𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 | 𝐒𝐨𝐂

𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐘-𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑. 𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐓 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐄

INEJ HADN'T BEEN THE ONLY ONE TO SEEK VENGEANCE from Heleen Van Houden. 

As she twisted the woman's wrist, the diamond choker, ornamenting her soft neck, slipped down the sleeve of her prison tunic. The jewels dug into her skin as she routed up the stairs, supplicating to her saints. 

The Black Protocol proceeded to blare in the back of her mind - trumpeting down the canal of her ears. Inej moved soundlessly through the ice palace, her feet graceful against the granite floor. Her heart careened in her chest, the beating organ twisting with each step.

She was walking the tightrope she had described to Natasha Van Doren - running blindfolded on the wire, with knives thrown in all directions. Inej was being ambushed in her home, the one dependable place she had felt alive. But she kept running, eluding blades and the expanding dread in her bosom.

She's alive, Inej told herself. Her bones were aching, grating against each other in their joints. You can feel it. Lis is alive. She paced faster, hands braced against the wall to steady herself.

"Stop,"

The life in her shuddered to a halt.

Inej glanced left and right, surrounded by nothing but a bricked wall. She was cornered from both ends of the staircase. A Ravkan guard aimed her rifle between Inej's eyes. A pack of Frejdans waited for her at the top.

Inej spared a despairing glance to her left. She was closer to the woman at the bottom. The Ravkan was tall, heavier than Inej favoured. But there was no way she could reach the top of the staircase without Grisha steel burrowing into the back of her head.

Inej grimaced, curving sharply on her heel. Neither ends were yet to move towards her. "Raise your hands," The woman bellowed. She focused her rifle, training it between the space of her brows. "Turn around," The Frejdans snarled in Kerch.

Inej did no such thing. Instead, she shifted to favour her shoulder against the wall. Worst case scenario she'd be leaving with her body swelled with bullet holes. The best - she'd be free with a cracked rib - or maybe two.

The Ravkan reiterated her demands in Suli, followed by Zemeni. "Fall in the name of the Ravkan king," Inej cringed, turning her back to the Frejdans -it left her automatically blind. 

"The Ravkan king," Inej quoted, squinting through cryptic brown eyes. She smiled - hoping that her lips somewhat resembled a potent smirk. A rebellious nerve sparked in her head, a feeling foreign to Inej. 

"You ask me to fall to my knees for a man who doesn't even know your name?" Inej snickered. "You wear his army's coat, bear his coat of arms on your gun. But will your king mourn you?" 

Inej didn't know what she was saying, somewhat dismayed at how quickly the words developed on her tongue. "Will he bore to comfort your grieving mama - or will he sit at a throne eating grapes?"

That subtle flicker of vulnerability was all that Inej needed.

She pinned her leg around the Ravkan's ankle, driving the heel of her palm against the woman's shoulder blade. The bone split beneath Inej's technique. With her free hand, Inej slammed her palm beneath the Ravkan's chin to quell any screams.

The Frejdans scrambled at the top of the steps, striving to catch Inej through the scuffle. The Ravkan's rifle was only a few feet away. Inej slung the hold over her shoulder, the barrel rubbing her back.

The Frejdans raised their rifles, conducting their aim. "You will pay,"

"Shoot me then," Inej called back, her chest heaving. She swept her braid over her shoulder, bothered at how the hair slipped free from its rope. "But then, what will you bring back to your boss?"

The Frejdan chortled cheaply. "I am sure you will be able to speak perfectly fine without a leg," He lowered his rifle, directing it towards her folded legs. 

Inej heartened herself for a pain that never came. "Alessia," Inej couldn't contain the relief in her voice. With the final strength in her lungs, Inej fell into her girlfriend's arms. "Saints you're alive,"

Jesper hurled off his hat, running a hand through his curly hair. "You clearly had a lot of faith in me, Ghafa," Jesper grumbled. He stood with his arms over Wylen, turning to face a wall. "Give them a minute," he whispered into Wylen's ears.

Wylen Van Eck's cheeks crimsoned an alluring pink. "Can we not take a minute, Jes?" Wylen mumbled, his voice low. He kept his chin buried in the collar of his clothes.

Jesper nictitated, a grin splitting across his lips. "You'd like that. Wouldn't you, merchling?" Jesper said, pressing a kiss against Wylen's cheek. "However, as much as I'd love to kiss you all over, I'd fancy the prospect of death not ruining our moment,"

Wylen sighed, burrowing his hands into his pockets. "Ladies," Jesper clapped. "We've got a job to do," He pulled hard on Alessia's collar, like a child hastening his mother at the supermarket.

"Well," Wylen asked, hurrying alongside Inej. Her caramel cheeks were flushed, her hand knotted tightly around Alessia's. "Did you bring a diamond?" Inej's smile grew as she slipped the choker from her sleeve.

"Saints," Alessia swore, taking the choker in her spread palms. "You stole this from Tante Heleen," Inej couldn't help but feel complacent. "How did you do that?"

"We'll save that story for a waffle date," Inej said, slipping the diamonds back up her prison tunic. Alessia's smile was weak with delight.

"What," Inej shrugged. "You didn't think I'd ever take you out on a date?"

Alessia waited until Jesper and Wylen were walking a safe distance ahead. "Saints, I like you like this, Inej," She smirked, kissing her softly on the lips. "I like you like this a lot,"

They both hastily pushed each other away as Jesper scowled over his shoulder. "Save the coddling for later," They both grinned, before running after the boys.

A/N 

- Enjoy the Inessia content it definitely didn't flay half the life in me to write. If you enjoyed please vote and comment! 

- rosa <3