I had grown even more irritably curious as to why why we were fleeing Os Altlas, no matter what I tryed or asked, no one spoke a word to me, barley meeting my gaze whenever I looked at them.

By the time we had reached kribirsk I was visibly frustrated and bored out of my mind.

"What the hell is going on?!" I demanded as soon as I saw my father, he was in the middle of a conversation with Ivan and a handful of other Corporalki, they had always been his favourite type of soldier.

His head snapped up at the sound of my voice, not wasting any words he motioned my already walking body to come towards them with his fingers.

"...... we'll be gone within the half hour," I heard him finish, everyone around him then scurried off to carry out their various tasks.

"Rena, you made it," he greeted.

"What's happening?" I repeated, trying to cool myself off from the frustrating ride, "I'm in the stables and then I'm being arrested, that brat of a prince calls me a witch, then I'm in a cell with Genya and these two other Grisha help us out and then Koldan ki-" I stopped myself before I blurted out what had happened in the stables.

He raised a suspicious brow, "Go on, what about Koldan?" He questioned.

I tried to suppress the blush that threatened to appear on my cheeks, "What, oh um nothing. What's happening?" I said all too quickly.

"I have ways of making you tell me, Rena," he searched my eyes, as if they would tell him what had happened, "As for what's happening," he continued, looking away, "How do you feel about a visit to Novyi Zem, I heard it's quite nice this time of year."

"I mean, why was I arrested and forced to flee Os Atlas."

He sighed, "The king has gotten some, dramatic ideas of what happened a few years ago. Remember when I told you what happens when a king throws a tantrum?" I nodded, "Well let's just say this is a very big tantrum."

"So you're just running away, what about everyone else back-"

"I don't run away from things," he cut across me.

"So you're travelling to Novyi Zem in search of answers?" I questioned, he nodded, "How? The fold is-"

He arched an elegant brow at me, "No. You're not really thinking about crossing it, are you?" I exclaimed.

"Why not, you have the gift of light, we can make it across safely."

"Maybe me, but not a whole skiff, nevermind three." I shook my head, "You're asking me to enter a nightmare."

He crouched down so that we were eye level, his quartz eyes staring into mine, "I shall be right by your side," he whispered.

He stood up as a soldier came over, "Isn't that reassuring," I muttered sarcastically under my breath.

My pack from the journey to the Shu han border was still strapped to Sumerki's saddle, it had the bare minimum in it, a few old rations from the outpost, my book, some flint, a roll of twine and my tin whistle. The knife that Botkin had gifted me was still strapped to my thigh.

I said goodbye to Sumerki, knowing I most likely wouldn't see her again and made towards the skiff's.

I hesitated before boarding on to it, was I really doing this, was I seriously going to cross the fold with so many lives in my hands. This and many more questions made my foot linger from stepping onto the deck.

As if reading my thoughts a hand on the small of my back gently pushed me forwards onto the skiff, bringing me out of my thoughts, "You'll be fine, I know you can do it," I heard the Darkling gently say behind me, leading me towards the main sail.

The plank on the skiff raised as a squaller blew gusts of wind into the sails. Panic seized in my chest, no, I couldn't do this, this was crazy, my father was a madman for thinking I could do this.

My breaths became laboured as we neared the fold, whisps of darkness engulfing us.

It felt, wrong, somehow. It felt like something that shouldn't exist, something beyond the small science.

I heard a volcra scream in the distance, something painful and filled with sorrow, almost human, too human.

I took a step back as it screamed again, but this time the Darkling caught my arm, "There's no turning back," he told me, "Shield us."

"I-I can't, there's no possible way that I can cover all three of these things," I stammered.

"Then just focus on one, like we practiced, a small orb but this time we're the shadows inside," he suggested, "I'll help you cover the other two," he reassured me.

I looked at him momentarily forgetting my panic, "That's impossible."

"You have no idea what I can make possible, now, do it."

Hesitantly, I brought my hands together, forging a ball of light between them, slowly I pushed it out, letting the light engulf us. I closed my eyes, putting all my focus into keeping the light around our skiff.

I felt my fathers hand on my shoulder, "What are you doing?" I questioned him.

"What I need to, now focus, push it out towards the other skiffs," I felt a tingling sensation inside of me, power that I didn't know was there erupted from my hands. The shield of light that was previously just barley covering our single skiff, now illuminated all three and a bit further.

