I heard different voices and from the vibrations spreading along my back I could tell that people were running around .

Someone was touching me. Their hands raked through my hair and a tingling sensation spread through my scalp where their fingers grazed. It was like thousands of ants were crawling inside my head.

I opened my eyes squinting due of the harsh rays of the sun . There was a woman in red Kefta kneeling in front of me. She had gorgeous brown hair and chocolate brown eyes .

Nobody's ugly in this place. They don't even look average.

I tried to sit up but a sharp pain in my back made me decide against it. It felt like my spine was being ripped in half. I released a hiss and laid back down

"Don't move . Your spine is crushed and four of your ribs are broken" her eyes were soft as she gave me a small smile. Her hands moved to unbutton my uniform

" What are you doing? " I asked as I jolted back away from her touch, with my arms holding my clothes, when another wave of pain washed over me. I closed my eyes tightly swearing internally

" I said don't move, we want you to recover quickly." She said giving me a glare " I'm just going to heal your ribs "

"Oh sorry" feeling slightly embarrassed I removed my hands from my chest and tried to relax. Ever since I came here I've been on edge. I wish I could change this behavior but being in a new place is always stressful for me .

She had completely unbuttoned my uniform and moved her hands under my top. Another tingling sensation spread in my torso. I was still not sure if I liked the feeling .

"Now. Try to move" she said looking me up and down

I moved slowly to the right and then left and sure enough I did not feel any pain. Everything was completely healed .

I sat up slowly, buttoned my uniform and looked around. Just behind me a feet away lying on the deck, supporting her toRso with her elbows, was Alina . She was conscious and looking around frantically, probably looking for Mal . She also had a female healer sitting in front of her touching her clavicle

I started to stand up stopping midway due to dizziness. The healer took hold of my shoulders steadying me and helped me stand straighter.

" I healed you but you're still weak " looked at me with concerned eyes
" and you look like you have not eaten or drank anything for days" her eyebrows were knotted together and her mouth formed an upside-down 'U' deepening her frown

She looked around for sometime, her eyes lighting when she spotted whatever she was trying to find.

" Just a second " she said as she walked away after confirming that I could stand on my own

I did not turn around to see where she was going out of the fear that I might loose my balance again .

I stood there for not even a minute when I felt someone put a hand on my right shoulder. I didn't have time to turn around..... not that i was going to but the person immediately came to stand in front of me. It was the same healer. She had half a piece of bread in one hand an a leather flask in other.

She handed me the bread, I gladly took it and started eating without hesitation. The bread tasted a bit different from the one I had back home but I didn't mind .

" Slow down lest you'll choke choke" she chuckled

After I inhaled the bread she handed me the flask. I drank only half of the water in the flask and closed it. Holding it in my right hand .

"Thank you" I said cleaning my mouth with the back of my hand to remove any left over crumbs of bread.

" No worries " she moving her hand up and down like she was embarrassed

" by the way I'm Annalaes " she smiled and extended her hand in front of me

" I'm Aurelia " I shook her hand with a huge smile, happy to finally know someone in this place .

I turned around to have another look at Alina. Now she was standing with her arms coiled around her torso, still looking around. Her hair were disheveled like she had just woken up from a nap, which she did....in a way. I debated if I looked any better. The healer who worked on her was nowhere to be seen.

I walked towards her after informing Annalaes that I'll be back in a minute and stopped right infront of her. We were exactly the same height. Her eyes were dark and sure enough her features were shu

I extended the flask in front of me. She looked at it and then back at me .

" It's water " I said giving her the most genuine smile I could conjure at the moment

She looked at me for sometime and then took the flask from my hand, Drinking the water like it was going to evaporate any moment

Did I look like that when i was drinking ?? I thought horrified

Alina finished the water and closed the flask .

"Sorry , I haven't had anything to drink since yesterday" she said clearly feeling embarrassed while wiping the spilled water from her face .

"It's alright " I chuckled "..and I'm pretty sure I looked much worse " 

We both laughed in unison

" Oh sorry .. right ... I am Alina " she said giggling and extending her hand

I forgot she doesn't know me . I hope I didn't look like a creeper.

" I'm Aurelia " 

She seems nice

I looked back and saw Annalaes arguing with a man in the same coloured kefta. She looked angry. As if sensing me staring at her she turned her head, her eyes meeting mine, and started walking towards us.

Alina took a step forward and stood next me with the flask still in her hand.

Annalaes stood in front of us, her eyes filled with concern .

"What is it ? " I asked searching her face for answers but finding none

" The general ..he.." she started her eyes flickering to the flask in Alinas hand for the shortest amount of time " ...he wants you to come to his tent .....both of you " she finished looking at the ground as if she was ashamed, from my side I heard Alina gasp .

The general ...Aleksander Kirigan ......since all the characters are being played by the actors in the TV Show does that mean I'm going to meet ...Ben Barnes........

I at Annalaes who was still looking at the ground and placed a hand on her shoulder trying to comfort her .

