𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐍𝐄 — the slat

━━━━━━━

 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐊 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐓𝐒 of Ketterdam were cast over in a darkness that only the Kerch could recognise. The air was always thick, the ground always slick with rain and sometimes the blood that had been drawn from those who had the gall to be a little too handsy.

 Residents of Ketterdam, and more specifically The Barrel, knew the streets well, but that did not mean they enjoyed them. Aleksa, however, always did enjoy exceeding expectations.

 To the Shadow Summoner, Ketterdam and the murky depths of the Barrel was nothing less than freedom. A golden cage of lavish silks and finery had kept her within its grasp for the bigger part of her childhood and teenage years; she had enjoyed the fine Kefta's Aleksander would gift her. The jewels that had once lined her fingers and the food and drink that would line her growling stomach.

 But the ability to traverse through a city filled with the very thing she commanded and bent to her will was exhilarating. Knowing that if she turned a corner, there could be someone waiting to draw her blood made her skin buzz with excitement; she craved adventure, and she craved danger.

 Perhaps that was why she had jumped in and offered a hand to the Barrel dwellers. Of course she had needed a place to stay, the rings that had lined her fingers had been sold so she could afford to stay longer, but now her fingers were bare.

 She knew how the Barrel worked, you did not receive without first giving something to offer; Aleksa had offered her skills, power and delightful charm; in turn, the boy with an impeccably sharp jaw had hardly a choice but to offer her shelter. Though he too, benefitted from such an arrangement.

 Kaz — the boy with a dangerous glint in his eyes, Inej — the woman with an intimidating amount of knives, and Jesper — the jittery, gunslinging Zemini boy — all muttered amongst themselves whilst Aleksa walked a few paces before them, following the directions Inej would kindly call out.

 Aleksa caught peeps of their words here and there, primarily from the loud-mouth Jesper; they were talking about her. It wasn't all too surprising, after all, they had just witnessed the shadows follow her silent commands when all of those that lived throughout their world had been led to believe that but one Shadow Summoner could ever exist.

 They were — no doubt — going over various plans of her untimely demise should she step out of line. She'd likely receive a knife lodged into her pretty little heart or a bullet in the centre of her gorgeous face; she shrugged to herself, red was her colour.

 "I dunno Kaz, she did save us... And honestly, what exactly do you fight a Shadow Summoner with?" Jesper whispered, though his words were as clear as freshly cleaned Fabrikator glass.

 Inej nodded, her steps entirely silent. Whilst Jesper trudged through puddles and Kaz smacked his cane against the bricked ground, Inej made no sound, "He's right, there's only ever been one Shadow Summoner at any given time, Kaz. Nobody knows what they can truly do."

 "Then we find out, don't we?" Kaz replied, "My question is why. Why isn't she at the Little Palace with the other Grisha? Why doesn't her Kefta have any embroidery? Why is she in Ketterdam, and where is the Darkling?"

 "We could just..." Jesper shrugged and gestured theatrically towards Aleksa as she paced onwards, "Ask her. She hasn't tried to kill us, that's a win in my book."

 "Anything is a win in your book, Jesper."

 Inej shook her head, she was tired of hearing Kaz's theories, his and Jespers talk of killing a girl no older than themselves. She was alone in Ketterdam, and despite being a Shadow Summoner, being in Ketterdam was dangerous.

 The Suli girl huffed and left her Crows behind. She fell in line with Aleksa, "How long have you been in Ketterdam?"

 Aleksa flashed a dazzling grin that even the Wraith was almost blinded by, "Longer than I intended." Her shrouded answer made Inej's dark brow rise, "I could hear your sharpshooter, you know. So," Aleksa clapped her hands together, quickly hopping forwards before turning on her heel to walk backwards, facing Inej, but also catching shadow tinted glimpses of Kaz and Jesper, "How will my unfortunate death occur?"

 Inej resisted the urge to laugh. This girl was a breath of fresh air, "You want to know how we'd... Kill you?"

 Aleksa registered the hesitation within the Suli girls voice as she danced around the word kill. Clearly she wasn't intending to do the job herself, "I want to go out in a blaze of pretty glory. It'd be a waste otherwise."

 "You're like Jesper."

 "Then Jesper has taste."

 "You're a Grisha... You should be training at the Little Palace or fighting in the second army... Isn't that what they make Grisha do?"

 Aleksa's shoulders slumped, she had always wanted to fight in the second army, alongside other Grisha. She had been far more than ready to save the country, banish the fold and whatever else was expected of Grisha. Aleksander had shaken his head, a light touch to her shoulder as he uttered, "You are meant for more than that."

