black sky comes

“Where do you think he’s gone?”

“What the fuck do you mean, ‘where do you think he’s gone’?” Valasca retorts, mocking her friend with an honest laugh and a shake of her head. “Where do you think he’s gone?”

“You think he’s gone looking for her?”

“Sal, if you think he hasn’t, I have some news for you.”

His dark brows furrow together, his whole face twisting with concern, with confusion, and she punches him playfully in the shoulder as they lean, side-by-side, in a secluded alley in the Sheystead marketplace, far away from the prying eyes of The Vow.

It’s been a windy day, but it’s really starting to pick up now, beginning to howl, and they have to start raising their voices over it. Luckily, they’re mostly sheltered where they are - only a little breeze begins to kick up dust near the far edges of the buildings they’re hiding between.

People hurry by, trying to take shelter from the storm, but Valasca and the head of Antioch’s guard are not bothered - which is really kind of the point.

“Oh come on,” she continues, raising her eyebrows with a shit-eating grin. “You really didn’t think he would go after her?”

“I mean, I - well, I guess I just thought he’d pay someone else to do it,” Sal admits with a shrug, rummaging in the pocket of his leather jacket.

“Oh - here,” she says, quick to lightly tap his arm and fish her own cigarette case out of her pocket. “We had one of yours last time.”

It’s been a long time since they’ve shared a cigarette together, what with Val being released from The Vow and all that nonsense, but it’s good to see her friend again, and she lights the cigarette eagerly, puffing only to get it lit for him before offering it to him.

He takes it gently - she wonders how he’s always so gentle with those big hands of his, but tries not to think about it too hard. She shrugs at his small thanks - she owes him, there’s nothing to thank her for - and when he’s finished with his turn and offers it to her, she pauses before she takes it.

“Y’know, I really should quit.”

Sal scoffs, smirking. “Why? You love smoking.”

“You know, because …”

“Because she doesn’t like it?”

“Well, yeah.” She huffs, frowning, and shakes her head when he offers it to her again, pulling her arms across her chest. “You know, she’s … she’s important to me, too.”

Sal says nothing to this, and she understands. He is still confined to the culture of his employer, his family. Emotions aren’t expressed, and when they are, the consequences can be … well.

Unpleasant is putting it lightly.

“Look, I had it tough growing up, but …” She tries to be concise for his benefit, settling for, “she made it a little easier.”

She feels torn. Really, she shouldn’t be here with Sal, sneaking away and gossiping with him. She should be out there with her uncle, looking for Medea …

Valasca’s mother had essentially abandoned her at Antioch’s doorstep when she was a child, and Antioch, despite everything that he is … he’s the closest thing she has to a father. And Medea? Well, if Antioch is like a father to her, she is the closest thing Valasca’s ever had to what she believes a mother truly is …

Someone who cares about you no matter what … Who loves and supports you, even when you’re wrong, and encourages you to succeed.

Suddenly, something makes a loud, low sound, and both of them start, Valasca instinctively reaching for the pommel of her sword. Her blue eyes flick to her friend, her muscles tense, her mind alert, heart accelerating.

“Time to go?” She asks, and no sooner has she said it than the sound grows to a horrifying crescendo, and she’s vaguely aware of the sound of screaming before Sal pushes her to the ground, shielding her with his own body as the roof of the building is torn off, sending shrapnel raining down upon them.

“Stay down!” he shouts above the cacophony, and the command sends a shiver down her spine as she shrinks beneath him, covering her head instinctively.

Something large crashes into the building, sending stone and splinters hurtling toward them, and Valasca screams in fear as Sal finally pulls her up and shoves her in front of him. “GO! GO GO GO!”

How in Grace’s good name did this happen so fast?!

When they reach the street, it becomes apparent that they’ve been blind to a lot of devastation, but they don’t have time to process it. More debris is flying toward them, and whatever insane twister of wind is coming towards them is not slowing down - in fact, it appears to be gaining momentum.

They have to get out of here … but how?