Chapter Seven: Reaction

                                    

                                          
Isa lean against the railing. watches as Alina practices controlling sunlight. The Sun Summoner seems frustrated as whatever she is trying to do is failing. It's quite spectacular to watch though. Almost every member of the crew that is free is watching. Either that or is watching Sturmhond try to teach Mal how to fight. Mal's not half bad at fighting, so he can at least keep up. Though, when Sturmhond makes a joke about Mal flapping his arms like a chicken, Mal responds by clucking like one. The tracker has almost as much charisma as the captain, making it interesting to watch. 
"Hello Beautiful," she hears as Privyet leans on the railing next to her. 
"I see you're not afraid of me anymore," Isa jokes. Since they have left the Darkling and his crew behind, most of the ship's crew won't interact with her. It's been mainly the twins and Sturmhond. The rest now look at her like she's a monster. Which she feels like honestly. People just now see what she had been feeling all these years. But it is nice having Privyet acknowledge her once more.
"I'm sorry for that," he informs her. "I was in shock. I never would've thought you were-"
Isa puts on a smile and look at him.
"I understand."
He looks over at her.
"I shouldn't have reacted that way," he tells her. "Finding out you are.... a Shadow Summoner doesn't change you. 
"I'm glad you realized that," she jokes. Her eyes scan the deck once more. It looks like Alina has completely given up for the moment. "I should probably check up on our guest."
"Of course, Beautiful," he smirks, lightly kissing the top of her hand. "I hope this didn't ruin my chances," he jokes.
"We'll see," she jokes back, winking. 
Isa walks over to Alina, who is now watching the sea. Alina's brown hair flutters in the wind some and she keeps pushing it out of her face.
"You okay?" Isa asks.
"Yeah," she answers, looking over at Isa. "I just feel... unbalanced. Like I need to have the third amplifier from the stories."
"Stories?"
"Morozova's Amplifiers," Alina responds. A soft smile grows on the dark hair woman's face as she realizes the red head is still confused. "I'm glad to know I'm not the only one that didn't learn the Grisha stories as a kid."
"I know the basic theories that my mother taught me," Isa informs her. "Like how most Grisha's would burn up from multiple amplifiers."
"I learned that too. Until we figured out Morozova created three amplifiers that are supposed to work together."
"You're really trusting me with this information," Isa laughs. 
"The Darkling already knows this," she states. "Plus, didn't you say I should trust Sturmhond. And he trusts you."
Isa lets out a laugh.
"I think your logic is flawed."
"What do you mean?"
"If I said you should trust him and I actually was against you, then you shouldn't trust him."
Alina shrugs. Her eyes seem to be studying Isa. Maybe the red head over thought it or explained it in an odd way. Maybe people outside of Ketterdam don't think about every possible way a person can double cross them or scam them. Or how they can double cross or scam the other person.
"Where are you from?"
Definitely not common thought process outside of Ketterdam apparently. 
"Excuse me?"
"You have a slight accent. Where are you from?"
"Oh.... Um... Kerch. Ketterdam specifically."
Alina nods her head before looking out towards the water. 
"And you decided to leave?"
Isa grips the railing and lean back; thinking about how to explain it to her. That Isa had to be two steps ahead of everyone. How women of her class are meant to be seen not heard, and she didn't like it. Or how she felt like she was trapped in a cage and she had to do what it takes to have some sense of freedom. Or maybe the fact that she did find a way and it became a way for her to have some power over her situation. All are reasonable answers. And all feel wrong to say.
"Ketterdam has a way of bringing the worst out in a person."
"Oh?"
Isa spots Tolya in the corner of her eye. She looks back at the Sun Summoner. Alina has a soft glow to her after using her abilities. That or the sunlight is reflecting off of her perfectly where she looks like she's glowing. Either way, it's almost breathtaking looking at her. 
"Maybe I'll tell you more about it," Isa smirks, winking at the girl before walking over to Tolya. He crosses his arms and looks down on her. Not only due to the height difference, but it seems he's mad or disappointed at her. She crosses her arms.
"Are you mad at me?" she asks.
"No," he tells her. His eyes seem to focus on her face, trying to read her. She tries not to shift under his stare. Why is everyone trying to study her today? Tolya can't use the excuse of her coming out as a Shadow Summoner. He's known for a long time.
"You need to practice," he tells her. There's the thing he's disappointed about. "You got lucky when we dealt with your father."
"Practice will only do so much against those shadow demons," she weakly laughs. "I don't think they were natural."
"I agree. It had to have been merzost."
Magic. It is theorized Grishas can use merzost, but it comes with a price. The universe requires balance. Or at least that's what the theories claim. There is no proper records of anyone using merzost before, so it's impossible to know for sure. Though some writers theorized that's how the Darkling created the Fold centuries ago. Though no one knows for sure. But it would make sense that if he had used it once, that he'd be able to again. 
"So then you agree practice won't help."
A smirk forms on his face.
"That's not what I'm saying." 
She smiles at him.
"It was worth a shot." Her eyes scan the deck some as the thought of people seeing her use her abilities terrify her for some reason. They've already seen her do it, but she can't bring herself to do it. "I'll practice later."
"I'll meet you here after dark then," Tolya states, clearly able to understand what she had meant. She nods her head.
"Thanks."
"Of course."
She starts to walk away but turns back to shout, "I expect to hear a new epic tonight. Not the same one about Sankt Grigori."
"I'll remember that," he smiles. She heads down to the lower levels of the deck and to where her hammock is. Tamar and Alina have separate quarters from the other, as does Sturmhond. And until recently, she never really did envy them of that. Now, even when trying to sleep, she feels eyes trained on her. But currently, no one is down here, so it's quiet. Barely lit by the one lantern hanging on the beam. 
She crawls into her hammock and reach under her pillow. A hard, rectangular item is there. She pulls it out to inspect it. With the very little light, she can still make out the title. She thought she had accidently left it on the other ship. Tolya must have grabbed it before they left. He was the only one that knew she had it. She pulls the book close to her, cherishing the first gift she had received since her mother had died. The slow rocking of the ship and the hammock lull her to sleep, clutching the book.