 She didn't want more. She just wanted to fight, to move... To explore outside of the confines of the four walls she'd been forced to endure within the Little Palace.

 She turned again, falling back to Inej's side and was very aware of Kaz's gaze burning into her back. He was listening to every word, "I'm different."

 "Yes. You're a..."

 "Shadow Summoner? A descendant of the Black Heretic himself? An abomination?"

 "That's not what I —"

 "— I'm a very pretty abomination, I'll give you that, darling Inej," Aleksa sucked in a breath, her fingers picking at her dark ink-black coat, "But no. It seems as though the second army was never within my cards. I'm not sure why."

 Inej's chocolate eyes narrowed. From what she knew of Grisha, the second their powers came to fruition, they were required to serve the King and crown, "What do you mean?"

 That grin blinded her again, and Inej almost stepped back as Aleksa tossed her mousy hair over her shoulder. The tendrils landed in perfect curls and Inej had to wonder if she was a Tailor too, "I know you want information on me. I know that cheekbones back there is listening to every word like a giddy child who stumbled in on their parents arguing for the first time, but there isn't much I can give you." A light, airy sigh tumbled from her pouted lips, "All you need to know is that I want to stay here longer, I'm not ready to go back yet. I'm willing to do whatever..." She glanced over her shoulder and flicked her bright eyes between Jesper — who waved at her, and Kaz who kept a stoic, cold look on her form.

 "...whatever it is you all do, just for a room. I can fight, I can bend the Shadows, and I can charm my way out of a war if need be." Aleksa smiled wide as Inej shook her head at that, "I just want a little freedom, is all."

 Freedom.

 Now that, Inej understood.

⋆⋆⋆

 The Slat was an incredibly ugly building, though it didn't stick out from the rest of the Barrel. It was a narrow building, and it tilted to one side... Aleksa was certain that if she stepped inside and stomped a little too hard, it'd tumble like a stack of bricks.

 The brick was slick from the downpour of rain, the corners were crumbling and Aleksa could see mould beginning to fester just below the shingled roof. The roof, for that matter, was covered in soot and as Aleksa came to a stop, she watched rainwater continue to drop from the shingles, each dewdrop tainted with ash.

 "This," Chimed Jesper as he displayed a similar bout of kindness as he had previously, and threw his arm over Aleksa's shoulder. He pitched his free hand forwards, wiggling fingers pointing at the haphazardly built building, "Is the Slat. Home of the Dregs; we all tend to come here when there's nothing better to do."

 "By we, Jesper means anyone but himself." Inej added as she flanked Aleksa's other side, "Jesper can be found at a table with no coins, and many terrible cards."

 "Mean, Inej. Mean."

 The clicking of a cane against stone caused Aleksa to throw her eyes over her shoulder, watching with curiosity as Kaz bypassed them and headed straight for the crooked, peeling door. His limp was more pronounced now, as the night grew darker and colder.

 The handle of the door creaked like rotting wood as Kaz turned it. Light flooded out, illuminating his pale skin and Aleksa, without much instruction, strolled forwards to follow.

 The inside was hardly better than the outside. Walls creaked and slanted to the side like a drunkard stumbling through the streets. The hallways twisted and turned, each of them crooked and seemingly unending. The wooden stairs were at the centre of the building, and even when the tiniest speck of dust landed upon them, they whined.

 Aleksa placed a hand on the bannister, ignoring the curious looks thrown from who Aleksa assumed to be other members of The Dregs. She peered up the staircase, eyes darting to and fro as the stairs curled upwards like a hefty vine seeking the sun.

 Inej was the one to approach Aleksa, watching as the girl stared up in... awe? It wasn't a look of disgust like many outsiders would throw the buildings of the Barrel and Inej's brain couldn't begin to fathom why on earth a Grisha from the Little Palace would look at a rundown, overgrown shack as though it was the best place in the world.

 "There's an empty room beside mine." Inej began, her voice softer than it had been when her knives had been settled within her palms, "It has a window, quite cold, though."

 "Oh, not to worry, I run hot." Aleksa winked, and though Inej knew the girl was being crude, she could see a pink flush in her cheeks and could even feel waves of heat radiating from her.

 Inej nodded lightly, her hand curling around the creaking bannister that was sure to fill somebody's skin with splinters one day, and began up the winding and moaning staircase, "Follow me."

