CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE.

After a few hours of riding through the countryside of Ravka, they took a break. The horses were exhausted so they stopped by a creek. Each of them drinking from the river as Liliya walked around the perimeter. Her hands resting at her sides, swaying as she strolled around. It seemed to be secure and they were close enough to the nearby village that help would be at hand. The village close was friendly to Grisha as far as Liliya could remember so it was good at least.

As Liliya was about to head back to the horses, she felt a hand grab her arm. Her head snapped and she saw that it was Roma. He pushed them both behind one of the larger trees and she could see the confusion etched across his features. He didn't like knowing things and she had kept a massive secret from him.

"Since when could you summon shadows?" Roma asked as he stood across from her. His hands crossed over his chest. Liliya sighed and pushed off the tree but Roma pushed her back. There was no way she was getting out of this conversation it seemed.

"I always could," She responded as she tried to move but Roma shoved her back again. He pushed her back, glaring at her now. If she had always been able to do it, he would have known. They had known each other since they had both came to the Little Palace. They knew a lot about each other. Before Lev and Tomas, they had been the closest friends. Now, well, that was different.

"No, you couldn't. I would have know," Roma said. Liliya scoffed and then pushed away from him again, moving past him. Roma grabbed her arm again and dragged her back, "Stop walking away. We need to have this conversation," Roma added as he pushed her back again the tree. Liliya let out a soft huff and stared up at him.

"We don't, Roma. You have Tomas and Lev. I have Arina. We left each other a long time ago. You have no right to know," Liliya said. Roma stared at her for a moment before he ran his hand along his stubbled chin. His fingers pushed through his hair and he thought for a moment before he faced her again. A frown on his lips.

"You have changed so much since I last saw you, Li. You weren't like this. You weren't sleeping with the General like it meant nothing. You weren't lying in his bed, like Zoya. You always hated her. Why are you acting like her if you hated her?" Roma asked. It had clearly been on his mind and now they were alone, it was spilling from his lips so easily. She wasn't entirely surprised by his words. He had always had a warp view of her. She never really showed her true self around him.

"I didn't hate her, Roma. I hated that I wasn't her. She had Kirigan when I had always wanted him. I have him now and he cares for me and he helped me. He... he is the only reason I have these shadows back under my control," Liliya said as she looked at him. Roma pulled his eyebrows together and stared at her. It was clear that his whole view of Liliya was tearing at the seams. It was strange but this is who she had always been.

"Why did I never know any of this? We were best friends," He said softly as he stepped closer. Liliya shrugged as she rubbed her face with her hands.

"You were a boy, I didn't want you to know that I fancied the General. It was embarrassing and you weren't exactly the easiest to talk to," She muttered softly. It was strange to be airing out their dirty laundry now. It had been so many years and there had been so many opportunities yet it was now. Liliya didn't understand why now but she had an opportunity to explain so she took it.

"I tried. I was always there for you. Especially when you were upset," Roma muttered. Liliya nodded and smiled softly at him.

"You were until Lev and Tomas. Then I was just a girl that you were embarrassed to talk to. I understand, Roma, just don't expect for me to treat you like you should know everything. It's been years," She muttered. Roma sighed and glanced over at the group. She could see the horses through the treeline and Lev and Tomas talking.

"I tried to stay friends with you even after them but they hated you. Well, Lev hated you. He hated that you were so good compared to him. General choosing you to train didn't help either. He was so angry," Roma explained before he looked back to Liliya. The redhead nodded and a small smile spread across her face, she remembered the day. He had been so bitter and she just used it as an opportunity to rub it into his face more.

"I remember. Lev was an arsehole. He seems better now," She said as she glanced back. Roma nodded and then he buried his hands in the pockets of his pants. His kefta was left by his horse much like Liliya's.

"So Inferni and Shadow Summoner. How does that work then?" Roma asked, his tone was curious. He was curious and his question was, of course, once she couldn't answer. So, she merely shrugged and ran her hands through her hair.

"I couldn't tell you and I think Kirigan's just as stunned as me by it," She chuckled softly. Roma nodded and ran his fingers through his hair, thinking for a moment. His hands then rested back in his pockets.

"Could you scare Lev with your shadows?" Roma asked, a smirk spreading across his face. Liliya chuckled and thought for a moment, glancing at Kirigan who was stood close by. She would definitely get scolded by him but Lev deserved it. He had been a pain in all their arses since he had joined the Grisha ranks.

"If Kirigan asks, it was your idea," Liliya said and then she moved into position. With a few quick hand movements, the whole area was covered in shadows and she could hear shrieking. Girlish shrieking and she chuckled. Roma snorting until the shadows were suddenly pushed back. An unimpressed Kirigan looking in the direction of the pair. Liliya grabbed Roma's hand and pulled them behind the tree. A grin on their faces.

