𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞

Ⅻ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒍𝒇 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒔

THE HUMMINGBIRD LANDED WITH A THUD IN THE SAND AND IRA LOOKED UP. Jesper was the first to climb over, immediately rushing for Ira. "You're alive," Ira said with a laugh. "That's a plus." Jesper laughed softly, but the smile barely pulled at his lips. "What?"

Ira gently took Ira's arm and stepped away from the pyre. "Ira... Tenzin he..." Jesper cursed and chewed on his lips. "Ira I'm sorry."

Iras heart beat against her ribs as her breath started to pick up. "No, no, you're fucking lying," Ira hissed, pushing Jesper's arm off her hands shaking.

Jesper shook his head and Ira took a shakey breath. He pulled the bag from over his shoulder, handing it to Ira. "It's his stuff. I figured-" Ira shook her head and the bag slipped from her hands. Jesper quickly wrapped his arms around her and she cried into his chest. Jesper ran his hands through her white hair, whispering, "I've got you, Ira."

As the others walked closer, Ira stepped back and wiped her eyes before stepping further behind Jesper. Nina moved to stand with her however, keeping one hand wrapped around her waist as Nikolai walked to the tops of the steps, the Shu sibling on his left, the Squallers on his right.

The ginger girl, with deep scars over her body, stepped up first, taking one of the torches Ira had lit and ignited the end of the pyre. She handed it to Zoya who lit the top. Alina stepped up last taking the torch and tossing it on top of Kirigan's body.

Once the three stepped back, Nikolai started his speech. "Today is a new beginning. For all of Ravka. Hell, for our whole world. It's a bit daunting, isn't it? Knowing where to go from here. We've had a singular focus for so long. So much blood has been shed. After hundreds of years separated by the Fold, we can celebrate a unified Ravka. Our neighbors to the North

will see us united and will aim to strike. But often it's not the battle that takes the most from us. It's the aftermath. The chance to put the pieces of our lives back together."

Nikolai glanced back at Mal before continuing. "When a Firebird rises from the ashes, it is not the same. But in that rebirth, is potential. Potential for new purpose. Thanks to what Alina has done for us, we all have a chance to better the world now that the Fold is gone. And above all, you must trust. Trust in each other. In yourselves. Trust in the fact that this is the start of better days to come. And it won't be easy, of course. Nothing is.

I had hoped to end that on a more uplifting note, but here we are."

Kaz turned first, leading the crows back to the Hummingbird, letting the others speak amongst themselves.

❆

ELVIRA SAT ON THE EDGE OF THE DOCKS, WATCHING THE NEXT BOAT GET READY TO LEAVE. Elvira spun the ash wood in her hand, her nails picking at the loose bark. The bag, Tenzin's stuff, rested in her lap, tucked safely between her legs.

Soft footsteps slowly approached and Ira sighed. "Hello Inej," Ira whispered. Inej sat silently next to her, waiting for Ira to speak first. "It's my fault. It's my fault he's gone."

"No, no it's not," Inej insisted. "Alina needed you."

"He needed me more," Ira said, her voice cracking. "I called on Djel to help me face the Volcra. It had to come at a price, I knew it had to. But I thought it would be me. Another scar, more spilled blood." Inej took her hands, took the wood from her grasp, and put it back in the bag.

"That wasn't your fault," Inej said, her voice harsh. "It was The Darkling. His monsters."

Ira scratched her side, the scar she got from the Volcra just a few months ago. "When are you getting on the boat?" Ira asked, turning to Inej. Inej furrowed her eyebrows. "Kaz had me looking for that lead for months. Long before word of The Sun Summoner. He wanted to do it himself but, somethings a Ghost does better than a crow. Now you have your chance..."

Inej nodded. "I'm leaving on the next one out. Mal, Tamar Toyla, the lot of them," Inej answered softly. "I need to find my brother, but Ira... you will always be my family. My sister."

Ira wrapped her arms around Inej and smile. "I'll keep the seas steady for you," Elvira promised.

"I'll bring stories back, Elvira Dal."

"Dalström," Ira corrected. "If you're my sister you might as well know my name. And..." Ira pulled her silver dagger from her waist and handed it to Inej. "Take it."

"Inej," Toyla called. "You ready?" Inej nodded and stood.

"Tolya," Ira called and he turned back. "If anything happens to her, I'll split you from balls to brain."

Tolya laughed but Inej pulled her lips tight. "She's not joking," Inej said, walking onto the ship. Tolya nodded before racing onto the boat.