 The room that Inej had led her to the third floor was tiny. There was a small bed with moth-bitten covers tucked away to the side, it's head close to the window. There was a small desk opposite it, and a chair that had seen better days was tucked beneath it with a thick layer of dust settled upon the discoloured wood.

 A trunk was settled behind the door, at the foot of the bed but Aleksa had few things she'd fill it with. The room she still needed to empty back at one of the bars she'd paraded in only held a few button-up, puffy-sleeved blouses, a black corset that sat snugly around her stomach and pushed her chest higher, a pair of black trousers that had suspenders pinned to them and an old book.

 She glanced around the room. The first thing she'd do was clean it within an inch of its life, and then find a cushion or two to place upon the window seat that would probably fall apart if she settled into it.

 "It isn't much but —" Inej was cut off by Aleksa twirling on her heel.

 Her features were drowned by the shadows, only moonlight drifted in through the murky window and lit her hair up like a halo, "It isn't." Aleksa concluded as she blew a bundle of dust away from her face and ruffled her hair.

 She scanned it again, watching the moonlight crawl over the dark oak furniture. It was nothing like the room Aleksander had kept her in back at the Little Palace. Her old home had been white walls with golden trimmings, pale pinks and blues sprawled over her bed. A grand bookshelf full of Grisha theory.

 But all of that had been a facade to take away from the bars on her windows.

 Aleksa stroked a finger to the glass of the window. She could feel the dirt beneath her soft fingertip, but it didn't bother her. She hummed, "But I can come and go as I please."

 "You can." Inej agreed softly. She understood better than anyone what it felt to be trapped. To want to run only to come face to face with a locked door, "Any time you like."

 Jesper had appeared by them, his tall and gangly frame inclining against the open door of the dim and musty room, "Home sweet home, huh?" He simpered before succumbing to a choke as dust slithered into his lungs, "Anyway. Kaz wants to talk to us... You won't want to keep him waiting."

 Aleksa rose a brow, a lopsided grin pulling at her lips and raising her pink cheeks, "Oh really? Will pretty boy glare at me some more if I'm late?"

 Jesper's lips curled into his mouth, his cheeks puffing out as he tried his damndest to restrain his laughter, "Please," He squeaked, his long body folding in half, "Please keep calling him that."

 "I will."

 "Oh, I adore you already."

 Inej stayed silent as Jesper gallivanted forth and slung an arm over Aleksa, a hand tousling her locks. She had to admit, the thought of the girl no taller than herself, calling the infamous Kaz Brekker pretty boy was certainly a treat.

⋆⋆⋆

 The night had dragged on, it had ranged from an interrogation of Aleksa's skills to plans of a smaller heist to see just what She could do. The Shadow Summoner had answered all of the questions Kaz had for her, though it was not without her coy smile and flirtatious comments.

 Then came the demonstration.

 It had mildly surprised Aleksa when Kaz had motioned to her with his gloved hands. His cane had been set to the side, a golden crow glinting in the candlelight as the Bastard of the Barrel rasped, "Show us."

 "Show you? Were the murders I committed an hour ago not enough for you? Greedy little thing." Aleksa sighed, though her fingertips were already buzzing with ecstasy at the mere thought of commanding the shadows again.

 Her movements had garnered shock from Jesper as he watched her raise but one hand. She wiggled her fingertips as though to reach for the shadows and wade through them like a current. Then with two fingers, she slowly swiped a line before her.

 A coil grew from the wall. Swirling darkness erupted forth, a single twirling limb crawling closer and closer to Aleksa. It looked like billowing smoke as it curled around her arm. The vine split open like a budding plant and each individual sprout of shadow wrapped around her fingers.

 "What exactly," Aleksa cooed as she lifted her darkened gaze from her twitching fingers and back to Kaz Brekker. His eyes lingered on the darkness curling around her bare arm, puffy sleeve pushed to her bicep. She grinned as he finally darted his eyes to her own and she cocked her head, "Do you want me to show you, Mr Brekker?"

 Both of her hands slowly rose into the air and the shadows followed like obedient dogs. More clouds of onyx smoke split from the walls. It was like a thorned rose, each individual thorn growing and growing until Aleksa was caged and shadows jostled around her.

 Inej wanted to recoil. Moving shadows didn't cast her mind to the Darkling that led the Grisha army, but the Black Heretic himself. The very man who had torn their world apart and left it scarred and divided. She had found herself wondering on many occasions if the world would have turned out the same way if not for the Shadow Fold at its centre.

