GUNFIRE SHATTEREDย the air around us, and Mal knocked me from my feet. I landed with my face in the mulch of the forest floor and felt his body shielding mine.
โStay down!โ he yelled.
I twisted my head to the side and saw the Grisha forming a ring around us. Harshaw was on the ground, but Stigg had his flint in hand, and flames shot through the air. Tamar and Tolya had charged into the fray. Zoya, Nadia, and Adrik had their hands up, and leaves lifted in gusts from the forest floor, but it was hard to tell friend from foe in the tangle of armed men.
There was a sudden thump beside us as someone swung down from the treetops. โWhat are you two doing barefoot and half naked in the mud?โ asked a familiar voice. โLooking for truffles, I hope?โ
Nikolai slashed through the bonds on our wrists and yanked me to my feet. โNext timeย Iโllย try getting captured. Just to keep things interesting.โ He tossed Mal a rifle. โShall we?โ
โI canโt tell whoโs who!โ I protested.
โWeโre the side thatโs hopelessly outnumbered.โ
Unfortunately, I didnโt think he was kidding. As the ranks shifted and I got my wits about me, it was easier to distinguish Nikolaiโs men by their pale blue armbands. Theyโd cut a swath through Luchenkoโs militia, but even without their leader, the enemy was rallying.
I heard a shout. Nikolaiโs men moved forward, driving the Grisha ahead of them. We were being herded.
โWhatโs happening?โ I asked.
โThis is the part where we run,โ Nikolai said pleasantly, but I could see the
strain on his dirt-smudged face.
We took off through the trees, trying to keep pace as Nikolai darted through the woods. I couldnโt tell where we were headed. Toward the creek? The road? Iโd lost all sense of direction.
I looked behind me, counting the others, making sure we were together. The Squallers were summoning in tandem, knocking trees into the militiaโs path. Stigg trailed them, sending up spurts of flame. David had somehow managed to retrieve his pack and staggered beneath its bulk as he ran beside Genya.
โLeave it!โ I yelled, but if he heard, he ignored me.
Tolya had Harshaw thrown over his shoulder, and the weight of the big Inferni was slowing his stride. A soldier was gaining on him, saber drawn. Tamar vaulted onto a fallen trunk, took aim with her pistol, and fired. A second later, the militiaman clutched his chest and crumpled midstride. Oncat darted past the body, fast on Tolyaโs heels.
โWhereโs Sergei?โ I shouted, just as I glimpsed him lagging behind, his expression dazed. Tamar backtracked, dodging falling trees and fire, and forcibly pulled him along. I couldnโt hear what she was yelling, but I didnโt think it was gentle encouragement.
I stumbled. Mal caught my elbow and shoved me forward, turning to squeeze off two shots from his rifle. Then we were pouring into a barley field. Despite the heat of the late afternoon sun, the field was shrouded in mist.
We pelted over the marshy soil until Nikolai shouted, โHere!โ
We skidded to a halt, sending up sprays of dirt.ย Here?ย We were in the middle of an empty field with nothing but fog for cover and a throng of militiamen hungry for revenge and fortune on our heels.
I heard two shrill whistle blasts. The ground rocked beneath me. โHold on tight!โ Nikolai said.
โTo what?โ I yelped.
And then we were rising. Cables snapped into place beside us as the field itself seemed to lift. I looked upโthe mist was parting, and a massive craft hovered directly over our heads, its cargo hold open. It was some kind of shallow barge, equipped with sails at one end and suspended beneath a huge, oblong bladder.
โWhat the hell is that?โ Mal said.
โTheย Pelican,โ said Nikolai. โWell, a prototype of theย Pelican. Trick seems to be getting the balloon not to collapse.โ
โAnd did you solve that little problem?โ โFor the most part.โ
The soil beneath us fell away, and I saw we were standing on a swaying platform made of some kind of metal mesh. We rose higherโten, then fifteen feet above the ground. A bullet pinged against the metal.
We took up spots at the edge of the platform, clutching the cables while trying to take aim at the mob firing up at us.
โLetโs go!โ I shouted. โWhy arenโt we getting out of range?โ Nikolai and Mal exchanged a glance.
โThey know we have the Sun Saint,โ Nikolai said. Mal nodded, snatched up a pistol, and gave Tolya and Tamar a swift nudge.
โWhat are you doing?โ I asked, suddenly panicked.
