Salem Starkov is Alina Starkov's cousin who like her is a cartographer for the first army but when they both unexpectedly enter the Fold on a mission they are both exposed as people of myth, but the real question is, is everything in the myths true?
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Salem" I hear from a distance, "Salem, wake up. It's just a dream" I wake up with a jolt, sitting up I wince as I bump heads with someone. "Ouch" I say opening my eyes, it's still dark outside the tomb and the person sitting in front of me rubbing their forehead is Matthias, I look sheepishly at him "what happened?" I ask and he finally looks up.
The others have left the tomb, so it's just me and him. I scratch my head "where are the others?", I don't remember falling asleep. Matthias looks at me with concern "you were screaming" he says, his voice think from sleep "said something was coming to get you. What's a Volcra?" I bite my lip. I was having a nightmare about my first trip in the fold, when I first revealed my Grisha gift. "It is a beast native to Ravka" I explain, really wishing to bury the memory so I repeat my other question "where are the others?"
I pat the floor beside me and Matthias sits next to me, it's cold tonight my teeth are chattering. "They have gone out to get supplies, Kaz said they wouldn't be long" I nod my head and tuck myself into him "your Kerch is getting better" I compliment in Fjerdan making him start. I give a small smile "you've been practicing too, little witch" he says and we both fall back to sleep.
——-
We did it. We attacked Van Eck's lake house and it went off without a hitch. Well apart from the fact Vank Eck's damn wife won't stop crying. "I want to go hoooooome" Alice cries "I want my dog" I roll my eyes and take a swig of my beer, Saints save me. We start getting annoyed so we all step out of the tomb for some peace. "Are pregnant women always like this?" Nina moans, Matthias looks inside the stony hull, ever since I woke up screaming he has been off with me, I don't understand why. "Only the kidnapped ones" he answers solemnly, "I can't hear myself think" I say rubbing my temples.
Wylan wrings his hands "maybe if we took off her blindfold off?" He asks "we could wear our Komodie brute masks" Kaz shakes his head slowly, he is standing beside me. Quite close, closer then I thought he could manage, we are almost touching. Almost. "We can't risk her leading Van Eck here" he explains softer then I expected, "she is going to make herself ill" Matthias argues and I raise my eyebrows, isn't everyone full of surprises today.
"We are in the middle of a job" Kaz says harshly "there is a lot that has to happen before the exchange happens tomorrow. Someone find a way to shut her up or I will" everyone but me is shocked by this except me. "She's a frightened girl-" Wylan starts to protest, Kaz glares at him "I didn't ask for a description" but Wylan kept on "Kaz, promise me you won't-" he gets cut off again. "Before you finish that sentence, I want you to think about what a promise from me costs and what you are willing to pay for it" Kaz warns the red haired boy, Wylan crosses his arms "it's not her fault her parents shoved her into a marriage with my father" I cover my mouth to keep from laughing, this whole situation is ridiculous.
"Alice isn't here because she did something wrong. She is here because she is leverage" I add which doesn't seem to help because he tries again "she's just a pregnant girl-" Kaz stops him again. Saints just let the poor boy talk. "Getting pregnant isn't actually a special talent. As any luckless girl in the barrel" Kaz states and Wylan says "Inej wouldn't want-" we all suck in a breath, oh Saints.
Kaz moves from my side and shoves Wylan against the tomb wall with his forearm, the crow head of his cane wedged beneath Wylan's jaw. "Tell me my business agai " Wylan swallows, pale "do it" Kaz whispers "and I'll cut the tongue from your head and feed it to the first stray cat I find" . A shiver goes up my spine, he is more attractive when he is ruthless. I could kiss him right now. "Kaz" Jesper says cautiously but Kaz ignores him.
Wylan's lips move into a small line. That boy has a death wish. Kaz releases him and I relax slightly "someone stick a cork in that girl before we get back" he demands signalling for me to follow him. I push myself off the wall and follow him into the darkness.
