Parem is strong. Even though I took none myself, just standing next to Nina I can feel it pulsing through her veins and I shiver. She doesn't even bother to glance in my direction as she raises her hands and says "you should get behind me, I don't want to hurt you" I snort, roll my neck and crack my knuckles "I'll be fine". I hold my hands out and I hear Jesper say "Kaz, what is Salem doing? Why aren't you stopping her?" There is a slight pause before he answers "trust me, she is fine" I blush at the confidence but focus on the threat in front of us.

"Stop" Nina commands the Fjderans in front of us, lightning starts to crackle at my finger tips. "Lay down your arms" I add and they do it without question, it must be Nina's influence, "sleep" she finishes swiping her hand through the air and all the soldiers drop to the floor. Row after row. The air is eerily still our friends behind us silent.

"Matthias!" I hear Inej call and we all turn, there stands Jarl Brum with another group of Druskellë, masks on their faces. "Traitor" Brum says "betrayer of your country and your god. You will not leave this harbour. None of you will" I step in front of my friends, ready to protect them from harm and Nina does the same "for Matthias, I will give you one chance to leave us" she raises her hands again. Brum smirks "you cannot control us, witch. Our hoods, our masks, every stitch of clothing we wear is reinforced with Grisha steel. This game is at an end" tilting my head up, closing my eyes and sighing I hear the lightning crackling above.

The soldiers whisper and I look back down at them, cocking my head to the side "what was that?" I ask and Brum has gone very pale. "You" he says accusingly and I smile wickedly "me" I taunt. Nina lifts her hands but nothing happens then Matthias shouts at us "go! Please! You-" but Brum lifts his gun and fires, we are too slow. I turn but already Nina is healing him. Parem is too dangerous, I conclude. Nina walks towards them, anger written all over her body "no" Matthias cries as gun fire reigns down on us, Nina heals her self one after another but I throw up a shield for the rest of us, Wylan looks up in awe. Hope written all over his face.

The Druskellë are gaping at us as Nina laughs "you e grown too used to captive Grisha. We're quite tame in our cages" I bare my teeth at them in anger, the Fjerdan's were keeping Grisha in cages? I will ruin them for it. Brum pulls out a king whip from his belt "there are other means" he says "your power canning touch us, witch and our cause is true" I snort and roll my eyes "you are murderers and liars" he ignores me and raises her hands "I can't touch you" she says "but I can reach them just fine" and the soldiers from earlier rise, their faces blank. Saints.

"For my country" she says flexing her fingers menacingly "for my people. For every child you put to the pyre. Reap what you've sown Jarl Brum" I bring lightning down from the sky then letting it crackle in my hand as the soldiers twitch and convulse, blood trickling from their ears and eyes as the others show no emotion. Robots. "Nina" Matthias says soothingly, the others still too shocked to say anything "Nina please" he glances at me and I nod my head dropping my hand.

"You know they would offer you no mercy, Matthias" I warn and he shrugs "I know. But let them live in shame instead" the heartrender hesitates slightly and he continues "Nina, you taught me to be something better. They could be taught to" a dream, a child's dream. Foolish yet I don't blame him. "They hear you as I once feared you" no one else speaks "as you once feared me. We are all someone's monster Nina" for a long moment she studies his face and my gaze wanders to Kaz. There is something in his eyes between horror and excitement, I know he is thinking back to the Skiff and the Fold. I bite my lip as he turns to Inej to whisper something.

Nina lets them live, although all passed out do they don't follow us. I let out a breath and let Jesper help me onto the boat.