CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR.

The tavern was quiet, eerily so. There were only a few patrons at the table. The barkeep was silent and the boy was sat alone on a stool. His hands rested in his lap and an empty glass in front of him. The Grisha glanced around, checking every corner. They were trying to see Ivan but he was nowhere to be found. That put them on edge.

"If Ivan left the kid while he went to piss, I'll cut him," Roma threatened as he crossed the tavern to the bar. He then took a seat next to the boy but he didn't even look. There was no movement. Everyone was perfectly still and Liliya slowly began to move through. Her steps were cautious but she kept the flint and steel in her other hand.

"I don't think your heartrender will be around for much longer," One of the patrons said. Liliya's head snapped to where the voice came from. A man standing, a pistol at his side and Liliya narrowed her eyes. She could hear in his accent that he was Shu.

"Where is he?" Liliya asked as she turned around. Kirigan looked to the man, meeting his gaze but the Shu didn't seem scared. That was new. That was not something Liliya had expected. Whenever Kirigan appeared, they were always so afraid but they were prepared. And if she was right in her suspicions, they had poison that couldn't be so easily healed.

"Don't move," Another man suddenly said when Lev began to slide out of his chair. A gun pointed at Liliya and she glanced over at Lev, giving him a look.

"What was the point in ambushing us? You could have left before we arrived," Liliya said as she stepped closer. Her fingers twitching, antsy and ready to strike a flame and burn the man if she could. Her gaze flicked back to Kirigan briefly before looking to Roma and Tomas. Tomas was stood completely still and just observing.

She could see the cogs turning in his head while he tried to find a way out. Roma was ready to fight and Lev was becoming antsy sat by the child. His fingers digging into his pocket. They were all ready for a fight but Liliya knew that would end badly.

"It's much more satisfying to kill six Grisha rather than just one," The man responded as he stepped closer. The gun lifting higher and she met his gaze, keeping calm. Her heart was thumping against her ribcage and she kept her head up high.

"Than why not kill us already? I know you have the poison to do it," She responded. The man seemed confused by her words and his gaze flicked to one of the other Shu men, "Oh..." Liliya said and she turned her head to Kirigan. He gave her a look and she cocked an eyebrow. His look was dismissive but he knew that they would have to return to it later. When they weren't in the middle of a shoot-out with the very real possibility of being killed. The Cut couldn't be used in the tavern. The place was too enclosed and there were too many other people. Kirigan couldn't risk it.

"Drop the flint and steel. All of you," The man said, stepping closer again. Liliya felt the barrel of the gun hit her forehead and she dropped the flint and steel to the floor. It clattered and she heard the other three drop. Her eyes squeezed shut as she waited to see what would happen next. Then the gunshot.

But there was no impact. No shot to the end and when she opened her eyes, the gun was on the floor and the man was shoved against the wall. But then she realised how many guns were on her. Her gaze flicked around the room, all Shu based on appearance.

"We will be taking the Boy and then we will leave," The voice of Kirigan made her jump. His voice was cool and commanding. He then began to walk across the tavern and there was a shot. It barely missed the back of Kirigan's kefta and Liliya flinched back. She wasn't used to guns and she still hated the sound. No amount of time with the First Army had got her used to that sound.

"Don't move," A voice said. A voice she recognised. A voice that had been so familiar to her and she turned her gaze to Tomas. He had a gun in his hand and pointed at Liliya again. Kirigan paused and she heard the sigh that left his lips. He turned to face her.

"Tomas, what are you doing?" Roma snapped as he looked to his friend. Tomas cocked the gun and then grabbed Liliya's arm, pulling her against his chest. The redhead allowing him to move her. She didn't want to get shot. She had been stabbed, poisoned and threatened so many times over the past few weeks. It felt natural to just give in.

"What I should have done a long time," Tomas said as he pressed the barrel of his gun against Liliya's temple. Her fingers were trembling and she pulled her hands forward. Her movements were quick and before the gun could even go off, Tomas had been thrown back. The shadows engulfed him for a moment, blinding him as Liliya rushed across the room.