"Hey what is it ?" I asked concerned knowing there was more

" They .....He thinks you are both Grisha"

This time me and Alina both gasped

How could I forget ?? .....after the skiff incident he was going to call Alina to his tent ...but why call me ??

I knew Alina was Grisha, there was no doubt ... unless me coming here has affected her somehow but that seemed unlikely. But ME I'm certainly not grisha and I have read what they do to people pretending to be Grisha . Even though I'm not pretending to be anything , I'm certain that I would meet the same fate .

"When?" I heard Alina ask while I was still lost in my thoughts

"Right now" Annalaes replied grimly. She knew what was going to happen to us .

As if on cue two men in summoners blue Kefta came forward, roughly grabbing mine and Alinas arm with one hand and pushing us forward with another. Alina barely managed to give the flask to Annalaes.

They walked us away from the docks and towards the area with all the Grisha tents. I could tell they were Grisha tents from the built and quality which was far superior than the tents for the first army.

After walking or should I say being shoved for about five minutes we reached the the Generals tent. The two men released me and Alina just outside the tent and ordered us to go in .

We looked at the huge tent and then at each other. I nodded my head once mentally asking if she was ready, she nodded back.
I held out my right hand for her to take without hesitating she took and we both walked towards the tent.

Pushing aside the cloth at the entrance we both entered the tent side by side. There were at least fifty people inside the tent mostly in different coloured Keftas. There were only a handful of people in military uniforms. All of them were standing along the wall of the tent forming a circle, leaving space in the middle .

As soon as we entered the tent the crowd parted to let us inside the empty space in the middle .

As the crowd parted I was able to see a large wooden table with intricate pattern at the opposite end of the tent and standing infront of it with his back towards us was a man dressed in black from head to toe.

Aleksander

As if he heard me, he turned around studying us with narrowed eyes. All I could see were his black charcoal eyes. It felt like his eyes were the black hole and I was being pulled in. Me and Alina walked to the middle of the clearing. Upon reaching she stopped but I felt my body moving, walking towards him until I felt a tug in my right arm .

I looked back at my hand and then at the person who was keeping me from going to him and saw Alina looking at me with wide eyes. She tugged my hand once again bringing me out of the trance. I shook my head and looked at him then back at Alina with wide eyes and hurriedly went to stand beside her .

She elbowed me still holding my hand and mouthed 'what was that'

I looked at her once and without answering, started looking around. There in the crowd stood Zoya in her blue kefta with silver embroidery, I spotted the inferni whom I tried to save but ended up saving me instead. When my eyes landed on her she was already looking at me. She gave me a small smile and a nod. I smiled back and looked forward.

Kirigan was studying us. His hands folded against his chest and back leaning against the wooden table. He stood like that for some time. Kicking forward he stood up and walked a few step in our direction. I could feel Alina squeezing my hand. I squeezed back twice to reassure her. He stopped a few feet away from us.

"Closer" his voice was deep and deadly . His expression did not give away anything ... I could not read him at all

Alina and I shared a look and together we took the tiniest step forward

"Well?" He lifted one eyebrow looking at both of us

"Well what ?" Alina said with a stable and even confidant voice. I tugged her hand slightly as a warning. She looked at me, blinking her eyes and Snapped her head forward. ".... Sir " she added hurriedly. I let out a breath. I spotted Zoya at a distance throwing daggers at Alina. If looks could kill Alina would surely be six feet under .

The tension in this place was astronomical. The air felt so thick that I found it hard to even breathe.

"What are you?" Kirigan said tilting his head up slightly

" Alina Starkov, Asistant Cartographer, Royal corps of surveyord" I was surprised at the amount of confidence in her voice. I smirked, proud . That's some queen shit right there ...i thought.

He then looked at me urging me to speak

"....Um....Amelia Amherst, Senior Cartographer, Royal corps of surveyord " I improvised. I could feel Alina looking at me. She was a cartographer and surely she would know everyone in her unit and I was certainly not a Cartographer. She knew it but kept silent and I was grateful for it.

He tilted his head looking at Alina although I could feel him steal glances at me whenever I was not looking at him.

"They're all gone" Alina said coming to a realisation .

I remembered it was because of her that all the cartographers had to board the skiff. She was going to blame herself for Alexi. According to me whatever happened to Alexi was his own fault, he had it coming when he decided to light that lantern.

"It's my fault . That's why I'm here , isn't it ?" I could see Alinas eyes becoming glossy. I squeezed her hand to provide some comfort although I doubt it did anything.

"Answer the question" kirigan said putting up his hand cutting off Alina. Stopping her before she could start crying .

"What Are You " he leaned against the table  

"A mapmaker, sir" Alina said unsurely

Laughter errupted from everywhere. Apparently Alinas answer was funny.

"Quiet" He said lowly not moving his gaze from Alina. Just as he said it the laughing seized.

"So who actually saw what happened"
Even his questions sound like an order. I thought as he moved his gaze from Alina to the crowd, setting on me for a brief moment during the process. I swear my heart skipped a beat when our eyes met. I could not understand if it was because of fear of general Kirigan or the beauty of Ben Barnes.

