As his advisors filled out of the tent after I told them what I could I pressed my palms to my eyes.

I told them the bare minimum, but it was still too much, and although I wasn't on my mother's side that didn't mean I wanted my father to do this.

I looked over to my father who was leaning against the side of the table, "I want to see him," I said, "Luka, I need to speak to him."

"See and speak are two different things," he thought aloud.

I blew out a frustrated breath, "We're children, what do you honestly think we're going to do, there's only two of us," I thought for a moment, "There are only two of us, right?"

He nodded, "Alright you can have ten minutes at most," I let my shoulders relax from their tensed up position, previously ready to argue my point, "Under supervision," there it was, the catch.

He must have seen my move before I made it as he held up his hand to stop me, "Don't try my generosity, Rena."

I rolled my eyes, I'd hardly call that generosity but arguing with him would get me nowhere, instead I nodded.

He led me to a tent that held cells often meant for holding soldiers who drank too much and couldn't control themselves.

"Ten minutes, that's all you have, don't let me come back to you still being here," he nodded to the guards to watch us and left.

Immediately I ran to the bars of a cell where I saw the familiar face of my best friend, "Luka," I whispered trying not to be overheard by the guard, "Luka are you alright? He didn't hurt you did he? Please Luka, talk to me please."

He turned to face me and I saw the suspicion in his eyes, "Why are you here Rena? Are you with him?"

"What? No, not really, look its a long story but-"

"Where's Sophie?" He asked. I didn't respond, the memory too fresh, like salt in a wound, "Where's Sophie?" He asked, worry rising in his voice.

I sank to the ground, "She's not here," I told him. I could see the next question lingering in his eyes, where. "Our cart was intercepted by Fjerdan's, if it wasn't for her-" I took a deep breath to keep my tears at bay, "She saved me, I've never seen a Fabrikator fight so well, we thought we had finished all of them off but-" another breath, "They killed her, and I killed them, it wasn't right, neither of them should have died, they were both just human. Fjerdan's, Grisha, Shu, we all have something in common, we're all human and we're all scared."

He sat down aswell, the bars of the cell the only thing keeping our backs from being against each other, "When the two of you didn't show up at the-" he eyed the guard watching us, "At the place. We presumed the worst. The rest of the Durasts didn't show up until a week later, said they took a longer route for safety after the attack, Zina nearly lit the entire meadow on fire with lightning when you weren't there, and Koldan, he tried to go looking for both of you, Botkin found him trying to sneak out. And me well, I was devastated of course but someone had to be the voice of reason in the group, I had faith in you, your the most talented Grisha I've met in years and Sophie had brains to challenge even David Kostyk."

There was a snicker at the far end of the tent, "Darling no one can compete with David's brains."

We turned towards the voice and when I squinted I saw a shock of the most beautiful shade of red hair, "Genya," I gasped standing up, I looked down to Luka and his face was just as shocked as mine, obviously he didn't know she was there, he shuffled as close as he could to her cell as I walked over.

"Hello Rena," she greeted, "Luka."

Her back was facing us and she was hunched over, as if ashamed, "Genya are you-"

A hand on my shoulder, "Time's up," the guard, not so kindly informed me.

"What!?" I exclaimed, "That was hardly ten minutes."

"Time's, up," they warned, pulling me back ever so slightly.

"I'll be back," I told them as the guard pushed me out of the tent, "I promise."

I'd been pacing in my tent for fifteen minutes when Pytor finally broke, "The hell's wrong with you," he half muttered.

I turned on him, my eyes wild, "Let's see, I don't know mabey the fact I'm being blackmailed with the saftey of my friend by my own father?!? Seems like a valid reason."

He scoffed, "You're being dramatic, just calm down."

"Oh so it's just that easy?" I asked, "Just calm down, simple really."

I crossed infront of him on my path and after about the fifth pass he grabbed my wrist and opened his mouth to say something.

I beat him to it, but not with words, my furry all bottled up, my other arm reacting faster than I knew I could, I punched him square in the face, right between his eyebrows.

He was out like a light and for a moment I just stood there, staring at his limp, unconscious body.

I felt bad enough that I proped him up into a sitting position so he wouldn't get a crick but that was about it.