"I knew you were a dirty traitor," Lev said as he slid off the barstool. Then a shot fired and Lev let out a cry. The bullet landing in his thigh and he grabbed onto the bar for support.

"I told you not to move," One of the men said, his gun now trained on Lev's head. Liliya looked up at Kirigan and they seemed to have a silent debate. Glaring at each other until Kirigan finally gave in. Then the shadows swarmed and the room grew dark. It was practically black and then the guns started.

It was aimless fire, fear. The Shu hadn't expected it and now they were stuck blind with a room of Grisha. Liliya was used to the dark now. It didn't make it any easier to move around but it brought her a sense of comfort.

"Get to the door," A voice whispered in her ear. Kirigan. Liliya grabbed his arm and pushed him towards the door.

"No. Go. I'll get him. It's my mission," She shouted over the gunfire. The ping of bullets, the smell of gunpowder. They were lucky that nobody had been shot. Then there was a cry and Liliya's head flew to look behind her. The boy. She heard his whimper and she ran blindly through the dark.

Her hands reached out for the Boy and she managed to grab a hold of him. But he was quick and she felt his nails dig into her skin. They were long and sharper than she had remembered.

"I'm trying to save you," She hissed in Shu, hoping that he heard her over the fire. He didn't and he cried out as he shoved her back. Liliya let out a groan and pulled the Boy again but he didn't follow.

"Get off me!" The boy shouted in Shu. His response was filled with fear and she let out a sigh. Her hands moved to wrap around his waist and the shadows began to thin out. She could see the Boy now and she went to lift him up over her shoulder. However, she felt a foot collide with the back of her knee.

Her grip on the boy faltered and she nearly fell to her knees. Her hands reaching blindly behind her, snagging onto a coat of a Shu man. She hauled, attempting to pull him over her head. But then she heard a gun shoot and the bullet landed in her calf. A cry escaped her lips and she fell forward.

Shot. She had been shot. She needed to get out. Her hands moved to press against the floor and she pushed herself up right. Stumbling back to her feet, her movements were slightly sluggish and the pain rippled through her body in waves. They would have usually knocked her down but the adrenaline pumped through her.

Her hands went to make quick movements, bringing the darkness around her but then a bottle smashed against the back of her head. A cry escaped her lips, the glass cutting her scalp as she stumbled forward. Then the barrel of a gun smacked against her temple and her whole body gave in under itself. Her mind went dull as her eyes blinked closed. The darkness swarming her.

***

When Liliya awoke again, she was face-to-face with the last man she wanted to see. Ivan. Her teeth gritted and the more coherent she grew, the more she pulled out her restraints. Her hands were pulled behind her back, wrapped tightly with a rope that burnt her skin. A wooden pole separating her from her hands.

Her feet were tied in front of her, her legs bent at the knee. Ivan was in a similar position but he seemed comfortable. His head tilted back, his eyes closed. His breath was even as he stared at the ceiling. Then the pain hit Liliya. The bullet wound on her calf had been badly bandaged.

"Shut up. I already had to deal with your incoherent mumbling in your sleep," Ivan snapped as he opened his eyes. Their gazes met and she just glared at him. Her teeth gritted, jaw tense as she tried to ignore the pain that ran through her body without mercy.

"You weren't the one that was shot," Liliya snapped as she pulled on the ropes. If she got her hands free, she could get out and she could finally bandage her wound properly. Ivan scoffed and he adjusted his position.

"This is what you get for going after General Kirigan. Death," Ivan said. Liliya turned her gaze to him, a soft whimper escaping her lips as another wave of pain flooded her mind. Her eyes squeezing closed as she waited for the throbbing to pan. The bullet wound was at least less painful than the stab wound.

"What has General Kirigan got to do with this? We were after the boy that you let escape after he stabbed me. We're only in this because you are useless," Liliya snapped, at her wits end with this whole situation. The irritation lacing her tone. She hated that it was Ivan she was stuck with. She could hit her or hurt him but that wouldn't remove him from Kirigan's side. They trusted each other and Kirigan didn't believe he was an arsehole Not that Liliya had detailed much of her encounters with Ivan.

