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Sturmhond ordered the sails trih the mist An uneasy silence blanketed the ship I studied the whaler’s longboats, the racks of harpoons tipped in Grisha steel It wasn’t hard to guess what they were for The Darkling was after some kind of aht be singled out for another of the Darkling’s "gifts" But a terrible suspicion had taken root inside me

It’s ht brought me little co ordered ht to him

"Who is it for?" I asked as Ivan depositedjust stared out into the waves I considered shoving hi Sure, he was hundreds of years old, but could he swi what I think you are," I said "Tell irl"

"Sory for the life of a mouse? Believe me," he said, "I wish I could"

I felt sick "A Grisha can have only one amplifier You told me that yourself"

"Morozova’s aaped at hi?"

"They were ether, Alina They are unique, just as we are"

I thought of the books I’d read on Grisha theory Every one of the: Grisha poas not meant to be limitless; it had to be held in check

"No," I said "I don’t want this I want--"

"You want," the Darkling mocked "I want to watch your tracker die sloith my knife in his heart I want to let the sea s you both But our fates are entwined now, Alina, and there’s nothing either of us can do about that"

"You’re mad"

"I know it pleases you to think so," he said "But the aether If we have any hope of controlling the Fold--"

"You can’t control the Fold It has to be destroyed"

"Careful, Alina," he said with a slight sestured to Ivan, aiting a respectful distance away "Bring me the boy"

My heart leapt into my throat "Wait," I said "You told nored me Like a fool, I looked around As if anyone on this saintsforsaken ship would hearus, his face i’s sleeve "We had a deal I haven’t done anything You said--"

The Darkling looked at me with cool quartz eyes, and the words died on my lips

A moment later, Ivan appeared with Mal in tow and steered hi in the sunlight, hands bound It was the closest we’d been in weeks Though he looked tired and pale, he appeared unharmed I saw the question in his wary expression, but I had no answer

"All right, tracker," the Darkling said "Track"

Mal glanced froain "Track what? We’re in the middle of the ocean"

"Alina once told me that you could make rabbits out of rocks I questioned the crew of the Verrhader myself, and they claim that you’re just as capable at sea They seemed to think you could make some lucky captain very rich with your expertise"

Mal frowned "You want"I want you to hunt the sea whip"

We stared at hion?" Mal said incredulously

"The ice dragon," said the Darkling "Rusalye"

Rusalye In the stories, the sea as a cursed prince, forced to take the forid waters of the Bone Road That was Morozova’s second a hts "A children’s story It doesn’t actually exist"

"There have been sightings of the sea whip in these waters for years," said the Darkling

"Along witharched a brow "Like the stag?"

Mal glanced at ave an infinitesi, eren’t going to help

Mal peered out at the waves "I wouldn’t even knohere to start"

"For her sake, I hope that’s not true" The Darkling pulled a slender knife from the folds of his kefta "Because every day we don’t find the sea whip, I’ll peel away a piece of her skin Slowly Then Ivan will heal her, and the next day, we’ll do it all over again"

I felt the blood drain from my face

"You won’t hurt her," Mal said, but I could hear the fear in his voice

"I don’t want to hurt her," said the Darkling "I want you to do as I ask"

"It took ," Mal said desperately "I still don’t knoe did it"