Long life to the dead

They arrived on the boat caring and unconscious Mal and Alina. Kaida was in a really bad mood but this improved when she saw Sturmhond walking towards her.

"Are you alright?" he asked calmly but Kaida could feel his worries.

"I'm fine. Thank you," she said, not in the mood.

"Kaida," The Darkling called her. Kaida turned around looking at him angrily.

"What?! What do you want me to do?! To betray my country?! To kill someone for you?! What?! What do you want?!" she asked angrily.

"I thought you would like to see someone," he said in a calm tone.

"Who would I want to see ?" Kaida asked without much interest.

"Kaida," a whisper sounded behind her. Kaida froze in her place and carefully turned around.

Kaida left out a gasp and took her hands to her mouth with her eyes full of tears. She started walking towards him slowly. "Is it really you?" she asked in shock and eyes full of tears.

"Yes," he said. Kaida touched his cheek carefully and a tear ran down his cheek.

"H-h-how?" she asked, still shocked.

"One of The Darkling's healers saved me," he explained.

"Jake," Kaida whispered before hugging him strongly, her eyes full of tears. "You are alive," she said, still unbelievable. "You are alive,"

Jake hugged her strongly and with relife. He was finally with her again.

"I'm so sorry," Kaida said, breaking the hug. "I'm so sorry I left you,"

"You don't have anything to be sorry for. You did what you needed to do to survive and I'm glad that you did it," Jake said comforting her.

"Enough," The Darkling said. "Take him under deck," Ivan took Kaida by the arm and another Grisha took Jake. "And Kaida, if you try something he will pay,"

"Don't tempt me...Kirigan" Kaida said, looking at him angrily. She walked towards the inside of the boat when The Darkling took her by the arm and stopped her.

"For a moment I thought you were going to say my real name," he whispered.

"I don't break my promises, even if they involve you," Kaida said, breaking free from him and without anything else to say she went to the cabin she was sleeping in now, but again, The Darkling stopped her.

"Uhg... What do you want?" Kaida asked, annoyed.

"I didn't want to break my promise," he said, surprising her.

"It wasn't the only thing you broke," Kaida said sadly for a moment letting her barriers fall.

"I broke my rules for you. I let myself fall in love with someone, for you" He said, gritting his teeth.

"I didn't ask you to do that. You decided that for yourself," she said with disappointment and then she left, now The Darkling didn't stop her.

🦊🦊🦊

It was late in the afternoon, Kaida was using her small science and playing with it because she was really bored when someone entered her cabin.

She sat down straight but relaxed when she saw the carasteric red hair of Sturmhond.

"It took you too long. I thought you would have come earlier," she said with a smile.

"The Darkling didn't let me alone the whole afternoon," he complained. Kaida smiled and moved to let Sturmhond sit on the bed. "Why didn't you tell me?"he asked, looking at her for a few seconds.

"I didn't think it was important," Kaida said, lifting her shoulders.

"It is! Of course it's important! What else hadn't you told me?" Sturmhond asked worriedly.

"Quite a lot, actually," Kaida said.

"I know you don't like to talk about your past, but...I don't know. This is crazy, I'm going to start thinking that The Darkling is the good one," he joked, making Kaida smile.

"Yeah, no. He forced me to help him to expand the Fold," she explained.

"How was that?" Sturmhond asked.

"I'm a living amplifier, he used me to amplify his power," she lifted her shoulders again.

"I might start thinking that he is crazier than me," he said with a smile.

"Yeah, no. You are insane," she laughed.

"I'm not that crazy!" he said, faking being mad.

"Maybe I shouldn't call you clever fox. Mauve I should call you crazy fox," Kaida started laughing more.

"You are mean," he said with a smile. "Well, do you want to eat?" he asked. "That's the main reason I came here for,"

"Yes! I'm starving,"

They walked out and went to where the dinner was being served. Kaida took her dinner with Stumrhond and went to sit down with the rest of the crew.

"Kaida," a voice called her. Kaida turned around to see Genya. "Can we talk?" Kaida looked at Tolya, Tamar and Sturmhond who were the ones she was having dinner with and nodded at them to relax.

"I'll be back in a minute, continue with your dinner, don't worry," Kaida said standing up. She walked far from the people with Genya next to her.

"I was having dinner. What 's wrong?" she asked her.

"Look, I know I lied to you. Please, forgive me," Genya begged.

"You lied to me since the first day I met. I know you never sent Alina's letters either. And I doubt you asked the Queen about Nikolai. That's not easy to forgive,"

"I did what I had to do to survive," Genya said frustrated.