โWe canโt leave survivors,โ Mal said. Then he dove from the edge. I screamed, but he tucked into a roll and came up firing.
Tolya and Tamar followed, cutting through the remaining ranks of militia while Nikolai and his crew tried to lend cover from above. I saw one of the militiamen break free and run for the woods. Tolya put a bullet through his victimโs back, and before the body had even hit the ground, the giant was turning, his hand forming a fist as he crushed the heart of another knife- wielding soldier looming up behind him.
Tamar charged directly into Ekaterina. Her axes flashed twice, and the militiawoman fell, her topknot drifting down beside her lifeless form, attached to a piece of scalp. Another man lifted his pistol, taking aim at Tamar, but Mal was on him, knife slicing mercilessly across his throat.ย I am become a blade.ย And then there was no one left, only bodies in a field.
โCome on!โ Nikolai called as the platform drifted higher. He tossed down a cable. Mal braced his feet against the ground, holding the rope taut so Tamar and Tolya could shinny up. As soon as the twins were on the platform, Mal hooked his ankle and wrist in the cable and they bent to haul him in.
That was when I saw movement behind him. A man had risen from the dirt, covered in mud and blood, saber held out before him.
โMal!โ I cried. But it was too late, his limbs were tangled in the rope.
The soldier released a roar and slashed out. Mal put up a useless hand to
defend himself.
Light flashed off the soldierโs blade. His arm stopped midswing, and the saber dropped from his fingertips. Then his body came apart, splitting down the middle as if someone had drawn a near perfect line from the top of his head all the way to his groin, a line that gleamed bright as he fell in pieces.
Mal looked up. I stood at the edge of the platform, my hands still glowing with the power of the Cut. I swayed. Nikolai yanked me back before I could tip over the edge. I broke free of him, scooting to the far end of the platform and vomiting off the other side.
I clung to the cool metal, feeling like a coward. Mal and the twins had leapt into that battle to make sure the Darkling wouldnโt learn our location. They hadnโt hesitated. Theyโd killed with ruthless efficiency. Iโd taken one life, and I was curled up like a child, wiping sick from my lip.
Stigg sent fire licking over the bodies in the field. I hadnโt stopped to think that a body sliced in half would give away my presence just as surely as an informant.
Moments later, the platform was hauled up into theย Pelicanโs cargo hold, and we were under way. When we emerged above deck, the sun was shining off the port side as we climbed into the clouds. Nikolai shouted commands. One team of Squallers manned the giant lozenge of a balloon, while another filled the sails with wind. Tidemakers shrouded the base of the craft in mist to keep us from being spotted by anyone on the ground. I recognized some of the rogue Grisha from the days when Nikolai had masqueraded as Sturmhond and Mal and I had been prisoners aboard his ship.
This craft was larger and less graceful than theย Hummingbirdย or theย Kingfisher.ย I soon learned that it had been built to transport cargoโshipments of Zemeni weapons that Nikolai was smuggling over the northern and southern borders and occasionally through the Fold. It wasnโt constructed of wood but some lightweight Fabrikator-made substance that sent David into a tizzy. He actually lay down on the deck to get a better view, tapping here and there. โItโs some kind of cured resin, but itโs been reinforced with โฆ carbon fibers?โ
โGlass,โ said Nikolai, looking thoroughly pleased by Davidโs enthusiasm. โMore flexible!โ David said in near ecstasy.
โWhat can I say?โ asked Genya drily. โHeโs a passionate man.โ
Genyaโs presence worried me a little, but Nikolai had never seen her scarred, and he didnโt seem to recognize her. I circulated with Nadia, whispering a few reminders to our Grisha about not using her real name.
A crewman offered me a cup of fresh water so that I could rinse out my mouth and wash my face and hands. I accepted it with cheeks burning, embarrassed over my display back on the platform.
When I was done, I leaned my elbows on the railing and peered through the mist at the landscape belowโfields painted in the red and gold of autumn, the blue-gray glitter of the river cities and their bustling ports. Such was the mad power of Nikolai that I barely thought twice about the fact that we were flying. Iโd been aboard his smaller crafts, and I definitely preferred the feel of theย Pelican. There was something stately about it. It might not get you anywhere quickly, but it wouldnโt capsize on a whim either.
From miles beneath the earth to miles above. I could scarcely believe any of it, that Nikolai had found us, that he was safe, that we were all here. A tide of relief washed over me, making my eyes fill.
