I was on my feet in an instant, all previous feeling of guilt forgotten for a moment.

"I think we should get moving Sophie," no answer, "Sophie?"

I turned and looked down at the same moment she fell to the ground, blood oozing out from her chest, it reminded me all too well of when I got shot.

I fell to my knees, "No- no, Sophie no, please no. Don't do this, you can't leave, you can't I-" I tried pressing my hands to her wounds, "These coats their- it's meant to be bulletproof, please Sophie-"

With the last of her strength she outstretched her hand as a second bang sounded, the Fjerdan who had fallen behind the bush had a new bullet hole in his head from Sophie's skills, even while dying she saved me.

"One," she coughed, "Last good deed."

That was the last time she spoke, her last breath, she would never grow older, get married, she would never even get to see Keramzin.

After getting over the shock I picked up her limp body and found an open space with the grass low. I had never been to a Grisha funeral but had heard how they were held.

I picked some nearby daisies and placed them on her body, and after a while I plucked up the courage and redirected the light, catching her coat on fire, I stayed until I couldn't bear the sight or smell any longer.

"May the Saints receive you, return to the making at the heart of the world. You will always be with us," I said aloud, "As you return so will we all. I'm sorry I couldn't save you, I'm sorry- sorry for everything."

I left with tears in my eyes and guilt in my heart.

After what I presumed was an hour of walking I finnaly came upon a town, it was quaint but perfect, if my father or anyone for that matter was looking for me why would they even consider a small town like this?

As I walked along I noticed that the streets were empty as I passed, save for a few lone beggars and people having hushed conversations, I felt eyes on my back and turned a corner to get a better veiw without being entirely obvious, a man dressed in a deep grey duster not too unlike mine came down the same alleyway and made the same turn as me. Instead of brushing it off like most people I trusted my instinct, four right turns later and I was in the same alleyway as before the man still following, I made a left turn and pressed myself against the wall, my knife sliding into my hand as I waited for the man to follow me.

When he didn't see me infront of him he flattered, peering back the way he came and started to give a low whistle before I cut him off, sneaking up behind him I punched his gut and pushed him against the wall, my knife at his throat, I couldn't risk using my powers here, not this far north. "Who are you?" I hissed, "Why are you following me?"

He struggled against my hold but to no avail, he gave another, more frantic whistle before I pushed my hand over his mouth but it was too late. The man who I had mistaken for a beggar and the two that were having a conversation bounded down and around the corner, coming to their friends rescue. "You're coming with us," one of the men snarled.

I gave a soft laugh, "Wouldn't that just be ideal for you."

I hit the man I was holding with the butt of my knife in the head, a place where I remember Ivan told me almost always knocked the victim unconscious, thankfully it worked, now it was just the impossible fleet of three on one. They were smarter than others I had fought in the past, attacking in a group and working together rather than attacking one on one, it made it considerably harder.

After alot of resisting and some thrashing two of them had me pinned up against the wall by my arms, my feet dangling in the air, while the third disarmed me of my knife and pulled out a piece of parchment, he consulted it looking from the paper, to me and back again, eventually he nodded to his friends who were struggling to keep me against the wall, "It's her, let's move," he grunted.

He pulled his friend on the floor to his feet while the two holding me stuffed something like a wet rag into my mouth and blindfolded me. I'd never felt so helpless in my life, I was tired from kicking, thrashing and struggling, and my powers were beyond my reach with my hands not touching. The two beside my grabbed an arm each and hauled me along, my feet never touching the ground and unable to see, they were the worst kind of bounds, assertive humans who could see and watch your every move.

I muttered all kinds of foul things in Shu to myself in my head as I struggled to free myself.

My captors had trapped my arms around a pole, Grisha irons parting my hands from each other, I still had a blindfold covering my eyes, preventing me from seeing any of my surroundings, I was also gagged so shouting for help was out of the question.

By the way I felt wind brush up against my legs I had come to the conclusion that I was in a tent of some sort, tied around the central pole, the strongest one.

My feet hadn't been bound so if anyone did come close I could kick them, but I wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

I was beginning to lose hope, I was separated from my friends, Sophie had died and I was trapped, I hadn't felt this helpless since that day in the village.

There had been many voices outside the tent, but when I focused I heard two getting closer, they were discussing something, "And what have our spies said?" It sounded familiar.

"Nothing sir, they don't have a clue we're coming."

"Good," the first voice said, "Now, let us deal with our little, protege."

I heard them enter the tent, my lowered head raising ever so slightly as the flap opened then closed, one of the men got closer and removed my gag, I immediately tried to kick him. "If one more person gets anywhere close to me I will break their nose beyond repair, and believe me when I say that I have alot of experience in the nose breaking area," I snarled.

A deep chuckle, "That won't be necessary," then it hit me, I knew whose voice this was.

I'm going to kill him, I thought.

First update of 2022 everyone!!

Hope this year is treating you all well