"Tell me one thing. Did you know The Darkling was planning on killing all the Lantsov family?"

"What?" Genya said in surprise. "No, I didn't know. Saints, Kaida I would never do that to you. I know what Nikolai means to you," Genya said with tears in her eyes.

"Well, whatever. Why did you want to talk with me?" Kaida asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"The Darkling is keeping Alina unconscious by slowing her heart. I'm afraid that they are going to kill her. He would listen to you, you need to do something," Genya said with worry in her voice.

"I'll talk to him. Thank you for telling me. Now, I'm going to eat dinner. Have a good night," after that she left and went back to her table.

"Everything alright?" Tamar asked.

"Yes. But I might need your help," she said in a whisper.

🦊🦊🦊

The next morning Kaida went to talk to The Darkling.

"I know what you are doing with Alina," Kaida said before she even closed the door.

"What am I doing, exactly?" he asked without interest.

"You are slowing her heart. You are going to end up killing her. You need to stop," Kaida said seriously.

"How do you know what I'm doing with Alina?" he asked, turning to face her.

"I have been sneaking around," Kaida said, lifting her shoulders. Even after what Genya did, Kaida didn't want something to happen to her because she tried to help Alina.

"I don't like that," he said really seriously. "And I don't like that you kept secrets from me," he said lifting Kaida's book. Kaida opened her eyes with surprise. "This is the reason you know now to use the cut and that thing of the mist," he said tapping on the book.

Kaida wanted to scream at him or even punch him, but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

"Talking about secrets. Those thighs made of shadow..."

"The nothing," Kaida said quite impressively. "They made you weak. They made you fragile"

"You don't know anything," he said madly.

"I can read people. remember that, Aleksander," and with those words she left the room.

Kaida walked towards Sturmhond and Tolya.

"Could you talk to her?" she asked.

"No, we had to leave before we could," Sturmhond said frustrated.

"Shit," Kaida said.

"How was the talk with The Darkling," Tolya asked.

"Good, but I don't think he is going to do something," Kaida signed, frustrated

🦊🦊🦊

The days went through and Alina was still unconscious. Kaida wanted to help her but every time she tried to get close to her cabin Ivan stopped her.

"This is boring," Stumhond said. "Being with The Darkling in this boat is boring. I can't do whatever I want,"

"Yeah, I miss my freedom," Kaida said sadly. "Do you want to see something cool?" she asked excitedly.

"More cool than me?" Sturmhond asked.

"Probably," Kaida said.

"Impossible,"
"Improbable," Kaida corrected, making him smile. "Do you want to see it or not?" she asked.

"Yes, yes," he accepted.

"Can I use your memories to show it?" she asked.

"No!" he said making her look at him weirdly

"Okay," she said confused. "I'll use mine," she said.

Kaida made a purple mist fly out of her hand and then started moving it and making figures. She first made a horse, then she made a snake, then she made a fox that surrounded Sturmhond and then she made two children running together in the woods.

"Shut up, Nikolai!"the childish voice of Kaida said.

"Come one, you are too slow," Nikolai's voice said.

kaida made the mist disappear and turned to look at Sturmhond with a smile which disappeared when she saw his face.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"What? Yes, yes. I'm fine. That was impressive. But not as impressive as me," he said.

"Yes it was," Kaida said with a smile.

"No, I'm very pretty and impressive. That was impressive, but not like me," he said again.

"You are insufferable," Kaida said, rolling her eyes.

"Hey!" he said, offended.

"Sorry, mister impressive. Did I offend you?" she mocked.

"Hahaha, you are very funny. I'm going to see how things are going," he said.

"You are just running because I defeated you," she mocked again.

"That's not true," he said walking away.

Kaida started walking when she saw Ivan, Alina, Tamar and Tolya in what looked like an argument. And it looked as if Ivan was using his small science against Tolya and Tamar.

"Leave them alone," Alina said worriedly.

"What are you doing?" Kaida asked angrily. "Let them go," Kaida pushed him, making him break his concentration. Ivan looked at her annoyed and started squeezing her heart too with Tamar and Tolya. Kaida fell to her knees on the floor without strength.

"You are killing them!" Alina screamed.

Kaida made the purple mist appear in her hand but before she could do anything a loud double click sounded. With effort Kaida looked up to see Sturmhond pointing his gun at Ivan's head and a smile appeared in her lips.

"I'm a gracious host, bloodletter. But every house has rules." Sturmhond said.

Ivan dropped his hands.