โFirst vomit, then tears,โ Nikolai said, coming up beside me. โDonโt tell me Iโve lost my touch.โ
โIโm just happy youโre alive,โ I said, hastily blinking my eyes clear. โThough Iโm sure you can talk me out of it.โ
โGlad to see you too. Word was youโd gone underground, but it was more like youโd vanished completely.โ
โIt did feel like being buried alive.โ โIs the rest of your party there?โ โThis is it.โ
โYou canโt meanโโ
โThis is all that remains of the Second Army. The Darkling has his Grisha, and you have yours, butโฆโ I trailed off.
Nikolai surveyed the deck. Mal and Tolya were deep in conversation with a member of Nikolaiโs crew, helping to tie down ropes and maneuver a sail. Someone had found Mal a jacket, but he was still short a pair of boots. David was running his hands over the deck as if he were trying to disappear into it. The others were clustered into little groups: Genya was huddled with Nadia and the other Etherealki. Stigg had gotten stuck with Sergei, who slumped on the deck, his head buried in his hands. Tamar was seeing to Harshawโs
wounds as Oncat dug her claws into his leg, her fur standing on end. The tabby obviously didnโt enjoy flying.
โAll that remains,โ Nikolai repeated.
โOne Healer chose to stay underground.โ After a long minute, I asked, โHow did you find us?โ
โI didnโt, really. Militias have been preying on our smuggling routes. We couldnโt afford to lose another shipment, so I came after Luchenko. Then Tamar was spotted in the square, and when we realized the camp they were moving on was yours, I thought why not get the girlโโ
โAnd the guns?โ
He grinned. โExactly.โ
โThank goodness we had the foresight to be captured.โ โVery quick thinking on your part. I commend you.โ โHow are the King and Queen?โ
He snorted and said, โFine. Bored. Thereโs little for them to do.โ He adjusted the cuff of his coat. โThey took Vasilyโs loss hard.โ
โIโm sorry,โ I said. In truth, Iโd spared little thought for Nikolaiโs older brother.
โHe brought it on himself, but Iโm surprised to say Iโm sorry too.โ โI need to knowโdid you get Baghra out?โ
โAt great trouble and with little thanks. You might have warned me about her.โ
โSheโs a treat, isnโt she?โ
โLike a fine plague.โ He reached out and tugged on a lock of my white hair. โBold choice.โ
I pushed the loose strands behind my ear self-consciously. โItโs all the fashion underground.โ
โIs it?โ
โIt happened during the battle. I hoped it might turn back, but it seems to be permanent.โ
โMy cousin Ludovic woke up with a white streak in his hair after he almost died in a house fire. Claimed the ladies found it very dashing. Of course, he also claimed the house fire was set by ghosts, so who can say.โ
โPoor cousin Ludovic.โ
Nikolai leaned back on the railing and studied the balloon tethered above
us. At first, Iโd assumed it was canvas, but now I thought it might be silk coated with rubber. โAlinaโฆ,โ he began. I was so unused to seeing Nikolai ill at ease that it took me a moment to realize he was struggling for words. โAlina, the night the palace was attacked, I did come back.โ
Was that what was worrying him? That I thought heโd abandoned me? โI never doubted it. What did you see?โ
โThe grounds were dark when I flew over. Fires had broken out in a few places. I saw Davidโs dishes shattered on the roof and the lawn of the Little Palace. The chapel had collapsed. There wereย nichevoโyaย crawling all over it. I thought we might be in trouble, but they didnโt spare theย Kingfisherย a second look.โ
They wouldnโt, not with their master trapped and dying beneath a heap of rubble.
โIโd hoped there might be some way to retrieve Vasilyโs body,โ he said. โBut it was no good. The whole place was overrun. What happened?โ
โTheย nichevoโyaย attacked the Little Palace. By the time I arrived, one of the dishes was already down.โ I dug my nail into the rail of the ship, scratching a little half-moon. โWe never had a chance.โ I didnโt want to think about the main hall streaked with blood, the bodies strewn over the roof, the floor, the stairsโbroken heaps of blue, red, and purple.
โAnd the Darkling?โ โI tried to kill him.โ โAs one does.โ
โBy killing myself.โ โI see.โ
โI brought the chapel down,โ I said. โYouโโ
โWell, theย nichevoโyaย did, at my command.โ โYou can command them?โ
Already, I could see him calculating a possible advantage. Always the strategist.
โDonโt get excited,โ I said. โI had to create my ownย nichevoโyaย to do it.
