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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COLD AIR CREPT THROUGH THE CART'S WOODEN slates, and I was grabbing for the thick coat Baghra had provided us. We were weary and uncomfortable, but mostly just frightened. We were running from the most powerful man in Ravka. The Grisha, the first army, and everything we'd ever known.
What chances did we have of making it to the fold on our own? And if we did make it to West Ravka and onto the Verloren, then what? We'd be alone in a strange land where we didn't speak the language and we knew no one.
Tears sprung from the corners of my eyes and I brushed them away before Alina could notice. If I started crying, I didn't think I'd be able to stop.
❂♕
We traveled through the early hours of the morning, past the stone streets of Os Alta and onto the wide dirt swath of the Vy. Dawn came and went. Occasionally, we'd doze off, but our fear and discomfort kept us awake for most of the ride.
When the sun was high in the sky and we'd begun to sweat in our thick coats, the wagon rolled to a stop. I risked a peek over the side of the cart. We were behind what looked like a tavern or an inn. I glanced back and Alina and nodded before stretching my legs and wincing as the blood rushed painfully back to my toes.
We waited until the driver and the other members of the troupe had gone inside before sliding ourselves out of the hiding place.
But once we had three figures appeared. I noticed immediately that two of them had been the guards that had come to escort me to dinner the night the darkling had told me he knew of my feelings for Genya and gaped at them in horror, "Ms. Starkov." The Suli girl said, "Ms. Julikov,"
Alina and I glanced at each other, bringing our arms together as the one with the hat said, "I wouldn't do that if I were you."
"What do you want?" I asked, "If it's to take us back to Os Alta, then no we will not."
The one in the middle who I assumed was the leader said, "that won't be necessary." He said, "we are just doing our jobs, you two have a bounty on your heads as it is. We can help get you to safety."
Alina shook her head, "We prefer to travel alone, thank you." she said, "and I have a hard time believing that."
"We are done being prisoners, so whatever this is and whoever you are we will not go with you," I said.
The man in the grey hat stepped forward, "then I'm sorry for what we have to do." He said and glanced at the female and the leader.
