"Woah," Zina exclaimed looking at the small ball of light that Rena had conjured. It was after dinner and they had gone to her room to study, Rena had told them how she was finnaly able to control her power, but at what cost, a small voice said in the back of her head.

Zina went over to the desk and pulled out some books, "Rena?" She asked, "Why's there a blanket and pillow underneath the desk,"

"Because, well-" I started.

"You do not sleep there, do you?" She exclaimed, "No wonder you're always on about a pain in your back, why?"

I stared at the floor, "I don't know, it just gives me a feeling of home I guess"

"Oh Rena," she sympathised, walking over to me and grabbing my hands, "This, is your home, your home with us, your friends. Now come on!" She dragged me over to the bed and tackled me onto it, "Just feel how soft that is," she fell back onto the bed and we started giggling hysterical, unable to look each other in the eye without bursting out all over again.

Time flew by as they helped each other study, Rena helping Zina with her Shu, and Zina helping Rena with basically everything. Eventually they both ended up reading a book of Grisha theory on the bed, completely exhausted from their laughing and messing.

"You two know what time it is don't you?" We heard a cool voice say from the door, we immediately purked our heads up from our books.

The darkling was standing by my door staring at us, we hadn't heard him come in, but despite our hushed whispers he must have heard us, I already knew that I had to take the blame for this, I wasn't going to let Zina get in trouble for helping me study.

I winked subtly at Zina and made a big show of going over to the clock to check the time, "Gosh, time flys when you're having fun doesn't it," I said putting my hands on my hips.

"It's well past curfew and you didn't notice? You both know that no one is permitted to be up, let alone out of their room," he scolded.

I took this as my opportunity, "And who made these rules?" I asked.

"I did obviously," he responded, Zina was looking back and forth between us like it was some sort of match.

"Exactly, and I am quite frankly astonished at your behaviour general," I walked towards him "For someone who wrote these rules, you'd think that you of all people would know there was no exceptions"

He looked at me, astonished that I was speaking wih such confidence, "Now if you don't mind sir, it is quite late incase you haven't noticed, so if you could leave that would be appreciated, goodnight!" I smiled opening the door for him.

"Miss.Orlova" he raised an eyebrow at Zina and she quickly scurried out and headed towards her room, "Don't let me catch you breaking the rules again Rena," he warned.

"Me? A rule breaker? Neverrrrr," I responded dramatically.

He walked out of the room rolling his eyes and said, "Must you always have the last word?"

"Yep," I responded, shutting the door in his face so he couldn't say anything else.

I woke up the next morning feeling refreshed and full of energy, the bags that usually dawned my under eyes had magically disappeared and my hair looked the healthiest it had since, well ever.

It was the weekend meaning that there wasn't any classes today so most of the Grisha went into Os Atlas or hung out with friends by the lake.

I went to the domed hall with Zina and Luka, apparently Koldan had something else to do, I found it weird not having him make faces at me from the other side of the room so I tried to distract myself with conversation with Zina and Luka, they were talking about how a new expedition was being prepared to cross the fold to try and search for something.

The fold, the unsea, the very thing that haunted everyone's dreams. It was weird to think that her great, great, great, times a hundred grandfather, was the one to create such a nightmare, to be the cause of so much pain, suffering and death.

While Zina and Luka went and explored Os Atlas, I was stuck at the little palace, guards following my every move and most likely reporting back to the darkling about them. She savored the moments that she lost them, the scolding she got was worth it when she saw their faces, eventually she would feel sorry for them, she could see the fear of having to tell the darkling that they lost his child on their faces and she would reappear just ahead of them.

After a long, bored walk around the lake I trudged myself back to my room. Immersing myself in my books and trying new tricks with my power, at one point I had managed to conjure both the light and shadows into spheres around the size of a ball and started juggling with them.

I went to dinner where I met Zina and Luka fresh back from their adventures around Os Atlas. They told about the carts filled with breads and cheeses, and the street performer in their extravagant costumes, I knew they were just trying to cheer me up but their stories made my longing to go outside the palace walls even bigger, it was making my already dull mood even duller. After a while I just excused myself saying I was tired and went back to my room just to flop down on the bed.

I was beginning to adjust to life at the little palace, but nothing would compare to the cozienes of my small village in Shu Han.

Hey everyone thank you so much for reading this far, I really appreciate it, most of this chapter was just filler, but I loved the scene of her and Zina getting caught, I think Rena's confidence is really starting to bloom.

Anyways I wont hold you up any longer, don't forget to vote and comment.

~Sarah (PoshStarfish775)