And I had to be in direct contact with the Darkling.โ
โOh,โ he said glumly. โBut once youโve found the firebird?โ
โIโm not sure,โ I admitted, โbutโฆโ I hesitated. Iโd never spoken this
thought aloud. Among Grisha it would be considered heresy. Still, I wanted to say the words, wanted Nikolai to hear them. I hoped he might understand the edge it would give us, even if he couldnโt grasp the hunger that drove me. โI think I may be able to build my own army.โ
โSoldiers of light?โ โThatโs the idea.โ
Nikolai was watching me. I could tell he was choosing his words carefully. โYou once told me thatย merzostย isnโt like the Small Science, that it carries a high price.โ I nodded. โHow high, Alina?โ
I thought of a girlโs body crushed beneath a mirrored dish, her goggles askew, of Marie torn open in Sergeiโs arms, of Genya huddling in her shawl. I thought of church walls, like pieces of bloody parchment, crowded with the names of the dead. It wasnโt just righteous fury that guided me, though. It was my need for the firebirdโbanked, but always burning.
โIt doesnโt matter,โ I said firmly. โIโll pay it.โ Nikolai considered this, then said, โVery well.โ โThatโs it? No sage words? No dire warnings?โ
โSaints, Alina. I hope you werenโt looking to me to be the voice of reason. I keep to a strict diet of ill-advised enthusiasm and heartfelt regret.โ He paused, his grin fading. โBut Iโm truly sorry for the soldiers you lost and that I didnโt do more that night.โ
Below us, I could see the beginnings of the white reaches of the permafrost and, far beyond, the shape of mountains in the distance. โWhat could you have done, Nikolai? You would have just gotten yourself killed. You still might.โ It was harsh, but it was also the truth. Against the Darklingโs shadow soldiers, everyoneโno matter how brilliant or resourcefulโwas close to helpless.
โYou never know,โ said Nikolai. โIโve been busy. I might have some surprises in store for the Darkling yet.โ
โPlease tell me you plan to dress up as a volcra and jump out of a cake.โ โWell, now youโve ruined the surprise.โ He pushed off the railing. โI need
to pilot us over the border.โ โThe border?โ
โWeโre heading into Fjerda.โ
โOh, good. Enemy territory. And here I was starting to relax.โ
โThese are my skies,โ Nikolai said with a wink. Then he strolled across the deck, whistling a familiar, off-key tune.
Iโd missed him. The way he talked. The way he attacked a problem. The way he brought hope with him wherever he went. For the first time in months, I felt the knot in my chest ease.
Once we crossed the border, Iโd thought we might head for the coast or even West Ravka, but soon we were tacking toward the mountain range Iโd glimpsed. From my days as a mapmaker, I knew they were the northernmost peaks of the Sikurzoi, the range that stretched across most of Ravkaโs eastern and southern border. The Fjerdans called them the Elbjen, the Elbows, though as we drew closer, it was hard to tell why. They were massive, snowcapped things, all white ice and gray rock. They would have dwarfed the Petrazoi. If those were elbows, I didnโt want to know what they were attached to.
We climbed higher. The air grew frigid as we drifted into the thick cloud cover that hid the steepest peaks. When we emerged above it, I released an awed gasp. Here, the few mountaintops tall enough to pierce the clouds seemed to float like islands in a white sea. The tallest looked like it was clutched by huge fingers of frost, and as we arced around it, I thought I saw shapes in the ice. A narrow stone staircase zigzagged up the cliff face. What lunatic would make that climb? And for what possible purpose?
We rounded the mountain, drawing closer and closer to the rock. Just as I was about to call out in panic, we rolled hard to the right. Suddenly, we were between two frozen walls. Theย Pelicanย swerved and we entered an echoing stone hangar.
Nikolai really had been busy. We crowded at the railing, gaping at the hectic bustle around us. Three other crafts were docked in the hangar: a second cargo barge like theย Pelican,ย the sleekย Kingfisher,ย and a similar vessel that bore the nameย Bittern.
โItโs a kind of heron,โ said Mal, pulling on a pair of borrowed boots. โTheyโre smaller. Sneaky.โ Like theย Kingfisher, theย Bitternย had double hulls, though they were flatter and wider at the base, and equipped with what looked like sled runners.
Nikolaiโs crew threw lines over theย Pelicanโs rail, and workers ran forward to catch them, stretching them taut and tying them to steel hooks secured in the hangarโs walls and floor. We touched down with a thud and a deafening
screech as hull scraped against stone.
