𝑺𝒎𝒐𝒌𝒆 | 𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝑲𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒂𝒏 𝒙 𝑶𝑪

Forty-Four

"Oh my-- Saints!" Jolana ran up and threw her arms around Alina

"Saints I've missed you!" Alina's embrace was very warm but what else would you expect from the Sun Summoner. "I thought you were dead," she looked her friend up and down with disbelief

"Have been a couple times since I last saw you," Jolana wasn't sure she could smile any wider.

Someone cleared their throat. 

"You...." Jolana said recognizing the tracker from the Skiff, "I guess that would make you Mal," 

She put her hand out to shake, and just to spook him she set her own hand on fire for a second before willing the flames back down. 

"Hello Jolana," Mal was charming enough though something in his face let Jolana know he still didn't completely trust her. "Nice to finally meet you after everything Alina has told me about you,"

"Likewise,"

"How did you find me?" Alina asked her friend

"Well, I'm not alone," 

The rest of the crows had caught up with them by this point.

"Of course just bring a party here," Mal said sourly

"You're with them?" Alina asked stepping back after recognizing their faces.

"I know they're kind of shady but they brought me here because they want to talk to you,"

"They want to steal me away for a bounty," 

"They won't do that on my watch, but I needed to see you, and when they offered to help me if I help them," When Alina didn't seem convinced, she added, "Think about it, it's two Grisha and a soldier against a ragtag band of misfits. We're fine," Alina seemed to be more on her guard but didn't shoo them away.

"Hello Miss Starkov," Kaz greeted sternly

Alina didn't greet him in return

Jolana cleared her throat and then gave the crows a look that said leave me to deal with this

Alina and Jolana walked out of earshot of the rest of them, leaving Mal to guard the crows.

"So why are you on the run? Couldn't the palace keep you safe?"

"You don't know?"

"Know what?"

"About Kirigan..."

"What did Aleksander do?"

Alina raised her eyebrows slightly before continuing and telling all about the truth of Aleksander Morozova.

"Black Heretic, that's insane,"

"But not impossible, nor improbable, and you know that this isn't that surprising," Alina stated with conviction, "He wants to control everything, he wants to turn me into his slave, and I'm assuming you would be nothing more to him than a blowtorch,"

Alina expected Jolana to be upset, expected her to start crying, to see the betrayal on her face. 

But that's not what she saw, she saw eery calm.

"Do you know where he is now?"

"He's searching for me, and I think he can tell I'm looking for the Stag,"

"It's the logical assumption. I think he's near. He's somewhere snowy," Jolana had no visible emotions on her face.

"How would you know...? Are you okay Lana? You understand all I've told you?"

"Of course, Kirigan is the Black Heretic, he created the fold,"

"You understand that he killed all those people by creating that monstrosity. All the volcra were men, women, and children he turned into monsters. All the soldiers they've sent through that lost their lives, the awful wars, and the poverty that East Ravka had to go through. All that blood... all of it is on his hands,"

Jolana looked at her own hands, which wore a ring he had given her.

She ran her fingers over the metal of it, it was cool against her fingertips. She ignited a fire in her palms, blue and hot, and watched the ring below the flames. No matter how hot she made the fire, or tried to destroy it, it wouldn't go away. Like it was supposed to be there, no choice about it. 

"Are you going to take it off?" Alina asked quietly

Jolana didn't respond, she just put her hands together and turned her gaze back to Alina, "I'm glad to see you again, Sunny,"

"You do, Lana. But me and Mal really need to go. We need to get to the Stag before--"

"Before Kirigan does, I understand." She glanced back down at her ring and looked back up, "I'll come with you," 

"Okay, but the rest of your companions can't come with us," 

"That won't be a problem," Mal said as he walked over. 

"What do you mean?" Jolana sat up straighter and turned to the man

"Well they all have just left, they left you this," Mal handed her a necklace, with a simple metal pendant, one that looked handmade. "The Zemini one said something like Sorry Sweetheart, you're an honorary crow, it's not 10,000 kruge but--"

"That's an awful accent," Alina commented

"Anyways but they're gone," Mal said as he sat beside Alina, "We really needed to get going," he said in a very soft voice.

"I know," Alina said as she leaned her head on his shoulder, "She's coming with us,"

"Does she have t--"

"Yes, she does and that's final," Alina said firmly

"I'm getting deja vu,"