The True Saint

For All Eternity

        I like the Darklings protectiveness of Amelia. Whether he admits it or not, he does care for her in his own way. He felt as much of a connection to her story as I did when we met Amelia. "I like your soft side," I say tracing the sharp line of his jaw with the pad of my index finger.

        "I am not soft." He ruffles.

        I hum. "Of course not. We wouldn't want people to find out that the Shadow Summoner has a heart."

        "I am the soulless leader, and you, the one with the heart. It is better if that is how the people see it." He leans in and rests his forehead against mine. "Besides, I do not wish to share my heart with anyone else but you, my darling."

        I swoon over his sentiment and smile against the soft brush of his lips. Then, we allow our lips to meet. Out of the corner of my eyes, I notice the Sun Soldiers glow a bit brighter and the Shadows shift and shudder. Watching them brings a thought to mind. Although I cannot stop this war or other wars to come, I know that we will succeed as long as we are united.

        In the distance, we hear the town warning bells ring. They grow louder until it is the only thing that can be heard for miles. I take a deep breath and give Aleksander a nod to let him know I am ready to fight. He helps me up and holds my chin loosely. "For all eternity."

        "For all eternity," I return.

***

        I wish there was more to tell about the war, but in reality, it ended as quickly as it was sprung upon Os Alta. The people of Ravka have begun to call it the Night's War. It only lasted for the late hours of the night and we had either captured or killed the majority of the Störningar. We lost good soldiers and there was a few commoner casualties, but with our newly-made army, we were able to decrease the Störningar's numbers exponentially, to be sure that there would be no future uprising. Aleksander's Shadow Soldiers were nearly invisible at night. Only the bright shine of the moon highlighted their tall frames. My soldiers were a bit more difficult to maintain. They morphed more into blue moonlight after about an hour of battle. The sun was hard to find as it disappeared completely behind the hills. Our power worked hand-in-hand, though. Just as I had predicted, my light blinded the extremists temporarily, giving the Shadow Soldiers a chance to slice through the enemies.

        After we returned to the palace, the Darkling and I were pulled in different directions to take care of political matters after the Night's War despite my desire to hide under the soft covers of my bed after fighting for so many hours. There was still the problem of Fjerda wanting revenge for the death of their king, but their country has suffered too much to start another fight for quite a long time. When they do come together to revolt, we will be ready. We immediately begin arranging for fortified borders and more troops sent out to secure enemy lines. We also send specialized personnel to track down the shipments of jurda parem that were estimated to be somewhere between Tsibeya and Chernast. Queen Leyti has kept true to her conditions. After the Night's War, without even a thank you, she retracted her military, and Grisha we're no longer protected in Shu Han. I hoped that maybe we could maintain the alliance, but I know how they feel about Grisha. It would not last even if she did suggest coalition.

        I have not even laid eyes on Aleksander since the battle ended. We have had different, but equally hectic schedules. When he is done with a meeting, I am whisked away to make a public appearance meant to inform the commoners of our victory and send condolences to those who lost their lives in the battle. Though I have been beyond busy, I have not exactly made it easy for the Darkling to find me. I act as if I am at peace with this, but in reality, I am far from it. Three nights following the war, Aleksander finally finds me in our room sitting in a velvet chair by the crackling fire. He sees me staring at documents that hold many names. 237 names to be exact. They are all of the casualties—Second and First Army soldiers, Oprikniki, and commoners—as a result of the battle.