[ Alina nearly recoils, her face bemused. Her face is not subtle. What an odd (stupid) question she thinks. ]
What do you mean? [ But her question is sharp, and she is not really interested in an answer. Her country was broken, people trapped and desperate dying in fruitless attempts to cross it. Her hands clutch tightly around the arms of the chair, the temperature of the tent rising as the beams of light that filter in pulse like a breath. ] People are trapped by it. My whole unit died crossing it for a stupid supply run. The foldβ [ at my parents, her mouth fumbles around the thought, stumbling to stop it. They were probably crossing it because of her. Just how large was the Sun Summoner's body count?
She could cut him. Hurt him to make him leave. It's not like it's even real.
But that would make her like Kirigan, wouldn't it? The light that had moved forward like a gust of air retreats as she leans back into her seat, her mouth moving carefully around each of the words. ]
Grisha, like Kiriganβ like me βare not exactly trusted where we come from. Useful. But not trusted.
[ Grisha women scare me, Mal had joked, and still it echos around her head. But Ravka's begrudging acceptance is still better than being hunted and slaughtered. Easier to deal with than the constant uncertainty straddling Ravkan and Shu but belonging to neither. ]
And I just have to.
[ A Saint that will vanquish the fold. It's a children's story, but stories repeated often enough become real. She just didn't think it would ever be so literal. ]
no subject
What do you mean? [ But her question is sharp, and she is not really interested in an answer. Her country was broken, people trapped and desperate dying in fruitless attempts to cross it. Her hands clutch tightly around the arms of the chair, the temperature of the tent rising as the beams of light that filter in pulse like a breath. ] People are trapped by it. My whole unit died crossing it for a stupid supply run. The foldβ [ at my parents, her mouth fumbles around the thought, stumbling to stop it. They were probably crossing it because of her. Just how large was the Sun Summoner's body count?
She could cut him. Hurt him to make him leave. It's not like it's even real.
But that would make her like Kirigan, wouldn't it? The light that had moved forward like a gust of air retreats as she leans back into her seat, her mouth moving carefully around each of the words. ]
Grisha, like Kiriganβ like me βare not exactly trusted where we come from. Useful. But not trusted.
[ Grisha women scare me, Mal had joked, and still it echos around her head. But Ravka's begrudging acceptance is still better than being hunted and slaughtered. Easier to deal with than the constant uncertainty straddling Ravkan and Shu but belonging to neither. ]
And I just have to.
[ A Saint that will vanquish the fold. It's a children's story, but stories repeated often enough become real. She just didn't think it would ever be so literal. ]