Class rolled by pretty uneventfuly, the teachers words all muddling together inside my brain, I was disappointed to hear that our lessons with Botkin were called off that day as the Materialki all had their very first combat training, by order of the new general of the second army.

It was strange but I suppose a smart choice, Alina would need all the soldiers she could get.

As each Grisha type went off to train with an older, more experienced Grisha I was left on my own, unlike everyone else the only people who shared my power were the generals on opposing sides of this fight, I didn't bother asking Alina to show me how to control the light, my father had already taught me that, instead I found my way to ukryt'sya and did who knows what, from practicing with my abilities, to studying, or even taking a well deserved nap.

I felt his presence before I even heard or saw him, "What game are you playing?" I asked my father who stood behind me, staring.

He took a moment to respond, "A long one, but in the end, it will all be worth it."

I took a deep breath, I had thought long and hard about this, and I was sure this was the right choice, "I want no part in it, in this," I told him, trying to put as much confidence as possible into my voice.

He stayed silent for a moment, "And what makes you say that?"

I closed my book and finally stood up to look at him, "This fight, this war, I want nothing to do with it, I never did. I can't choose a side. I won't be her soldier nor you spy, so whatever game it is that your trying to dictate, I'm begging you, please, leave me out of it."

He turned to the side, looking out over the lake, but I knew all he saw was blurry shapes and colours, "Sometimes I forget how young you are," he said, his head turned to look at me, "how naive."

I crossed my arms defensively, "I can't believe anything you say anymore, either of you for that matter, I-"

"Rena?! Are you up there?" I heard the voice of Luka shout up, interrupting my small rant.

"I am," I called back. My father raised a brow of interest but I had forgotten about him, distracted as to why Luka wasn't in class.

He climbed up and I gave him a questioning look, "Come on, hurry, they might leave without us," he told me.

My curiosity grew even more, "Wait wait wait, hold on, leave without us? Who? Where are we going?"

"Emergency evacuation of all underage Grisha, they say he's coming. The general doesn't want children on the battlefield so she's sending everyone to keramzin."

"Keramzin?!" I exclaimed without thinking, but it was too late, the damage was done. I suddenly remembered my father and my eyes grew wide. I could see his smug smirk out of the corner of my eye before he disappeared.

"Are you at least going to tell me where you're taking me?" I asked the guards who were leading me through the little palace. They had come to my room as I was packing a small travel pack as instructed by our teachers before we left. "Because, I don't know if you've heard, but there's this whole evacuation thing going on and-"

"I'll take her from here," someone said behind us. I looked back as the guards left and saw Zoya, "Come on kid," she told me taking a left towards the war room.

I followed her and as she opened the door I started to ask, "Am I going to find out what's happening or not because, I dont know about you but I'm finding this whole, being in the dark business a bit ironic."

She didn't answer, instead closing the door behind us. I finnaly decided to look around the room, the walls were lined with maps of Ravka, old and new alike, each displaying all kinds of information, shelves held books bound in leathers and the room smelled like a cartographers wet dream. Most noticeably in the middle of the room was a large table, two Grisha from each order sat around it, including Oretsev and Alina in what was the weirdest layout I had ever seen.

Alina sat at the head of the table next to an Alkemi named Paja, who I had seen come and go from the little palace sometimes, and Oretsev on her right. Sergei sat next to him looking as grumpy and judgemental as ever. David sat furthest away, fiddling with a stray string on his sleeve, Fredyor and and inferni I thought was named Pavel sat nearly exactly across from each other apart from an empty seat where I guessed Zoya sat.

They were all silent, analysing. I rocked back and forth between my toes and heels awkwardly, social situations had never been my strong suit. Eventually I couldn't take it anymore, "You know if this is about those cakes that wasn't my fault, Misha tripped so I helped him and he may have dropped some and Zina and I-" I heard someone that I hadn't noticed by the wall snicker, "This isn't about the cakes is it?"

"Not at all, you just threw yourself under the coach my dear," Nikolai laughed.

I turned to Alina, "What's this about? Actually, wha's the ugroza doing here?"

All eyes around the table widened, "Rena!" Alina exclaimed.

"It's alright," Nikolai assured her, I could see him failing at restraining a smile, "But you should be careful about saying such things around my family, Rena. Your pardon is only temporary."

I crossed my arms, "Innocent until proven guilty, moi tsarevich, now would anyone care to tell me why I'm here, because if I'm not mistaken I should be leaving with the others."

"So keen on leaving?" Oretsev sneered.

I gave him a hard stare that was bound to leave anyone uncomfortable, "Do I have a choice?"

"No," Alina quickly put in.

"Then you have my answer there for me."

Zoya left my side to sit in her seat as Nikolai stopped leaning on the wall and spoke, "What do you know about the nichevo'ya?"

My brows knit together, "The what now?"

Oretsev sat forward, "The nichevo'ya, you know the big black shapes that were chasing us when we were escaping," I couldn't stand how he was talking to me, like I was some toddler. "Don't you remember? They were chasing us."

"I wouldn't know," I responded crossing my arms and leveling my stare at Nikolai, "Someone, knocked me unconscious."

Nikolai averted his gaze while Oretsev pushed on, "You're a shadow summoner," he continued.

"How'd you figure that one out," I sarcastically muttered, although he didn't seem to hear.

"Can't you just, make one?" He asked.

Everyone, including myself and Nikolai all stared at him with wide eyes in disbelief.

"Do you even understand what you're asking?" I exclaimed. "I'm Grisha, we dabble in the smallest of science, what you're asking me to do is merzots, it's forbidden," somehow he still looked confused, I let out a frustrated breath, "Do you know why the unsea feels so.... wrong, unnatural, like it shouldn't exist when you enter it," he shook his head, "The fold is the result of merzots, so unless you want another one in this very room I would rethink what you just asked."

"Okay," he mumbled to himself, "So no making one's of our own."

I rolled my eyes at his arrogance, who was he to presume I wanted to help them.

They were all silent, thinking, I realised then that they were hoping I would have had information for them, that they had no other source apart from myself, Alina and Oretsev. "Look, I'm sorry," I started, "But I don't know anything about them, all I know is the whispers of drunken sailors."

Alina looked up, her eyes that were so full of hope now barley had a glint of it left in them, "It's alright Rena, you can go."

I nodded and reached out for the doorknob, as the door was opening I looked back and repeated, "I really am sorry," and left.

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ugroza = menace

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