"I'm better than you. I was the only reason the Boy was captured," Ivan responded. Liliya rolled her eyes and then twisted her head. Attempting to get a look at the rope, there had to be a way out of it. She knew there must be. The Shu were talented but still useless in many senses.

"I was only so exhausted because you didn't let me sleep. Saints, I hate you," She mumbled before she tugged on the restraints again. A cry of pain escaping her lips. Her whole body had jolted with the movement and her leg didn't appreciate the change in pressure.

"The feeling is mutual," Ivan sneered. Liliya glared at him for a moment longer before returning her gaze back to the rope. Her eyes were straining just to catch a glimpse of it, narrowing her eyes. Getting out of rope was something she was skilled at so it only took her a moment to formulate a plan.

The rope was too tight for her to wiggle herself out but there was a sharp rock hidden in the shadows not far from her hands. If she was lucky, she could grab it and remove the rope. Worse come to worse, she would just have to break her way out. She hadn't quite decided how that would exactly happen, yet.

Liliya took a deep breath and then pushed her hands out. Her fingers sought out the stone. Pushing her body up as she tried to ignore the pain that was pulsing through her body in waves. A soft cry escaped her lips but she felt her fingers brush against the sharp stone. Her fingertips enclosed around it and she pulled it closer. A soft cry escaping her lips when her body finally relaxed.

"How do you expect to survive this with a leg that doesn't work?" Ivan asked as he tilted his head. Liliya turned her gaze to him and narrowed her eyes.

"You're gonna help me escape. Kirigan would never forgive either of us if we left the other," Liliya said as she pulled the rock into her palm. She then pushed it against the rope and began to see. Her movements were janky and inconsistent but considering the angle, she was surprised she didn't drop the stone.

Then she felt a foot collide with her injured calf. A scream escaped her lips, the tears pricking her eyes. Her legs instinctively pulling up to her chest before she glared at Ivan. a smug look on his face.

"Do you want to escape?" She seethed as she gripped the stone. The sharp edge digging into the palm of her hand. The pain in her palm distracted her briefly from her calf. Ivan glanced at the door and then it opened. A Shu man walked in and Liliya squeezed her hand shut a little tighter.

"Shut up, Grisha scum," The man said in Shu. His accent was thick and she just looked up at him, glaring. Her teeth gritted. He didn't take kindly to that and smacked her head with the barrel of the gun. Her head throbbing as it fell to the side. The darkness invaded her vision but she fought it back.

The man then walked out and she let out a soft sigh. Her head throbbing, her palm aching and the pain in her calf was unrelenting. Her body was a little more used to it now but then she began to push the rock against the rope again. Her work was slow still but she was a little more consistent. It wasn't hard to find the right angle and now she wanted to get out just to smack the Shu men around the head.

Liliya smiled when the rope fell from her right wrist. Her hands pulled forward and she undid the rest of the rope, throwing it to one side. Her fingers then moved to the ropes around her legs and began to untie them. Her gaze flicking briefly to her bandage before refocusing her efforts.

"Stay quiet or I'll leave you here," Liliya warned as she moved over to him. Limping, her leg giving out beneath her slightly. Her knee colliding with the stone floor, a soft cry escaping her lips.

"Be quiet," Ivan muttered. Liliya rolled her eyes and then began to undo the rope around his legs. His legs stretched out when they were free and she then moved to his hands. Undoing the rope. His were a little more complex and it seemed like he had managed to escape at some point. But it wasn't hard and then his hands were free.

"A thank you would be nice," Liliya muttered as she shuffled away and moved to stand up. Her hands pressed against the wall as she got used to the pain that flowed through her. There was no way she could run. Fighting would be dubious and walking would be doable but painful.

"Be quiet," He snapped. Liliya rolled her eyes and watched him walk to the door. It was closed but there were bullet holes. His head pressed up against them, getting a look at the enemy. It was never good to go in blind.

"Eight of them. All with guns. One seems to be drunk," Ivan listed off before he continued, "Four flint and steels on the side. There's a bag. The Boy is sat close by. He's silent, terrified," He finished. He then turned to her and his gaze flicked over her face. She looked exhausted. It almost made him feel bad.

"We're going to have to work together to get out," Liliya said. Ivan narrowed his eyes and glanced back at the room.

