As Vladim moved to turn the locks, I heard Genya whisper. "You definitely owe me a kiss after all this, Don't think I won't hold you to it."
I laughed lightly. "We'll see."
"There is no seeing, you will, if I have to be the one to do it then so be...
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WHEN GENYA CAME BY THE NEXT MORNING, I told her about the Apparat in the hallway, but she didn't seem concerned by what he'd said or his strange behavior toward me.
"He is creepy," she admitted, "but harmless."
"He is not harmless. You should have seen him. He looked completely mad." I said, looking myself in the mirror as Genya got to work, "he's just a priest." She said, "but why was he even here?" I said in exasperation.
Genya shrugged, "maybe the king asked him to pray for you." I scoffed, "and why would I need to be prayed for?"
"Ooh I don't know, the usual, demons coming to whisper in your ear, make you feel less about yourself—" Genya said as if she were explaining it to a child, "I don't need demons telling me I'm any less." I said, with a flip of my golden hair, "and besides, Fjerdans don't believe in saints."
Genya snorted, "then what do they believe in?" I hesitated for a few seconds, "go on, say it, you know you want to." Genya said with a smug grin.
"In burning Grisha because of their abilities," I said. For a moment I thought Genya would slap me, but she only shrugged her shoulders and continued to pull at my hair, "True enough, but we can't change their mind."
I hummed, "I wonder what it would be like if things were different if we weren't at constant war with the countries."
Genya sighed, "it would make life easier, I'll tell you that you that much," I nodded, "it would, wouldn't it."
I thought back to the apparat's words, you are dangerous, maybe even more dangerous than Alina Starkov. I suppressed a shiver and turned my attention to the vanities mirror.
I didn't see anyone dangerous, I saw a little seventeen-year-old girl with golden blonde hair and bright blue Fjerdan eyes, I saw a confused girl, trying to discover her past, and trying to find out her future. I was no saint, nor was I what everyone wanted me to be. I was just Freya, a tracker from the first army.
Genya pulled the remaining pieces of my hair away from my face and into the braid, then stepped back with a satisfied sigh, "all done." She said, and I was on my feet within seconds, grabbing my kefta.
❂♕
When I entered the domed hall Alina was nowhere to be found, but I didn't think about it much. I walked over to the Summoners' table and plopped down beside Marie and Nadia.
They greeted me and then returned to their conversation, I ate my breakfast in silence, for the course of the next fifteen minutes. Alina had still not come, and I suddenly felt worried, she was usually here by now.
