CHAPTER FOUR

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CHAPTER FOUR

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CHAPTER FOUR.

The three days leading up to the meeting felt shorter than Liliya expected. She spent most of them having her ass handed to her. At first it was Botkin and then between her refusal to go to the Healers and his determination, Ivan began to beat her too. She had spent most of the morning after General Kirigan returned on the floor of the training rooms.

Eventually, she was dragged away by Genya who scolded her for an hour and forced her to visit the infirmary. Once she was healed, she was dragged to her room. Genya made quick work of her appearance before disappearing to attend to the Queen again. This left Liliya lying in her bed for another few hours before the time came.

She pulled her kefta on and adjusted her hair to be out of her face, checking for any bruises but Genya had done a flawless job. It made Liliya feel fake. This wasn't who she really was, she was perfect without Genya's help. Almost every Grisha was. It didn't make sense to be putting in extra effort for Kirigan, he didn't care.

But Liliya didn't let her thoughts wonder down that path as she straightened up her kefta, walking up to the doors of his office. She lifted her hand to knock but the door opened before she could do anything. She quickly let it drop and noticed how he was lounging at his desk. He had been waiting for her.

She stepped inside and with a wave of his hand, the servant was gone. Liliya brushed her hair from her face, shifting uncomfortably under his gaze. He gestured for her to sit down and she did so, letting the silence seep between them. She didn't know whether to say something first. She assumed that he would quickly start and explain where he was sending her but he wasn't. He was just watching, it was unnerving.

"I spoke to Genya before she left. She informed me that she had to take you to the infirmary again," Kirigan decided to break the silence. Liliya nodded, adjusting in her seat again. Why did Genya even inform him? It seemed entirely unnecessary. It was her business when she decided to go or not.

"My injuries did not need to be treated. I was doing well despite them," Liliya argued. Kirigan watched her for a moment before he nodded. He said nothing more and instead, flicked through the book in front of him. She watched with furrowed eyebrows, feeling oddly like she was being dismissed but something in her told her to stay seated.

"The Shu boy is being tracked," Kirigan said as he stopped on a page. It was a map of Ravka and the surrounding countries. He then turned the book towards her and she took it. It was heavier than she expected, the pages felt fragile, old. It was delicate and Liliya didn't feel like she deserved to hold it.

"I didn't mean for him to escape. I didn't realise he had a knife," Liliya responded. Despite the anger she still felt towards the man in front of her, it was pointless to keep it up. The only person who was to be blamed was her. She had been foolish enough to fall for the young boy's act. It was a mistake she wasn't going to make again.

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