 Would people have been closer? Kinder?  Would she have suffered in the same way she already had? It was childish to think.

 Jesper blew out a whistle, his hands lingering on the pearly handles of his beloved guns, "That's something, alright."

 That night, it was Kaz Brekker that had surprised her. He watched as the shadows swarmed her, yet never consumed her. As darkness clouded their eyes, yet she allowed light to peek through. He almost grinned at the thought of the many heists they could go through with when hiding amongst the shadows.

 No longer would they pick the easiest and darkest path that led them to their prize. They would make the path.

 "Get a good night's rest." He spoke, stone against stone, "We have a lot to discuss, and plan, in the morning, Aleksa."

 Aleksa waved a hand through the air, and like scared kittens, the shadows jumped back and faded into the dark corners of the room, out of the candlelight. She leaned forward with a grin as she regarded Kaz, "I'm sure we do, pretty boy."

 Jesper let out a snort.

⋆⋆⋆

 The days that had followed were full of surprises. The morning after Aleksa's first night sleeping within the drab and cool walls of the crooked Slat Inej, Jesper and Kaz had all banded together to pry her from her room and show her the Crow Club. Only, she wasn't there.

 Aleksa had risen with the dull beams of sunlight that had burst through her spotty window, a hand curling to drown it out and plunge her into darkness once more. She rose, she dressed and she admired herself for a moment before sneaking out.

 It was likely that the Dregs and Crows would be bowing at Kaz Brekker's feet and avoiding his eyes. In turn, they'd associate her with him. She didn't want that. She didn't want her uncanny charm to be drowned out by the Bastard of the Barrel whose glare would send a grown man running.

 So, she did what she always did and when Kaz, Inej and Jesper had found her, they had to take a moment to stifle their shock.

 One of their biggest, rudest patrons was grinning ear to ear as Aleksa threw her head back with a laugh. She had patted his shoulder and came to stand on  her tip-toes to do so as she said something to him before sauntering off towards the bar.

 The usually tired bartender, Joe, brightened as Aleksa appeared before him, her hand outstretched. The man had grinned at her as Aleksa shot him a bright grin whilst curling her fingers around the handle of a flagon filled to the brim with some kind of alcohol. She went on her way, and cheekily tapped the biggest man at the tables on his cheek, holding the drink out like a parent would hold out a puppy to an excited child.

 Inej laughed and left Kaz and Jesper behind as she twisted and skirted around the gamblers, drinkers, and pigeons. Aleksa had said that she could charm herself out of a war.

 "You've certainly made an impression." The Suli girl had uttered with a smile as she bumped Aleksa's shoulder, "I think even Kaz is impressed."

 Aleksa threw a look to Kaz who still stood stoically by the door, Jesper flanking his left. His gloved hands were curled around the head of his cane, fingers drumming an unknown pattern. Then he nodded. It was just once, a firm and stiff movement of the head, but it had been directed towards Aleksa who in a bout of pride, winked at him.

 "What can I say, Inej? People love me."

 Aleksa adjusted the cuffs of her puffy sleeves. Her fingers plucked and pinged her suspender against her shoulder and she looked around, surveying the crowd that bustled. Inej wore a smile. Jesper was flushed with amusement and was eying the tables with a hungry gleam in his eyes.

 Kaz looked... Well, like Kaz always seemed to look. But the hint of approval was still there.

 The bartender waved as her eyes passed him by and the patrons that squeezed past her clapped her on the shoulder in a friendly manner as though they'd known one another for years. Even those who had simply flitted into the club on a whim shot the Summoner hearty smiles and nods of greeting.

 Oh yeah, Aleksa thought to herself as she planted her hands on her hips and felt a coy grin spread over her rouge lips, this is where I belong.

━━━━━━━

01-01-2022

here is chapter one of act one; shadow and bone! i hope you all enjoyed this little introduction to act one, and just as a disclaimer:

I've decided that from now onwards, across all of my books, I won't even be thinking of releasing another chapter until we hit a certain amount of comments on the most recently released chapter: I don't care about reads and votes, I just want more people to interact via comments. it really isn't hard to leave a comment about how you felt about the chapter, or even thanking an author for what they've posted.

we authors spend so much time writing and plotting etc, for a majority of readers to just read and leave without any communication at all, and i'm done with that. the number of comments required for me to even begin thinking about posting another chapter will remain known only to me, but I really hope this makes more of you interact and stop ghost-reading (ghost-readers genuinely suck, and NO author likes them.)

have a wonderful day, and happy new year <3