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...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
ANOTHER PACK OF NICHEVO'YA DESCENDED FROM the widows, clawing their way towards Nikolai and his mother. I shared a glance with Alina and nodded, arms raising and then we struck out with Water and Sunlight, hurtling towards the Nichevo'ya in arcs, cutting through one monster after another, barely missing one of the generals who crouched cowering on the floor.
"To me!" Nikolai shouted, herding his mother and father towards the door.
We followed with the guards, backing our way into the hall, and ran. The Grand Palace had erupted into chaos. Panicked servants and footmen crowded the corridors, some scrambling for the entrance, others barricading themselves into rooms.
I heard wailing, the sound of breaking glass. A boom sounded from somewhere outside. Let it be the Fabrikators, I thought desperately.
Mal, Alina, and I burst from the palace and careened down the marble steps. A screech of twisting metal rent the air. I looked down the white gravel path in time to see the golden gates of the Grand Palace blown off their hinges by a wall of Etheralki wind. The Darkling's Grisha streamed onto the grounds in their brightly colored kefta.
We pelted down the path toward the Little Palace. Nikolai and the royal guards trailed behind us, slowed by his frail father. At the entrance to the wooded tunnel, the King bent double, wheezing badly as the Queen wept and held tight to his arm.
"I have to get them to the Kingfisher," said Nikolai.
"Take the long way around," Alina said. "The Darkling will be headed to the Little Palace first. He'll be coming for me and Freya."
"Alina, if he captures you two—"
"Go," I said. "Save them, save Baghra. We won't leave the Grisha."
"We'll get them out and come back. I promise."
"On your words as a cutthroat and a pirate."
Nikolai stepped forward and whispered. "It's Privateer."
Another explosion rocked the grounds.
"Let's go!" shouted Mal.
I looked back to Nikolai whose face had paled white, I stepped closer to him and whispered. "I'm not going anywhere, yet. Okay?"
Nikolai nodded stiffly.
I turned and sprinted into the tunnel, I glanced back and saw Nikolai's silhouette against the purple twilight. I'd lied to him, and he knew it, and I was never going to see him again.
