Enchanted -N. Lantsov

In This World Without a Voice or Say

Fucking rich people.

For a moment Olysia almost regretted not moving to Ketterdam because she was convinced if she had, she would be swimming in piles of kruge that weighed more than several of the biggest men combined by now. Then she could pretend to live as if she had no care in the world just like these people because all of them would go away with a stack of kruge that she wouldn't even miss because she had plenty left to waste.

But unfortunately, that is not what happened. Now, Olysia has a stronger sense of loyalty to her fragile and failing country than to herself. A shame really.

The respectable people all turned to look as parade passed, lifting their hats, whispering behind their hands, bowing and curtsying when they caught sight of Vasily and Nikolai.

After what felt like the longest ride yet, they finally reached the golden gates of her personal hell, the Grand Palace.

Luckily for her she had no reason to enter. She would be stuck outside with the others until Alina came back, officially as their new leader.

Tolya helped Alina down for her horse and she looked back at the people who had chosen to follow her. Alina finally saw Olysia and she could see the nerves that shone in her eyes. Olysia simply nodded, convinced that Alina would be successful and do what needed to be done.

Alina took a deep breath and the nerves were gone, replaced by a steel look of determination. She nodded back and walked up the stairs confidently.

The nerves of the group around her was beginning to make her anxious. They stood in complete silence, just sharing weary glances with one another.

When Alina finally walked out, everyone stood straight as if on instinct, scared of the consequences of appearing to be weak in front of their leader. Alina nodded at Olysia, letting her know her claim to lead had been accepted.

There was a small part of her that had tensed up for a moment because seizing back up. Olysia could not afford to get comfortable, this was only the beginning.

Everyone took the winding white gravel path. Alina, flanked by Tolya and Tamar, led the group through the palace grounds, past the rolling lawns and follies, and the high walls of the hedge maze. They entered the wooded tunnel. The trees pressed in on us and, above, the branches wove together in a canopy of green.

Once they emerged into bright sunshine, a clear view of golden domes appeared.

Home, sweet, home.

She gazed upon the glimmering lake and the island at the center, the white pavilions on the shores.

Olysia observed the place that once meant safety and protection long ago but had shifted into a nightmare. Now it seemed that it had transformed into a prison with the way First Army soldiers were stationed around the grounds, equipped with rifles on their backs.

The message was very clear, the Grisha were walking a very fine line of being tolerated and persecuted.

A group of servants dressed in gray waited on the steps to take our horses.

Alina took her time getting down and when she did everyone scurried behind her.

The servants flung the doors open wide, and everyone stepped inside. They walked until they reached the Hall of the Golden Dome.

There were four tables arranged in a square at the center of the room, sitting or standing in tightly clustered groups of red, purple, and blue. All of them stood as Alina walked in.

Olysia looked at everyone who showed up that she recognized. Her heart stuttered as she saw a familiar slouching figure. There David sat in his seat at the Materialki table.