The Phoenix Summoner (ON HOLD)

48

Anya stands in front of a mirror adorning a long flowing red dress. Her hair had been tied up into a low bun with her short pieces hanging out in tight ringlets. Gemstones were littered throughout her hair and on her head sat a small hair crown with a ruby that wrapped around her head. If she had stood there any other day wearing this dress, she would have thought herself beautiful. Not today however. She knew what was to happen today and what she was feeling was not one of hope, but emptiness. Aleksander had taken whatever shred of hope she had and crushed it into thousands of pieces.

Hope of tearing down the fold. Hope for a better Ravka, and hope of seeing Kaz again. Her heart dropped at the thought of Kaz. They had confessed their feelings to each other and for a split second nothing mattered. In that split second she thought of a life they could share, unfortunately reality came crashing down in the form of Aleksander.

"You are special." He says stepping into the tent watching her in awe.

"You do know that?"

"Where's Alina?" Anya says ignoring him. Aleksander walked closer surveying every inch of her body while she looked everywhere but him.

"She's safe." He answers vaguely. He stops behind her gently running his fingers down the wings on her back. She tenses up at his touch, which doesn't go unnoticed by him. He walks around taking her chin in his hand and lifting her up. She did not saying anything as she glared at him. He watched as her eyes flickered between his. There was a time where she use to look at him with such affection. Now as he stares into her eyes, all he can see is anger and mistrust. Whatever affection she held for him is gone and was replaced with pure disdain.

"You love him? Don't you?" He asks. Anya's expression dropped and that was an enough needed answer for him. It made his blood boil seeing Anya in love with the thief she chose over him. Aleksander could have given her the world and anything she desired yet she chooses an incomparable thief who could never give her what he could. He drops her chin backing away from her.

"You and Miss Starkov are about to prove it to the world how special you actually are. There will be foreign diplomats on this crossing of the Fold."

"If you want me to play along with your demonstration, you will release Alina's friend." Alina told Anya about Mal and what happened with the Stag. Anya could tell they truly cared for one another and Anya was not going to let the person who took care of her sister die.

"Please. I just want to talk to you." He pleads.

"I've had enough of your lies."

"And what lies are those?"

"About the Black Heretic. You spun all this guilt around your burden, the sins of your father. There was no father. You created the Fold. You killed so many of my friends, not mention almost me. My parents. You didn't tell me about the truth about Alina. And now your perversion of power extends to me." She hisses turning back around to face the mirror. Aleksander looks down almost as if he was ashamed.

"Baghra." He states, his gaze hardening. He knew his mother had let the tracker go, but he didn't know that Baghra had helped them escape and told her everything he had been hiding from her.

"How could you so easily believe the twisted words of that angry, old woman?" He says.

"And who should I believe? You've been lying to me since the day I met you. You knew who I was this whole time and tried to lock that part away by erasing my memories!"

"Telling you half a story is not the same as lying." He defends.

"And what about conspiring with the Apparat to poison the King and usurp the throne? Did you? Or did you want to tell half-truths about that, too?" Anya could feel the sting of her tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"Continuing to serve such a king would make me a traitor to my country. And my conscience."

"So then you're a martyr?"

"I would've thought you of all people would understand what it's like. To live in hiding for fear of being murdered simply for being. It's why I built the Little Palace in the first place." He said standing up. He walks closer until his is a couple inches away from her.

"Everything that I have done, everything that I have ever done, has been to make Ravka safer, to make Grisha safer!"

"Did you think Genya was safe when you placed her under the King's watch?" Anya could probably never forgive Genya for what she did, but in the end Genya was still family and she hated Aleksander for putting her through all she's been.

"Am I to believe that you will show Baghra mercy? I could have made Grisha safe, but you never gave me a choice." She said as a tear falls down her cheek.

"Perhaps." He said wanting nothing more than to wipe away her tear, but knowing she wouldn't let him.

"But you have given me one." He said grasping her hands. "A chance to make amends. To finally win. The Fold was not your mistake..."

"The Fold was no mistake!" She snaps.

"I never intended for it to be the blight it's become. Or for men like the King or Zlatan to exploit it for their own gain."

"You put that collar on Alina and this mark on me to exploit our power for your gain!"

"For us. To help us conquer the Fold together." He reaches up slowly, cupping the side of her neck.

"You and me. You and Alina cannot do this on your own. And neither can I." He goes to lean in to kiss her put she pushes away yanking her hands from his own.

"We could've had this." She whimpers, holding her arms to her chest.

"All of it. You could've made me your equal. Instead, you made me this. You don't care who suffers, as long as you win." Aleksander's heart plummets at Anya's words. He had hoped he would've been able to make her see reason. But if she wanted to continue to see him as a monster, then so be it.

"Fine. Make me your villain."

~

"Consider yourself lucky." The first army soldier said looking at the forged papers given to him by Jesper who was in disguise.

"You're travelling with the Black General, the Sun Summoner, and Phoenix Summoner which means you are about to witness the destruction of the Fold." The soldier looks down examine the papers again before looking back up at Jesper.

"I know. I look amazing for my age." He smirks teasingly.

"Well, I thought you looked older." The soldier said handing the papers back. Inej and Kaz snicker quietly behind him while Jesper looks away offended. They begin making their way towards the skiff when they hear people whispering coming from behind him. They turn around and Kaz's heart stops at the sight of Anya. She looked so broken and empty. His blood boiled when he saw the General place his hand down the small of her. He would have lunged right then and there if Inej hadn't pulled him back. He looks at her and she nods I understanding.

"I know. Not until Novokribirsk." With that the three crows make their way onto the skiff, but not before Kaz catches one more glimpse of Anya. He was getting her back, even if it's the last thing he'll do.