"We wouldn't be in this mess if you had just died," Ivan responded bitterly. Her head snapped up, meeting his gaze. Her hand gripping onto the pole as she stumbled closer. It was nearly impossible to walk properly. She knew that she would be able to gather her strength and the adrenaline would help if they were fighting. But just staring at him now meant the pain was worse than ever.

"You had the opportunity. You could have stopped my heart," Liliya said. Ivan nodded and then he walked closer. His hand grabbing her arm and pushed her back to the wooden pole. He sat her down and then knelt in front of her.

"You're right but Kirigan was watching over you. Like you were the most important thing to him. It had to look natural or like it was someone else," Ivan shrugged as he moved his hand down to her calf. It had brought her comfort for a moment before she realised that he wasn't going to help. There was no way he would rebandage the wound. His hand unravelled the dirty cloth and he twisted her leg.

"Ivan." She said, her tone was warning. He raised an eyebrow at her and then dug a thumb into the bullet wound. The cry of pain was stifled by her biting her bottom lip as hard as she could. If she was loud, the Shu would know and they'd both get a bullet in the temple.

"You make him weak. He's our General and he's fallen for a Grisha. A pathetic little girl. You lack the skill and talent he sees in you. Your skills are subpar. The only thing remotely interesting about you is your tracking skills and the fact that you can summon shadows. It surprised me but you're were always so full of surprises," Ivan said as he dug his finger into the wound. His other hand then moved to her neck. His fingers dug into her throat while her hands went for him. One gripping his jaw, pushing him back awkwardly, while the other snatched as the hand around her throat.

"Kirigan would never forgive you," Liliya warned. She could feel his hand getting tighter as she gasped for air. Her fingers dug into his palm, pulling him away. Attempting to put distance between them.

"He would never know. Leave your body with the Shu. They can take you back to Shu Han and you'll be dissected for everything you're worth," Ivan smirked as he pressed his hand tighter. The air was cut off now and Liliya's movements grew frantic. Frantic as she summoned the shadows. It swarmed the room and grabbed Ivan, pulling him away. The shadows were stronger than he was and he fell sprawled onto the floor.

Liliya was panting, her hands falling against her lap as she tilted her head back. Her hands then moved to the floor and she pushed herself to stand up. Nearly tumbling, her head felt like it was going to explode. The pain attacking her.

Gathering her strength, Liliya stepped closer and then threw a kick. Her boots collided with Ivan's face. An unexpected cry escaped his lips as he felt the blood rush down his nose. Her boot then smashing against his ribs. Not hard enough to break anything, she barely had the strength but to at least bruise.

"Together or we're both dead," Liliya said as she pushed her boot against his chest. If she shifted her weight, she was sure she could crush him. Injured leg or not, her weight would do the damage she wanted.

"You don't have the guts. Kirigan doesn't even know that you hate me," Ivan spat. The blood was trickled across his cheek, drying up now. His hands resting at his sides, Liliya was keeping a close eye on them.

"He would never know," Liliya smirked as she tilted her head down. Ivan gritted his teeth and stared up at the ceiling before nodding. He lifted his hand up and Liliya smiled, thankful. She couldn't have another death on her conscience.

"Good choice," Liliya muttered as she stepped back. Her body stumbling as she collided with the wooden pole. Ivan scoffed, rolling his eyes and then walked over to the door. His breathing was laboured now and she was glad she had at least managed to do something to him. He deserved it.

***

author's note! to make up for my lack of an update yesterday, i'm tempted to double update today... we shall see BUT HERE'S THE CHAPTER! some slight reveals that i hope were picked up on, it's not explicit cause like ivan isn't a dumbass that would admit to everything but yeah... so we don't like ivan, i also decided to make this book carry on into the shadow and bone plotline, we're coming to the end of this 'arc' ig, but i have some very interesting ideas to bring my lovely liliya into the shadow and bone plot so i hope you're excited!! but yeah, it's gonna be in this book as an 'act two' and maybe liliya will even slide into season two?? hmm depends on what happens with the show ofc but yeah, here ya go! thank you all for reading and i hope you enjoyed <3