Tolya and Tamar started to breathe hard and Kaida stayed on the floor trying to recover her normal blood pressure.

"That's a good fellow," Sturmhond said to Ivan. "Now, I'll take the prisoner back to her quarters, and you can run off and do... whatever it is you do when everyone else is working."

Ivan scowled. "I don't think-"

"Clearly. Why start now?" Ivan's face flushed in anger. "You don't-"

Sturmhond leaned in close, the laughter gone from his voice, his easy demeanor replaced by something with a sword's edge. "I don't care who you are on land. On this ship, you're nothing but ballast. Unless I put you over the side, in which case you're shark bait. I like sharks. Cooks up tough, but it makes for a little variety. Remember that the next time you a mind to threaten anyone aboard this vessel," It was quite unusual to see Sturmhond that serious but Kaida was extremely happy that he appeared to stop Ivan. "Go on now, shark bait. Scurry back to your master." kaida smiled

"I won't forget this, Sturmhond," Ivan spat.

"That's the idea," Sturmhond said, rolling his eyes. Sturmhond walked towards Kaida to help her get up. "Amazing how quickly a ship feels crowded, no? Are you alright?" he asked Kaida.

"Yes, thank you," she said, holding his hand while she was getting up.

Sturmhond reached Tamar and Tolya and gave them a tap on the shoulder. "You did well," he said quietly. "I don't want trouble. Understood?" he said to the three of them but his eyes didn't leave Kaida. They all nodded. "Good. Get back to work. I'll take her belowdecks,"

"Wait," Kaida said, wanting to talk to Alina. "Let me have a word with her," Sturmhond looked at her unsurely but ended nodding. Alina and Kaida walked a little bit far from Sturmhond to talk. "I'm so sorry about what happened. I didn't want to help him but he was going to kill Sturmhond and his crew. I couldn't..."
"Kaida, it's fine. I know you didn't want to hurt me or Mal," Alina said.

"How is your shoulder?" Kaida asked worriedly.

"It could be better and I'm going to have a scar for the rest of my life but except for that, I'm fine," Alina explained. "I saw you allow that pirate to touch you. Why?"

"Privateer. And we had met each other years ago and he had saved me on a lot of occasions. I trust him," Kaida said, lifting her shoulders. "Either way it's really rare for him to touch me. He knows I don't like it,"

"Kaida," Sturmhond interrupted. "I don't want to interrupt but I must take her below deck," Kaida nodded and with a small smile walked away.

"What did you talk about with Alina?" a voice said, making Kaida jump on her place.

"Saints!" Kaida said, taking a hand over her chest. "You scared the hell out of me," she turned around to see The Darkling looking at her. She rolled her eyes. "What do you want?" she asked annoyed.

"What did you talk about with Alina?" he asked again, taking a step towards her.

"Don't get near me," she demanded.

"Tell me what you talked about with her," he said, taking a step closer.

"I said don't get close," she said again.

"Tell me what you talked about with her," he said inches away from Kaida.

"Get away from me," Kaida said, taking a step back but The Darkling grabbed her wrist.

The memory came to her involuntarily, normally when they touched her she was ready and able to control them but this time she couldn't and the memory came back to her leaving her completely paralyzed, her gaze became distant and her breathing accelerated.

"Kaida?" The Darkling asked, looking at her with a frown. He quickly released her, but it was too late, Kaida's mind had trapped her in the past.

Purple Mist began to pour out of Kaida's hands in a completely uncontrolled manner. All the crew and the Grisha under the command of The Darkling stopped what they were doing to look at what was happening.

Kaida was totally out of control and the purple mist began to travel into the minds of those present causing them to start screaming.

With all the commotion Sturmhond ran upstairs. As he reached the top deck and saw what was happening his eyes grew wide with concern and his gaze fixed on Kaida.

"Kaida!" Sturmhond shouted to be heard over all the shouting. Seeing that she didn't hear him he decided to carefully approach her.

"Kaida," he called when he approached her. "Kaida, it 's me. Kaida, you need to look at me," he said looking around to his friends and crew who were screaming in pain. "Kaida. Look at me," he said, grabbing her face gently and making her look at him. "Kaida, look at me. Get out from the place that your mind took you and look at me,"

Kaida snapped out of it and realized what she was doing. She made the mist come back to her and when she realized that Sturmhond was touching her she took a big step back, fear covering her face.

"Don't touch me," she said. Sturmhond looked at her with surprise and sadness. "Don't touch me," she said in a whisper. "I'm sorry," she said, looking around and then running belowdecks.