Meant to Be My Balance

Chapter 2

I blinked, once, twice, opening my eyes to velvet and a thin, crusted layer of blood on my skin.

My room in the Little Palace. Had it only been months since I was last here? Attending balls, training with Baghra, following the Darkling like some lost puppy? It felt like ages ago.

I was still in the muddy, torn clothes from the battle, and my head pounded. It was dark, and I bathed the room in a soft glow, watching carefully for anyone hiding in the shadows.

But I was alone. Guards were surely outside the door, and it would be silly to think I could walk right out. But I eyed the gold-framed window with new-found curiosity. If I could make the jump to the second story balcony—

A knock broke through my thoughts, and the door opened.

I wanted to reach for something sharp, but my hands came up with bunches of blanket.

"Rest easy, Alina." His voice was like a caress, dark and soft, but with a pointed edge, as if I were only seeing the dull edge of a vicious blade.

"Where is everyone? What did you to Mal?" I was too weak to stand, but I was on my feet in seconds, hands clenched together at my sides. I was alone with the Darkling. This would be my only chance to perform the Cut.

But not until I knew where my friends were.

He leaned lazily against the door, black kefta pristine, dark hair combed back. He'd done this to make me look less, in my bloody war clothes.

The Darkling's gaze lazily went to my hands. "There's a reason you're not bound. You don't have the strength, nor the will, to fight me."

"I'm strong enough for the Cut."

His quartz eyes locked on me. "I doubt you'll attempt the Cut until you know where your precious otkazats'ya men are."

"What did you do to them?" I willed my voice to hold strong, but the pain seeped through anyway.

"I wonder how it felt, a weak prince and disgraced soldier laying their lives down for you. Was that what you liked about them? Because I can assure you, Alina, the loyalty of otkazats'ya is nothing compared to what I can give you."

The Darkling took a step closer, and I felt the tendril of a shadow brush against my arm. I yanked it away.

"You don't have anything I want."

He raised his eyebrows, a taunting smirk playing on his lips. "You don't want the safety of your friends? The protection of your little cult? The success of your country?"

I stayed silent, and he continued. "You will be escorted to the throne room in one hour. You may bathe and dress yourself, but that is a privilege, Alina, and an offer of trust."

I scoffed. "You say you want to make me your equal, then you hand me scraps and call them privileges?"

The room went still, and I was reminded of the foolishness I had upon coming to the palace. The Darkling was a killer, and I should have known it the first time I looked into his slate gray eyes.

"Do not defy me, Alina. You have much at stake."

If his gaze wasn't enough to silence me, the threat was. I blinked, and he was gone, the door shutting behind him.

I hadn't cried in a long time. I'd felt like it, but war didn't allow room for crying. Even in the moments when it felt like we were on the brink of losing, Mal was there to comfort me. Nikolai was there to give me hope. Now, their lives dangled in the Darkling's hands. And after everything we'd done to defy them? He'd slit their throats and have me watch.