David frowned disapprovingly. โToo much weight.โ โDonโt look at me,โ said Tolya.
As soon as we came to a halt, Tolya and Tamar leapt from the railings, already calling out greetings to crewmen and workers they must have recognized from their time aboard theย Volkvolny.ย The rest of us waited for the gangway to be lowered, then shuffled off the barge.
โImpressive,โ Mal said.
I shook my head in wonder. โHow does he do it?โ
โWant to know my secret?โ Nikolai asked from behind us. We both jumped. He leaned in, looked from left to right, and whispered loudly, โI have a lot of money.โ
I rolled my eyes.
โNo, really,โ he protested. โAย lotย of money.โ
Nikolai gave orders to the waiting dockworkers for repairs and then led our ragged, wide-eyed band to a doorway in the rock.
โEverybody in,โ he said. Confused, we crowded into the little rectangular room. The walls looked like they were made of iron. Nikolai pulled a gate closed across the entry.
โYouโre on my foot,โ Zoya complained grumpily, but we were all wedged in so tightly it was hard to tell who she was angry at.
โWhat is this?โ I asked.
Nikolai dropped a lever, and we let loose a collective scream as the room shot upward, taking my stomach with it.
We jolted to a halt. My gut slammed back down to my shoes, and the gate slid open. Nikolai stepped out, doubled over with laughter. โI never tire of that.โ
We piled out of the box as fast as we couldโall except for David, who lingered to fiddle with the lever mechanism.
โCareful there,โ Nikolai called. โThe trip down is bumpier than the trip up.โ
Genya took Davidโs arm and yanked him clear.
โSaints,โ I swore. โI forgot how often I want to stab you.โ
โSo Iย havenโtย lost my touch.โ He glanced at Genya and said quietly, โWhat happened to that girl?โ
โLong story,โ I hedged. โPlease tell me there are stairs. Iโd rather set up permanent house here than ever get back in that thing.โ
โOf course there are stairs, but theyโre less entertaining. And once youโve dragged yourself up and down four flights of them enough, youโll find youโre far more open-minded.โ
I was about to argue, but as I took a good look around, the words died on my tongue. If the hangar had been impressive, then this was simply miraculous.
It was the biggest room Iโd ever been inโtwice, maybe three times as wide and as tall as the domed hall in the Little Palace. It wasnโt even a room, I realized. We were standing at the top of a hollowed-out mountain.
Now I understood what I had seen as we approached aboard theย Pelican. The frost fingers were actually enormous bronze columns cast in the shapes of people and creatures. They towered above us, bracketing huge panels of glass that looked out on the ocean of cloud below. The glass was so clear that it gave the space an eerie sense of openness, as if a wind might blow through and send me tumbling into the nothingness beyond. My heart started to hammer.
โDeep breaths,โ Nikolai said. โIt can be overwhelming at first.โ
The room was teeming with people. Some bunched in groups where drafting tables and bits of machinery had been set up. Others were marking crates of supplies in a kind of makeshift warehouse. Another area had been set aside for training; soldiers sparred with dulled swords while others summoned Squaller winds or cast Inferni flame. Through the glass, I saw terraces protruding in four directions, giant spikes like compass pointsโ north, south, east, west. Two had been set aside for target practice. It was hard not to compare it to the damp, cloistered caverns of the White Cathedral. Everything here was bursting with life and hope. It all bore Nikolaiโs stamp.
โWhat is this place?โ I asked as we slowly made our way through.
โIt was originally a pilgrimage site, back when Ravkaโs borders extended farther north,โ Nikolai replied. โThe Monastery of Sankt Demyan.โ
Sankt Demyan of the Rime. At least that explained the winding staircase weโd glimpsed. Only faith or fear could get anyone to make that climb. I remembered Demyanโs page from theย Istorii Sanktโya.ย Heโd performed some kind of miracle near the northern border. I was pretty sure heโd been stoned to
death.
โA few hundred years ago, it was turned into an observatory,โ Nikolai continued. He pointed to a hulking brass telescope tucked into one of the glass niches. โItโs been abandoned for over a century. I heard about it during the Halmhend campaign, but it took some finding. Now we just call it the Spinning Wheel.โ
Then it struck me: the bronze columns were constellationsโthe Hunter with his drawn bow, the Scholar bent in study, the Three Foolish Sons, huddled together, trying to share a single coat. The Bursar, the Bear, the Beggar. The Shorn Maiden wielding her bone needle. Twelve in all: the spokes of the Spinning Wheel.