He looked to his left, his gaze landing on Zoya

"Zoya, you manned the main sail" his voice was lower than before and I wondered if Zoya even heard him

"We were attacked , barely two markers in " she said in a steady voice looking at the General ".....someone lit a lantern " she looked away ashamed to have disappointed him but did not let it show

"And?" Kirigan said looking at Alina

"The volcra went after the rifleman and our Inferni first " she looked at me while saying the last part. " and then there was a searing light " she finished

"It was them" said a man in the first army uniform with a huge scar on his right cheek pointing at us . Both of us ...

"Our mapmakers" kirigan said sarcastically lifting his eyebrows

" Maera, tell me exactly what happened " kirigan was looking at the same inferni who saved me

She looked at kirigan and then back at me. I nodded at her once reassuring her that it was okay. I had nothing to hide.

" Aurelia.... she saved me from the volcra " she was still looking at me

I blinked once. She was not wrong but not right either.

"Go on" Kirigan urged 

" .... A light ...no.... it was both dark and light that exploded through her skin " she said with wide eyes as if remembering the moment "...the light, it wounded the volcra" there were some gasps

"And her?" Kirigan said nodding his head towards Alina who was standing there like a statue .

" The same thing , sir. Although the light that came from Miss Starkov was much more blinding, more gold. It was like the light from the sun. While the one from Miss Amherst was ....." she struggled with her wording

"Was what?" Kirigan was looking directly at me. Keeping eye contact with his was one of the most hardest things I've done in my life, I wasn't breathing the whole time.

"......it was more soothing ...more silver like moonlight against the nightsky. The shadows were wrapped around the light .....it was....beautiful" she finished looking dazed

What is she saying. Has she gone crazy after seeing the Volcra. It was quite a traumatic event.

My eyes widened as she said every word. My mouth was wide open as I thought of the possibility that I might be a Grisha

People started murmuring and I mean I don't blame them . A sum summoner is alright but someone who can summon both light and shadows even I don't believe that .

This is absurd and utterly ridiculous. She is going to get me killed. I thought horrified

"Is this true, can you both summon light ....and shadow" he said the last part looking at me

Aline shook her head slowly while I was still standing there with my mouth half open recovering from the shock.

Alina noticed and elbowed me in the rib ...quite harshly. I turned to glare at her. Her head was turned towards me but her eyes kept on moving towards the right. She looked utterly ridiculous. I stood there for sometime looking at her like she had gone mad. She huffed and tilted her head towards the same direction that her eyes kept moving to.

I formed an 'O' with my mouth realizing that she was pointing towards the general and turned my head forward and there he was looking expectantly at me

"Well....can you?" I could see he was running out of patience

I shook my head and he shook his own mocking me .

"Where did you both grow up?"

"Keramzin" Alina managed to make her voice sound stable

Kirigan nodded his head and turned to look at me

I raked my brain for answers. What are the other places in Ravka except Keramzin .....???

He was still looking at me which made me panic

"Keramzin" I let out it and it felt like i was dunked in cold water .

"Oh ...how convenient both of our summoners are from Keramzin" he smiled but I could see that it was not from happiness. I'm a hundred percent sure that he did not believe a word I just said even I didn't even believe a word I said .

" And when did you both get tested ?"

Alina remained silent at this question, so naturally I also remained silent .

"Both of you don't remember " he smiled again and this time even he found the situation funny

At this point I was cringing and screaming internally at my stupidity. Everything I said sounded fake even to my own ears. How are THEY ever going to believe me.

I am surely going to die

" Well, let us just make certain" he pushed off from the table and started walikh towards us with left his hand fumbling with something on his right one

Oh no

He removed the ring from his pinky finger and put it on his thumb in a swift motion, with the claw like nail sticking out

He reached us standing about three feet in front of Alina

" Lift up your sleeve" he said as darkness started filling the tent

"What's happening" she looked around frantically

" Your sleeve " he repeated "..Please"

Alina looked at me and then at our entwined hands. With one last look she removed her hand from mine and stepped forward and lifted her sleeve almost till her elbow.

Kirigan stepped forward and pushed her sleeve up further till it almost reached her shoulder all while looking directly in her eyes.

Using the ring he slowly made a cut in the inner part of her elbow and there it was Liquid gold pouring out of her like the rays of sun in the afternoon. It was a blinding light but I did not look away and neither did Alina. Who was too shocked to even close her mouth. I saw kirigan looking not at the light but at Alina. Like she was the answers to all his problems ...which she obviously was.

Some people were gasping others cheering while some even recited prayers

All the shadows which previously occupied the space in the tent melted in the presence of the light .

Kirigan released her wrist and the same moment the light went away.

Alina stumbled back and took several deep breaths still looking at her arm more specifically the huge cut on her arm .

He looked at her for a few more seconds and then turned to me

"Now, your turn" he said while coming to stand in front of me .

Oh shit ...here we go .