The cries of volcra died out as they tried to escape the blinding light.

"I told you, you could do it," I heard my father say into my ear all too proud of himself. I rolled my eyes putting my focus back onto the shield that was currently protecting us all.

Eventually as I was starting to tire, the fold began to thin and we exited. Making sure the other two skiffs were also out I let the light die and slumped against the mast, drained. I had never used so much of my power before, it was almost a miracle that I had managed it.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw my father give me a contemplating look, probably wondering if he should call for a healer, "I'm fine," I managed, standing up straighter so he would look away.

As the skiff docked I looked around my surroundings, we were at a small village that looked weathered from storms and wind. People were at stalls trying to sell produce to passersby, and children played in the streets.

We came off the skiff and crossed to the other side of the village where the sea sparkled in the midday light, it's colour a deep blue that danced further into shore. A variety of boats were docked at the various piers while fishermen and workers walked to and fro, carrying fish and goods from across waters.

The air was filled with the smell of salt water, fish, and shouts from sailors.

"Put these on," Ivan ordered, pushing a long dirty coat into my arms.

"Why?" I asked, I started to wonder where he got it. It smelled of liquor and sweat, and was covered in mud.

"Not many people on this side of the fold know you exist, let's keep it that way," he explained, slightly irritated that I was constantly asking questions.

"Does that mean I can't summon?" I groaned, shrugging on the coat.

"Last resort only. You still have that knife?" I nodded, "Hope you can use it," he smarted.

He took a paddy cap out of one of his pockets and I narrowed my eyes in suspicion. He dropped it to the ground, rubbing it around in the dirt until its colour faded. Then before I noticed he put it on my head, pulling it down so it covered most of the top of my head and smirked.

I rolled my eyes, "Genya's going to kill you," I joked, I didn't really care for my hair and whether it was dirty or not, but Genya was Genya and she did, no matter how much she scolded me I still loved her, I mean how couldn't you?

"I could stop her heart before she even got close," he joked. I liked Ivan, well, when he wasn't all serious, which was barley ever.

"What was that?" Someone asked behind him making me snicker, it was Genya. She looked over to me and furrowed her eyebrows, turning her stare back to Ivan.

"You hear that," Ivan tapped his ear, "I think I better go, see ya," he swiftly left us, while I was trying to suppress my laugh.

Genya rolled her eyes which made it even harder not to laugh, "Come on you," she teased ringing her arm around my neck.

"So, here's the plan," she explained, leading me down the path, "You can't be seen with the Darkling or anyone in a kefta for that matter, or it will raise 'suspicion'."

She used her fingers like rabbits ears, making them go up and down, indicating that she in fact, did not think it would.

"So instead," she continued, "We have Ivan and some other Corporalki who are in the same kind of clothes like these lovely ones you have on now," she said sarcastically, "And we will, all going to plan, meet up at a boat that's been hired for a job."

"You don't like this plan do you?" I asked, seeing her obvious discomfort.

"Not in the slightest. I mean, people here aren't known for being the kindest towards anyone that looks Shu," she sighed.

"Hence the hat?"

"Hence the hat." she confirmed, "It's last minute and full of pot holes that even an otkazat'sya could see." She ranted.

"Are you comparing my plan to that of an otkazat'sya, Genya?" A cool voice said behind us.

She turned around slowly, "Yes, I am. Do you have a problem with that, Moi Soverennyi?" She said in a forced sweet tone.

He narrowed his eyes at her slightly and cocked his head to the side, but after a moment's silence just dismissed her with a wave of his hand.

"She's right you know," I spoke up quietly.

He arched a brow, his gaze meeting mine, "How so?"

"It has a lot of pot holes, too many. One for instance, this whole facade of not having any correlation with you and your crew falls away the instant that people see me boarding the same ship as you," my voice giving light to some of the many thoughts bouncing around inside my head.

He took in my words, inspecting them from every angle, "The only thing that people will see is another member of Sturmhonds crew getting ready for their departure to Novyi Zem."

My mouth hung ajar, "I thought Sturmhond was just a story? Something mothers told their children so they would eat their carrots."

This made the Darkling chuckle ever so slightly, "No he is very much real, and the only person crazy enough to go along with our plans," he explained, "Now, I think it's time to slip into your so called 'facade'," he mocked.

Suprise!!!