ECLIPSE, grishaverse

i. lucky charm

IT HAD BEEN ALMOST THREE months since the incident on the Fold. Rumors had surfaced a week or so after her arrival in the city, the streets of Ketterdam –and the Ravkan embassy– were buzzing with gossip the Darkling had somehow survived the battle of the Fold, that he had gone to ground to gather his forces before making another attempt on the Ravkan throne. Others stories said the Fold had begun to overflow it's shores, driving refugees east and west. But the most disturbing one was that a cult had risen up around two Saints who could summon light. Well, actually there were two different sides of that rumor; some believed there was only one Saint who could summon pure sun light, while the other's power was dark and cold, no less evil than the Darkling's, they even said she was with him. But the one's who supported her wore a half moon necklace and prayed for the moonchild comeback. Everyone had their own opinion on the musty and wet streets, they were too bored to talk about anything else than Ravka's civil war.

But Yelena didn't need to worry about that for now, no matter how bad she felt for running away from her country and leaving Grisha behind, she couldn't do much without skills or a plan. Baghra said she was the only one who could take him down, but how? She'd been Grisha for less than five months. And now, she wasn't even supposed to be Grisha.

Ketterdam's streets were dangerous for her people and even more for her type of summoner. If the thieves knew who she was, she was as good as dead. And not even for the right price. If I was worth ten million kruge I'd kill myself, but one? I'll pass.

So she hid her gifts, changed her name, tailored her gray eyes. She trained day and night with Inej, Jesper, even with Kaz and some Dregs to improve her skills and not get her ass kick on the dark alleys of the Barrel. She became one more thieve, liar and murderer so no one would look at her twice.

As soon as she got off that boat in 5th harbor, she became Mila Bat-Nasaar, a Shu girl who came to Ketterdam to study but got distracted by the gambling and drinks from the clubs in the low streets. She worked with the Dregs and was paid with a place on the Slat –and free drinks in the Crow Club–.

At first, Yelena hated her new identity and the so-call jobs. Even tho her mother was Shu, she was Ravkan and spent her life there, she felt like a hypocrite walking down the Shu Embassy and speaking the language like it was an every day thing, like it was her homeland. But Kaz was once again right: people won't care about your story, only what they see. You have the features and speak Shu, it's almost on a silver plate. This way it'll be easier to blend in, there are plenty in the city. But with time she grown to like this new identity. She was everything Yelena wasn't.

Mila was fearless and lethal. She walked in the shadows and came out of nowhere with her sharp knives and silent movements, she moved with precision and elegance, almost dancing in the dark with her all black vest, corset and hooded tunic. She wore a bandolier and leather belt full with her preferred weapon– karambit knives or as she liked to call them, her claws. Mila had a few little daggers and stilettos hidden in the holster on her leg just in case, but she had taken a like on the curved steel. Of course, all black. After all, she had to live up to the name they gave her: haviksoog, hawk-eye. Because she never missed.

They started talking about her when she came out at nights with Inej to study the city and streets, wearing her hood and clothed mask that covered half of her face, her now black eyes were the only part they could see. She was noticiable at first, too sloppy Kaz would say. Started as a rumor when she fell off a roof and some drunks saw her, but she was quick to run away and get back in the Slat before anyone could shoot but they still talked about a new ghost lurking around.