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 I AWOKE, WE WERE IN THE CLOUDS. GENYA WAS SETTLED at my side gripping my hand for dear life. The rest of the crew was skittered about the Bittern— Mal sending demands as they tried to get the Bittern in its course. Tolya was at Adrik's side working his very injured shoulder.
The injuries I had received weren't nearly as bad as his— I pushed up onto my elbows— my eyes finding Nadia's tears streamed face but she was holding the draft steady. Genya's eyes snapped back to mine when I groaned out in pain.
"Lay down, Freya," Genya said gently.
"What happened?" I asked groggily.
"You lost a lot of blood." she replied. "your collarbone is broken and you have two big gashes from the Nichevo'ya."
I nodded weakly.
We drove onwards, sails taut with the force of Grisha wind. Tamar bent to the wheel, coat billowing behind her. The Bittern was cleared past the mountains— the shaking had stopped.
"How long have I—"
"Not long. Tolya and Tamar stopped the bleeding." Genya said.
"I'm sorry..." I whispered weakly. "All of this is my fault. The Darkling finding us is my fault... Nikolai.."
Genya shook her head, leaned in, and pressed a kiss to my forehead. "Don't do that. You did nothing..."
"But I did," I said. "He warned me and I didn't listen."
"Freya, you could not have stopped what he intended—"
"I could have, Genya. I am supposed to be powerful. I could have stopped him," I said sternly.
"Not on your own." Genya all but whispered.
I closed my eyes and clenched my jaw. "Baghra told me that there is possibly a fourth amplifier," I told her. "If what she said is true, Genya. I could be powerful enough to stop him,"
"Another..." The words left a bitter taste In her mouth I could tell. "I sure hope that is true."
She leaves it at that.
⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☁︎
Time seemed to slow. No one wanted to say it, but I could see Nadia and Zoya beginning to tire. Mal and Harshaw couldn't be fairing well either at the hull with the lines. It had been hours— everyone was at their breaking point.
