The day went by like a blur; first Genya came in and woke me up, I saw her confused look as to why I was still sleeping under the desk but she just shook it off, she drew me a bath and said she'd be back to take me to breakfast so I wouldn't lose my way, "Sure, you're just showing me the way out of the kindness of your heart, definitely not so I won't, saints forbid, wander off," I dramatically commented, she just smiled at me and shoved me into the bath.

"20 minutes" She called back as she left, "Or you can starve" she added sarcastically.

"Am I able to accept that offer?" I called back, the answer I got was the door shutting, I sighed, I could just refuse, but my curiosity got the better of me and so I washed and put on the Kefta Genya had laid out on my bed for me.

She then led me to the domed hall, but before going in I hesitated, "Oh no you don't, you're going in this time," she laughed pushing me in, she gestured for me to go over to the summoners table while she went over to the left-hand side to chat with other Grisha in red Kefta's like hers.

I noticed that some of the other Grisha at the long table I was going to were staring at me, I didn't look at them and sat as far away as I could, 'don't forget to always have manners' my adoptive mother chided in my head, I looked up and smiled at them, looking straight back down fidgeting with my thumbs as they started to whisper, some of them seemed around my age, 15, but according to everyone I had talked to so far they must have thought I was 9, they all wore vibrant blue kefta's, with embroidery varying from red, orange, yellow, or grey, and sometimes a pale blue. The older ones gave me a once-over look and then continued their conversations, 'why couldn't everyone else pretend I didn't exist ' I thought to myself.

A group of young Grisha about my age came over to me, I didn't notice them, lost in my own thoughts until one of them said, "You're Rena right?" I looked up considering saying that they got the wrong person but instead I just nodded. "Cool, I'm Zina, this is Luka and Koldan," she introduced me to the two boys beside her.

"Hey," I said to them, I wasn't a very social person so instead I tried to remember their faces, Zina had beautiful blue eyes and healthy blonde, wavy, hair, her face was slim and flawless, free from any pimples, her long lashes flashed against her white skin, she wore a vibrant blue kefta with grey embroidery indicating that she was a squaller. Luka was equally handsome, seriously why was everyone here so pretty, he had dark hair and deep brown eyes that blended perfectly with his cinnamon skin, he also wore a blue kefta but instead had red, orange and yellow embroidery. And then there was Koldan, wow, he had rusty dark hair and pale blue eyes that contrasted against his slightly tanned skin, he instead wore a red kefta with black embroidery, like Ivan's, I noticed.

They sat down next to me and started eating and chatting asking me the occasional question, once Zina asked me if I was really Shu, "Look at me and tell me what you think" is what i responded with, they all started laughing and I let myself smile a small bit.

"Egorvo!" Someone called over to us, it was Ivan, Koldan cursed under his breath, that must be his last name, I noted, he came up to where we were sitting, "How many times do I have to tell you, this is the Etherealki table, unless you want another weeks worth of mucking out the stable's, get back to yours," Ivan threatened, then walked back to his table with Koldan.

"See you in class" Koldan said to us before going, winking at me.

"What's wrong with him sitting here?" I asked Luka and Zina, visibly confused.

"Wait that's right, you don't know," Zina exclaimed.

"Don't know what?" I asked

"Well, anything really" Luka started, "So basically the Grisha consists of three orders, The Corporalki, who wear red kefta's, they are Healers and Heartrenders,"

"And Tailors," Zina chimed in through a mouthful of food, "There's only one of them here though"

"Who?" I asked

"Oh that's right, I forgot about Tailors," Luka chucked, "You've already met her, Genya, then there's The Materialki, they wear purple kefta's, like Durasts and Alkemi, and last but not least and in my humble opinion, the best, we have, The Etherealki, we wear blue kefta's, who are Squallers, Inferni and Tidemakers" he explained.

"So which are you?" I asked.

"Well I'm a Squaller" Zina told me, "Luka's an Inferni and Koldan's a Heartrender, different order different table," She shrugged.

"Then what am I? I don't wear red, purple or blue," I questioned.

"Well..." Luka pondered this for a moment, "You're a sun summoner and a darkling, there's never been a Grisha with more than one gift," I shuddered at him calling me a darkling.

"But your an Etherealki, a summoner, like us," he told me, "Although the Darkling is the only one prohibited to wear black, but since you're his kid I guess it's alright,"

I was about to protest saying that he wasn't my father, when Zina stood up abruptly and said, "Saints Luka, the time, we're going to be late," they got up to leave then looked back at me, "Well? Are you coming?" She asked. I got up and followed them out.

"About time" Koldan said jumping down from a tree, "Botkin's going to kill us if we're late again,"

"Well you could go on without us" Luka kidded shouldering into Koldan.

"And let you three have all the fun? I think not," Koldan laughed.

The three of them seemed so happy so comfortable in each others presence that I felt as if I was imposing on them, as if I was an extra following the main characters in a theatre show.

"Uh Rena? Earth to Rena, you with us there?" The three of them were looking at me.

"Sorry, what?" I asked.

"I was just saying," Koldan laughed, "are you ready for your first set of combat training bruises,"

"Koldan!!" Zina exclaimed, "You'll be fine," she told me.

"Not of you're paired up with me, I do hate holding back on my apoments," he winked.

"As do I," I responded, "I may look like nothing but I have a few tricks up my sleeve," I winked back.

"Ohhhhhh, I heard about that" Luka laughed, "Did you actually kick Ivan down there" he asked.

I nodded, suddenly feeling pretty proud of myself, Zina clapped me hard on the back, "That's it, you are now my best friend, you can stick with us" she laughed.

We walked on while talking until we arrived at an area with a bunch of other people our age where they told me a man named Botkin taught us to fight without using our abilities. "Who is he?" I asked them genuinely curious.

"Probably the only person who won't care who you are," Zina laughed, "He's an old Shu mercenary, not Grisha but just as dangerous,"

"He's Shu?" I repeated, I don't know why I was so surprised, but I had always assumed everyone at the little palace would be Ravkan.

"Is there something wrong with that," I heard someone with a heavy Shu accent say behind me.

I stiffened, 'Not at all, sir' I responded in Shu. Zina, Luka and Koldan gaped at me, I winced, I'd gotten better at speaking like everyone else but sometimes I just forgot and my Shu slipped in.

Botkin laughed a hearty low laugh, "I didn't believe it at first, a Grisha coming from across the border," he said almost to himself, walking off.