"Liliya," The voice of Kirigan made her sigh. She looked up at him and Roma smirked. She smacked his chest and then she stepped out from behind the tree, "I did not teach you to control the shadows for you to act like a child. We need to leave," He said. His words were commanding but still composed. Liliya nodded and walked back over with her tail between her legs. Roma sliding out a moment later, trying to look as innocent as possible.

"I just wanted to scare, Lev. It was funny," Liliya shrugged as she let the smirk appear on her lips. He cocked an eyebrow and then he leant forward so his mouth was by her ear.

"Do not do that again," He whispered. Liliya suddenly felt like a child and she nodded her head. It certainly felt like she was being scolded when she was only trying to mess with one of her oldest friends. It had been a long time since she had actually been able to scare him.

"Are we ready?" Lev asked. His face was red but he was a little more composed than he had been a moment earlier. Liliya nodded and Roma pulled his horse away. He was the first to get on and he sent a smirk towards Liliya. It was obvious how shook up Lev was.

"We only have a few hours and we'll arrive at the village," Roma said. They all nodded and they were riding again, heading towards the village in hopes of it not being too late.

***

The village was on the horizon and nothing seemed wrong but Roma ordered them to slow down nonetheless. It made Liliya anxious but everything was normal. The smoke from the village fires and there was the sound of chatter. The camp wasn't far from the village but they had been told that the Boy was being held in the village jail. It was the closest place that he could have been kept especially if he was dangerous.

"Do we have a plan?" Roma asked as he turned around on his horse to face the group. That was one thing they hadn't truly considered. It had been such a rush that they hadn't even consider what they would do once they reached the village. It was obvious that they were going to speak to the Boy, discover if he was the Sun Summoner or otherwise. That was the only thing they had considered. None of them knew who was going to speak to him or how to approach them. They were wildly unprepared in their panic.

"I should go in. I'm a familiar face and a woman. I'm more gentle than you will be," Liliya said. It was a weak argument and a part of her didn't particularly want to see the child but she wanted to know why he had done what had been done. The stabbing had left her with weeks of night terrors. Part of it was exacerbated by her inability to open that door in her head but most of it had been due to the shock.

"And what if he tries to stab you again? It's too dangerous," Lev said. Liliya rolled her eyes. She wasn't surprised that Lev objected. He was sexist and had been glaring at the back of her head the whole ride. Maybe scaring him with the shadows hadn't been the best idea but it was never really her idea.

"Like I said, I'm prepared. Just because I'm a woman doesn't mean I'm any less capable," Liliya said, muttering the last bit. The bitterness was clear in her tone but she tried her best not to let it overtake her. It would be stupid to do so.

"I think Lev is right. He could just hurt you again and like I said this morning, I am not watching you nearly die again," Roma said. Liliya scoffed and rather than waiting, she directed her horse away and rode right towards the village. She didn't see the point in being there if she was just going to be continously dismissed.

The horse's trot turned into a canter and she came over the hill. The whole area coming to life. She could see the camps of the First Army and she glimpsed a few soldiers. The cartography tent and the burly soldiers with rifles over their shoulders. As she rode down the hill, she came to the village and slid off her horse, tying him up to the nearby post.

Her hands ran across her kefta - that she had no put back on. Adjusting her sleeves, she looked up and spotted a few First Army soldiers. They were patrolling a building and she walked over, a small smile on his face.

"Hey," She said as she approached one of the men. He was taller than her, just like everyone else was, but he had a kind smile. His hair was shaved and his gaze seemed to be following a girl before he took notice of her, "Soldier, what's your name?" Liliya snapped, frustrated with his lack of a response. He looked to her and pushed a neutral look onto his face.

"Malyen Orestev, ma'am," He responded. It was clear he was not used to being commanded around by a woman. She smiled softly at him.

"Malyen, would you open the door for me? I am with General Kirigan. We are supposed to see the Boy," Liliya said as she looked up at him. The man looked at her and glanced at the other soldier on the other side of the door.

"The Boy is gone, ma'am," Malyen said and Liliya cocked an eyebrow. She turned her head and watched as Kirigan rode down the hill. Roma, Lev and Tomas trailed behind. She crossed her arms over her chest and stepped away.

"Where is he gone?" Liliya asked. Malyen then nodded forwards across the village. There was a tavern and she stared at him for a moment, "Why is the Boy in the tavern?" She asked. Malyen glanced at the other man, clearing his throat.