I had to crane my neck all the way back to get a view of the glass dome high above us. The sun was setting and through it, I could see the sky turning a lush, deep blue. If I squinted, I could just make out a twelve-pointed star at the domeโs center.
โSo much glass,โ I whispered, my head reeling. โBut no frost,โ Mal noted.
โHeated pipes,โ David said. โTheyโre in the floor. Probably embedded in the columns too.โ
Itย wasย hotter in this room. Still cold enough that I wouldnโt want to part with my coat or my hat, but my feet were warm through my boots.
โThere are boilers beneath us,โ Nikolai said. โThe whole place runs on melted snow and steam heat. The problem is fuel, but Iโve been stockpiling coal.โ
โFor how long?โ
โTwo years. We started repairs when I had the lower caverns turned into hangars. Itโs not an ideal vacation spot, but sometimes you just want to get away.โ
I was impressed, but also unnerved. Being around Nikolai was always like this, watching him shift and change, revealing secrets as he went. He reminded me of the wooden nesting dolls Iโd played with as a child. Except instead of getting smaller, he just kept getting grander and more mysterious. Tomorrow, heโd probably tell me heโd built a pleasure palace on the moon.ย Tough to get to, but quite a view.
โHave a look around,โ Nikolai said to us. โGet a feel for the place.
Nevskyโs unloading cargo in the hangar, and I need to take care of repairs to the hull.โ I remembered Nevsky. Heโd been a soldier in Nikolaiโs old regiment, the Twenty-Second, and not particularly fond of Grisha.
โIโd like to see Baghra,โ I said. โYouโre sure about that?โ
โNot remotely.โ
โIโll take you to her. Good practice should I ever need to walk someone to the gallows. And after youโve had your fill of punishment, you and Oretsev can join me for dinner.โ
โThank you,โ Mal said, โbut I should look into outfitting our expedition to retrieve the firebird.โ
Thereโd been a time, not so long ago, that Mal would have bristled at the thought of leaving me alone with Prince Perfect, but Nikolai had the grace not to register surprise. โOf course. Iโll send Nevsky to you when heโs done. He can help arrange your accommodations as well.โ He clapped a hand on Malโs shoulder. โItโs good to see you, Oretsev.โ
The smile Mal returned was genuine. โYou too. Thanks for the rescue.โ โEveryone needs a hobby.โ
โI thought yours was preening.โ โTwo hobbies.โ
They clasped hands briefly, then Mal bowed and moved off with the group. โShould I be offended that he doesnโt want to dine with us?โ Nikolai
asked. โI set an excellent table, and I rarely drool.โ I didnโt want to discuss it. โBaghra,โ I prodded.
โHe was impressive in that barley field,โ Nikolai continued, taking my elbow to steer me back the way weโd come. โBetter with a sword and gun than Iโve ever seen him.โ
I remembered what the Apparat had said:ย Men fight for Ravka because the King commands it.ย Mal had always been a gifted tracker, but heโd been a soldier because we were all soldiers, because we had no choice. What was he fighting for now? I thought of him diving from the mesh platform, his knife moving across the militiamanโs throat.ย I am become a blade.
I shrugged, eager to change the subject. โThereโs not much to do underground besides train.โ
โI can think of a few more interesting ways to spend oneโs time.โ
โIs that supposed to be innuendo?โ
โWhat a filthy mind you have. I was referring to puzzles and the perusal of edifying texts.โ
โIโm not getting back in that iron box,โ I said as we approached the door in the rock. โSo you better be taking me to the stairs.โ
โWhy does everyone always say that?โ
I heaved a sigh of relief as we descended a broad, delightfully stationary set of stone steps. Nikolai led me through a curving passage, and I shrugged off my coat, beginning to sweat. The floor directly below the observatory was considerably warmer, and as we passed a wide doorway, I spotted a maze of steaming boilers that glowed and hissed in the dark. Even the ever-polished Nikolai had a fine mist of perspiration on his elegant features.
We were most definitely headed to Baghraโs lair. The woman never seemed to be able to keep warm. I wondered if it was because she so rarely used her power. Iโd certainly never been able to shake the chill of the White Cathedral.