Twisting the light and calling some minor shadows to hide my footfalls I left the tent, my first thought was to see Luka and Genya but when I arrived I could see that it was hopeless, there were guards posted at the entrance and another at both cells. From what I could see Luka looked sound asleep and Genya still had her back turned, like she was terrified of being seen.

I knew I couldn't leave, I couldn't, wouldn't leave them alone, undefended, with no one to stand up for them.

Instead I ventured into the a nearby clearing leaned against a tall tree, organising my thoughts and storing them away, never to be seen again.

But no matter how hard I tried there were those few stubborn thoughts that never seemed to disappear, forever engraved into my memory.

How my own friends had spyed on me, how I was never told the full story, how Sophie sacrificed her life for me, how I couldn't protect her, protect Luka.

With every sad and sorrowful thought my brain conjured, a stary shadow appeared, their presence comforting, my anchor in this vast sea.

When the thoughts grew to be too much I threw my arms out, as if forcefully batting them away, again, and again, and again.

After one such action a light snap sounded and a small branch fell to the ground. Startled, I went over to inspect it, it was a straight, seamless cut, slightly burned, with shadows slowing fading from the edges.

I looked down to my hands, had I done that? How? Focusing again I tried to replicate what I had just done.

I closed my eyes and opened them to a blade of shadow cutting down a large tree, I took a step back, did I-

"That's what it's meant to look like," a cool voice spoke from shade of an old oak.

I peered over my shoulder, my father stood there studying me, he didn't seem surprised or angry at my presence out here, just curious.

"What is it? I've never seen anything like it before," I asked him.

He walked over and picked up the branch that I had accidentally knocked down, "It's called the cut, a unique wepon only available to the most powerful of summoners," after thoroughly inspecting the branch he tapped me lightly on the head with it, "Not bad for a first try."

"So that's how she did it," I mumbled to myself.

He raised an eyebrow, "Who did what?"

I huffed a small laugh, "Mother, when she arrived at the little palace a heartrender, Sergei I think, questioned if she was qualified to lead the second army," I supplied, "All in all everyone started arguing, she got pissed and overwhelmed, not quite in control of her new amplifier and cracked open the domed roof like an egg."

He, understandably, looked slightly put off at the idea that his home had been damaged during his absence, "Pitty, I liked that dome."

When we returned the camp was in full go mode as the day gave way to dusk, twilight. I loved this time of the day, the perfect mix of shadow and sun working together.

My father left me standing by a rack of wepons and everyone barley spared me a glance as they took the necessary items that they might need. An attackers first mistake, thinking a Grisha had only their gifts to protect them.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw my father making his way over to me, I pretended not to notice him up until he spoke directly to me.

"You might need this," he said holding out the knife Botkin had given me when we were training once, "Incase someone attacks in close range."

I took the knife, not because I might have to use it but because it was mine, "Theif," I muttered while strapping it to my thigh beneath my kefta.

"I trust you will be able to protect yourself? I won't be there to help you."

I made a mental note of that in my head, "You doubt my abilities?"

"I doubt your trust," he sighed, "You've been assigned with a watch out group, go."

I stood there staring at him for a few moments, my miniscule act of rebellion, then without a word turned on my heel, head held high and went off to join my group, never looking back.

As I passed the tent holding Luka and Genya I saw multiple guards at the doors, I went up to them, "What's going on?" I asked, "Where are you taking them?"

The guard scowled down at me as he blocked my veiw, "Nothing that concerns you, move along."

I let my annoyance and a tinge of anger show as the shadows grew a small bit denser and darker around us, using a sliver of the intimidation I saw my father wield so easily, "I said, where, are you, taking them," my voice cold, baring no room for argument.

The soldier swallowed and from the small gap I could see through, saw Luka try not to laugh at how pale he had gotten, "They- Moving them to a secure location, miss, I'm sorry, I can't say any more."

I didn't like this, scaring someone so much that they fear for their life, but I had to, for Luka, for Genya. I stepped a bit closer letting the shadows hug me, "If they're hurt, I'm holding you accountable," I risked one more look in the tent and then left, letting the shadows slowly dissipate behind me.