"A Grisha took him, ma'am," He explained, "He explained he was sent under the order of General Kirigan. He took him across to the tavern, ma'am," He said quickly. Trying his best to keep formal but he knew who she was and what she could do. It seemed that he was slightly anxious of what she could do. She nodded and then stepped away from him.

"What colours was this Grisha wearing?" Liliya asked as she rested her hands against her kefta. Maylen looked over to his friend for help and it seemed like they were trying to remember. An impatient sigh left her lips.

"Red, ma'am," He said. She nodded and then patted his shoulder.

"Thank you, Malyen," She said before turning away. She walked off towards Kirigan and the other three men. They all were scowling and didn't exactly seem happy that she had rushed away. At least she got the information she needed, "Kirigan, did you send Ivan ahead of us?" She asked. Kirigan glanced over at the soldier at the door before looking down to Liliya.

"I sent him to secure the boy, yes. Has there been any issues?" Kirigan asked. Liliya shook her head and then stepped back. But then she felt Roma grab her hand and forced her to face him.

"What did you talk to the soldier about?" Roma asked. Liliya pulled her hand away and straightened up her kefta again.

"I asked him where our young boy is and he told me that he is the tavern. He was taken by a Grisha in a red kefta. That sounds like Ivan but the tavern is extremely quiet considering the time of day. So, I think our Shu assassins have taken the boy in the tavern," Liliya said simply, looking between the men. Kirigan didn't seem entirely pleased and Roma was scowling.

"We should have been quicker," Lev muttered as he walked past them. Liliya glanced back at him, narrowing her eyes before she looked up at Kirigan.

"We would have been if you hadn't tried to keep me back," Liliya snapped but kept her gaze on Kirigan. Lev scoffed and stopped in his steps turning to face her. He snatched her hand and forced her to turn around, glaring down at her.

"And if you hadn't been fucking our General all night, we would have left hours before," Lev said through gritted teeth. Liliya punched him. Not even letting herself overthink before she had thrown it. Her foot colliding with his balls as she glared at him.

"What I do in my private time is none of your business, Lev. It never has been and never will be. If you wanted us to leave earlier, there was nothing stopping you from waking us up," Liliya snapped, watching as Lev fell to his knees. She then stepped back, the anger rolling off her. All of this was entirely irrelevant. The Boy was the most important thing but she found herself at her wits end. Her fingers curled into fists and then Roma grabbed her arm, pulling her towards him again.

"Control yourself. This is why we didn't want to bring you," Roma said and Liliya glared at him. She then grabbed his arm and bent it behind his back. His knees weakening as he stumbled slightly. His wrist aching from where she had bent it rather aggressively.

"I wouldn't have to control myself if you and Lev and Tomas hadn't been such sexist bastards before Kirigan came around. You are lucky that I haven't hurt one of you!" Liliya shouted as she stared down at them. She was making a scene, she knew she was but a part of her wanted to make a scene. Make it known that she was surrounded by sexist pigs but when she felt Kirigan's hand on her arm, she took a deep breath.

"Milaya, you are only going to alert them to our presence," Kirigan said as he met her gaze. She stared up at him for a moment before her gaze softened and she nodded. His hand fell from her arm and she took a deep breath. Holding her hand out, Roma took it and she hauled him back to his feet. A small sigh escaping her lips.

"It was never my intention to make you feel like that, Li," Roma said as he met her gaze. Liliya nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him. She knew it was inappropriate considering the situation but it was better than nothing. Roma relaxed into it before they both pulled away.

"It's fine, come on. We have Shu assassins to kill and a boy to save," Liliya said as she once again straightened up her kefta. Lev got up from the floor and glared at her before he then straightened up his kefta.

"You do that again, I'll burn your hair off," Lev said as he glanced down at her. Liliya rolled her eyes and then began to walk with the men towards the tavern. It was quiet, far too quiet. Even the soldiers by the prison had gone quiet. Their gaze following the Grisha as they moved together as one. The sea of blue with a speck of black. General Kirigan.

They didn't have a plan but they knew it was better that way. The situation was unpredictable so Liliya walked in first. The men following behind her. Kirigan at the back, glancing over at the soldiers before focusing back on the tavern ahead.

***

author's note! hello! ruby is having another anxious day but i managed to write like the very end of this chapter for y'all! this is a lil shorter, like barely passing 3k kinda short but i didn't really know what to do with this bit and i just feel like i got what i needed to say, said, idk, i hope you guys enjoyed and like the cameo.

ALSO would y'all like me to bring this fic into the shadow and bone storyline? or nah? cause i have ideas either way :) love y'all, i hope you enjoyed <333