Nikolai stopped at an iron door. โLast chance to run.โ โGo on,โ I said. โSave yourself.โ
He sighed. โRemember me as a hero.โ He knocked lightly on the door, and we entered.
I had the disconcerting sense that weโd stepped right back into Baghraโs hut at the Little Palace. There she sat, huddled by a tile oven, dressed in the same fadedย kefta, her hand resting on the cane sheโd taken such pleasure in whacking me with. The same servant boy was reading to her, and I felt a burst of shame when I realized I hadnโt even thought to ask if heโd made it out of Os Alta. The boy left off as Nikolai cleared his throat.
โBaghra,โ Nikolai said, โhow are you this evening?โ โStill old and blind,โ she snarled.
โAnd charming,โ Nikolai drawled. โNever forget charming.โ โWhelp.โ
โHag.โ
โWhat do you want, pest?โ
โIโve brought someone to visit,โ Nikolai said, giving me a push. Why was I so nervous?
โHello, Baghra,โ I managed.
She paused, motionless. โThe little Saint,โ she murmured, โreturned to save us all.โ
โWell, she did almostย dieย trying to rid us of your cursed spawn,โ Nikolai said lightly. I blinked. So Nikolai knew Baghra was the Darklingโs mother.
โCouldnโt even manage martyrdom right, could you?โ Baghra waved me in. โCome in and shut the door, girl. Youโre letting the heat out.โ I grinned at this familiar refrain. โAnd you,โ she spat in Nikolaiโs direction. โGo somewhere youโre wanted.โ
โThatโs hardly limiting,โ he said. โAlina, Iโll be back to fetch you for dinner, but should you grow restless, do feel free to run screaming from the room or take a dagger to her. Whatever seems most fitting at the time.โ
โAre you still here?โ snapped Baghra.
โI go but hope to remain in your heart,โ he said solemnly. Then he winked and disappeared.
โWretched boy.โ
โYou like him,โ I said in disbelief.
Baghra scowled. โGreedy. Arrogant. Takes too many risks.โ โYou almost sound concerned.โ
โYou like him too, little Saint,โ she said with a leer in her voice.
โI do,โ I admitted. โHeโs been kind when he might have been cruel. Itโs refreshing.โ
โHe laughs too much.โ โThere are worse traits.โ
โLike arguing with your elders?โ she growled. Then she thumped her stick on the floor. โBoy, go fetch me something sweet.โ
The servant hopped to his feet and set down his book. I caught him as he raced past me for the door. โJust a moment,โ I said. โWhatโs your name?โ
โMisha,โ he replied. He was in desperate need of a haircut, but otherwise looked well enough.
โHow old are you?โ โEight.โ
โSeven,โ snapped Baghra. โAlmost eight,โ he conceded.
He was small for his age. โDo you remember me?โ
With a tentative hand he reached out and touched the antlers at my neck,
then nodded solemnly. โSankta Alina,โ he breathed. His mother had taught him that I was a Saint, and apparently Baghraโs contempt hadnโt convinced him otherwise. โDo you know where my mother is?โ he asked.
โI donโt. Iโm sorry.โ He didnโt even look surprised. Maybe that was the answer heโd come to expect. โHow are you finding it here?โ
His eyes slid to Baghra, then back to me. โItโs all right,โ I said. โBe honest.โ โThereโs no one to play with.โ
I felt a little pang, remembering the lonely days at Keramzin before Mal had arrived, the older orphans whoโd had little interest in another scrawny refugee. โThat may change soon. Until then, would you like to learn to fight?โ โServants arenโt allowed to fight,โ he said, but I could see he liked the
idea.
โIโm the Sun Summoner, and you have my permission.โ I ignored Baghraโs snort. โIf you go find Malyen Oretsev, heโll see about getting you a practice sword.โ
Before I could blink, the boy was tearing out of the room, practically tripping over his own feet in his excitement.
When he was gone, I said, โHis mother?โ
โA servant at the Little Palace.โ Baghra gathered her shawl closer around her. โItโs possible she survived. Thereโs no way of knowing.โ
โHow is he taking it?โ
โHow do you think? Nikolai had to drag him screaming onto that accursed craft. Though that may just have been good sense. At least he cries less now.โ As I moved the book to sit beside her, I glanced at the title. Religious parables. Poor kid. Then I turned my attention to Baghra. Sheโd put on a bit of weight, sat straighter in her chair. Getting out of the Little Palace had done
her good, even if sheโd just found another hot cave to hide in. โYou look well.โ
โI wouldnโt know,โ she said sourly. โDid you mean what you said to Misha? Are you thinking of bringing the students here?โ The children from the Grisha school at Os Alta had been evacuated to Keramzin, along with their teachers and Botkin, my old combat instructor. Their safety had been nagging at me for months, and now I was in a position to do something about it.
