remembered all the training Nico gave me as I climbed up the tree. Just in time too cause below me were a few Druskella as I concealed myself in the darkness of the trees. I could hear them trying to figure out which way I went and used my tidemaker to make it seem like I'd gotten farther than I did. Once they were gone I relaxed as I knew the trees were safe. I felt that tingling on my wrist as I looked at it seeing the initials return and realized he had come. Some of the Druskella were escaping but not before the sound of one getting cut was here.
"Where is she?" Aleksander was asking his heartrenders. I knew I'd gotten some distance from them but I could still hear them cause I hadn't actually had much time. "She was in the carriage, but she must have gotten out during the fight." Ivan said as he put his finger together but I knew how to outsmart heartrenders thanks to my mom as I calmed my heartbeat. "I hear something in the tree, but it's calm." Ivan said
I knew he'd be looking for me so I tried climbing to the other tree, I was careful as I was able to get my balance and jumped to the other tree. I had every intention to get back to Nico some way but when I tried to do it again air knocked me out of the tree. "Hey!" I yelled as I was about to land but then heard the sound of a horse and felt someone grab me as I looked up seeing the Darkling. "You're a very stubborn girl, did you think you could sneak back to first army unnoticed?" Aleksander asked me, I knew it was worth a try as he moved himself back and had me sit in front of him. "Since you're going to be a problem, you'll ride with me." Aleksander said, "It's not an easy trip it takes several days."
Not that I'm not used to traveling long periods but you make it seem like we're going to be alone. I thought
He turned his horse as we made it to where the others were "I'm taking Amira on ahead, if there are any problems you can inform me when you reach the little palace." Aleksander said as he had the horse head off in a gallop. I hated this, the longer I was with him the closer it seemed he was except maybe that was the problem he was very close to me with being on the same horse. After only a few hours of riding I needed to get down. "Can we stop?" I asked, as he seemed unfazed. "Why?" Aleksander asked as I knew the only words. "Because my tailbone hurts and I'm not used to riding a horse." I said as he stopped and let me down.
I looked around seeing nothing within the distance but saints I needed to walk some. I was used to first army even for a short time there. I walked back and forth which made me feel better as I knew there was a lot going on. "How did you know to run?" Aleksander asked as I looked at him. "Nico and I planned to run away, but we didn't. So when he was preparing for first army we made a plan and he said if I ever got in a situation with Druskella to run." I said as Nico was really good at it.
I knew if there was a town or something I could of escaped through there to get away from him but there was nothing. I was trapped into going to the little palace so I just had to stand my ground. "I won't do it." I told him as he looked at me, I knew what it meant to enter into the little palace. To be pushed into 2nd army the moment you enter those walls. "I won't enter into 2nd army just because you pulled me out of first army." I said knowing I needed to make my stand now and I looked at him. "I won't be your subordinate!" I yelled at him as he looked me but smirked as he walked over and put a hand on my cheek. "Putting you beneath me as my soldier would be an insult to the blood pact." Aleksander said