❆

ELVIRA PUSHED OPEN THE DOOR TO TENZIN'S WORKSHOP, LOOKING OVER THE TOOLS HANGING ON THE WALLS. Jesper looked down and her standing in the doorway. "You don't have to do this yet," Jesper said softly. "We got back three days ago. Kaz put in your name, it'll always be here."

"No, I... I can do this." She took a breath and stepped inside, her hands ghosting over projects, ones he displayed with pride, and some he'll never finish. Jesper closed the door and waited by it as Elvira carried on. She walked to his desk where a package was set up in the center. A pin and a note rested on top.

Elvira Dalström,

I wrote this in Kerch so you wouldn't have to spend hours translating from that old book. I know this mission to Shu-Han and then to Ravka is dangerous. I don't think I'll make it out of this one Elvira, but it's not that bad. I'll get to run with my sister through the market again. I'll make new blades and pins with my brother. I'll taste my mom's cooking and my dad will tell me how to keep my curls in order.

I hate that you won't be at my side, and I'm sad I can't be at yours, but I'll always be with you, long past the last time you mutter my name. I may never see you, but once you've lived a happy life and finally move on you'll go to your god and I'll stay with my Saints. But I'll always hope that maybe they'll let us see each other then.

Live long Elvira. My marvelous dangerous Ghost.

Enjoy your gifts.

Ira's tears hit the parchment, bleeding the ink. She set the note aside and picked up the pin, a crow carved into the metal with three words. Well fuck it. Ira laughed softly and pinned it next to the wolf one. Elvira peeled back the parchment that covered the gift inside, two bone wolf handles. She reached over the box, carefully taking the blade that had been set in front of it.

"Jesper," Ira called and he looked up. "Can you help me with this?"

"Course love."' Jesper strolled over to her, pressing his hands to the table.

"Can you piece these together?"

Jesper walked around to stand next to her and carefully took the pieces. "It might look off," Jesper spoke up. "We should probably pay someone-"

"Please Jes, I trust you."

Jesper sighed and pushed the handle against the end of the blade, pushing the pieces together. With a searing red light, the pieces melded together. "Holy shit, I did it!" Jesper smiled turning to Ira who already held out another blade and handle. "You're making me do free labor."

"You're helping your dearest friend Jes," Elvira corrected and Jesper scoffed at her. He repeated the action and Ira smiled.

"There you go m'lady," Jesper cooed, setting the swords next to each other. Jesper turned to Ira who was still smiling, but not a real one, a coy one. "Now what?"

"Do you trust me?"

"With my life." Ira reached into her pocket and pulled out the small rib bone. "What is that?"

"This..." Ira tossed it in her palm. "Is a piece of The Darklings rib. He's an amplifier so I thought..."

"You want me to weld that into your bones?" Jesper asked with wide eyes.

"Into my wrist." She looked up a Jesper who still stared at her. "You don't have to. I can find someone else."

Jesper huffed and pulled up at a stool. "You gotta talk me through this."

❆

IT WAS A SILENT DAY IN THE NEW CROW CLUB, MOSTLY DUE TO KAZ LOCKING THE DOORS. Elvira sat on one of the stools next to Nina. In the short months, they had been back, Elvira had cut her hair to above her shoulders and she had gotten a piercing through the septum of her nose. Tenzin had told her once that the Suli pierced their noses to show their sign of moving on. And the Fjerdan laws prohibited piercings, especially ones that could damage a woman's beauty.

"You three," Kaz called from atop the steps. "An opportunity has presented itself. The most lucrative job we've ever taken."

Ira turned, letting the smoke fall from her lips. "You've got my attention," She called.

"There's a new weapon about to hit the market," Kaz began. "If it does, it could make the destruction of the Shadow Fold seem like a spring picnic.

Every corner of the world would feel the effects. It's a drug called jurda parem. Highly addictive. And if Grisha take it, their power is amplified

a thousand times over." Kaz started to walk down the steps and towards the door. The chemist who created it fled to Kerch once he realized what he'd done, but the Fjerdans caught him. He now awaits trial.

If the Fjerdans weaponize this drug, the consequences would be unimaginable. Everything we've ever known, every strength we've relied upon, shattered." Kaz turned back to the others. "Any questions?"

Jesper turned to Elvira. "You excited to go home?"

❆

❝ cold as 𝒊𝒄𝒆, sharp as a knife ❞