โIf Nikolai agrees to house them at the Spinning Wheel, would you consider teaching them?โ
โHmph,โ she said with a scowl. โSomeone has to. Who knows what garbage theyโve been learning with that bunch.โ
I smiled. Progress, indeed. But my smile vanished when Baghra rapped me on the knee with her stick. โOw!โ I yelped. The womanโs aim was uncanny.
โGive me your wrists.โ
โI donโt have the firebird.โ
She lifted her stick again, but I flinched out of the way. โAll right, all right.โ I took her hand and laid it on my bare wrist. As she groped nearly up to my elbow, I asked, โHow does Nikolai know youโre the Darklingโs mother?โ
โHe asked. Heโs more observant than the rest of you fools.โ She must have been satisfied that I wasnโt somehow hiding the third amplifier, because she dropped my wrist with a grunt.
โAnd you just told him?โ
Baghra sighed. โThese are my sonโs secrets,โ she said wearily. โItโs not my job to keep them any longer.โ Then she leaned back. โSo you failed to kill him once more.โ
โYes.โ
โI cannot say Iโm sorry. In the end, Iโm even weaker than you, little Saint.โ I hesitated, then blurted, โI usedย merzost.โ
Her shadow eyes flew open. โYouย what?โ
โI โฆ I didnโt do it myself. I used the connection between us, the one created by the collar, to control the Darklingโs power. I createdย nichevoโya.โ
Baghraโs hands scrambled for mine. She seized my wrists in a painful grip. โYou must not do this, girl. You must not trifle with this kind of power. This is what created the Fold. Only misery can come of it.โ
โI may not have a choice, Baghra. We know the location of the firebird, or at least we think we do. Once we find itโโ
โYouโll sacrifice another ancient life for the sake of your own power.โ โMaybe not,โ I protested weakly. โI showed the stag mercy. Maybe the
firebird doesnโt have to die.โ
โListen to you. This is not some childrenโs story. The stag had to die for you to claim its power. The firebird is no different, and this time the blood
will be on your hands.โ Then she laughed her low, mirthless chuckle. โThe thought doesnโt bother you as much as it should, does it, girl?โ
โNo,โ I admitted.
โHave you no care for what there is to lose? For the damage you may cause?โ
โI do,โ I said miserably. โI do.ย But Iโm out of options, and even if I werenโt
โโ
She dropped my hands. โYou would seek it just the same.โ
โI wonโt deny it. I want the firebird. I want the amplifiersโ combined power. But it doesnโt change the fact that no human army can stand against the Darklingโs shadow soldiers.โ
โAbomination against abomination.โ
If that was what it took. Too much had been lost for me to turn away from any weapon that might make me strong enough to win this fight. With or without Baghraโs help, I would have to find a way to wieldย merzost.
I hesitated. โBaghra, Iโve read Morozovaโs journals.โ โHave you, now? Did you find them stimulating reading?โ โNo, I found them infuriating.โ
To my surprise, she laughed. โMy son pored over those pages as if they were holy writ. He must have read through them a thousand times, questioning every word. He began to think there were codes hidden in the text. He held the pages over flame searching for invisible ink. In the end, he cursed Morozovaโs name.โ
As had I. Only Davidโs obsession persisted. It had nearly gotten him killed today when heโd insisted on dragging that pack with him.
I hated to ask it, hated to even put the possibility into words, but I forced myself to. โIs there โฆ is there any chance Morozova left the cycle unfinished? Is there a chance he never created the third amplifier?โ
For a while, she was silent, her expression distant, her blind gaze locked on something I couldnโt see. โMorozova never could have left that undone,โ she said softly. โIt wasnโt his way.โ
Something in her words lifted the hairs on my arms. A memory came to me: Baghra putting her hands to the collar on my neck at the Little Palace.ย I would have liked to see his stag.
โBaghraโโ
A voice came from the doorway: โMoi soverenyi.โ I looked up at Mal, annoyed at being interrupted.
โWhat is it?โ I asked, recognizing the edge that came into my voice whenever the firebird was concerned.
โThereโs a problem with Genya,โ he said. โAnd the King.โ