Blood and Water - The Darkling

Chapter 12: Arguments

Is it harder to lose a mother or to simply never know one? Either way, I feel for him. He's lost his family piece by piece - first his brother, now his parents. "I'm sorry. I know this is never how you wanted it to happen."

"Well, regardless, I've finally gotten what I wanted. The king has stepped down, the path to the throne is clear. If there weren't an all-powerful dictator and his monstrous horde to attend to, I'd be opening a bottle of champagne. No offense."

Also so glib. But I know the truth.

"When will you take the crown?" I ask to move us away from melancholic conversations.

"Not until we've won. I'll be crowned in Os Alta or not at all. And the first step is consolidating our alliance with West Ravka."

"Hence the ring?"

"Hence the ring." He smooths the edge of his lapel and says, "I don't care that you're pregnant, you know. It would be rather hypocritical of me would it not?"

I try to hand the ring back, "I can't accept this. Not now, maybe not ever. It's not fair to either of us."

"Life isn't fair, Lana." he says, curling my fingers over the emerald, "but keep it regardless. A privateer learns to press any advantage."

"And a Prince?"

"Princes get used to the word yes."

With a sigh, I slip it onto a random finger on my right hand, not at all ready to replace the glittering onyx band.

Just when I think that the conversation is over, Nikolai says, "You know, I would never lie to you or manipulate you, Lana. I hope you feel the same."

I know that he's referring to my relationship with Aleksander. Considering how it's gone the past few months, my heart takes a hit. But I'm not ready to talk about this. Instead, I just quip, "How many lies have you told me, Sturmhond? How many secrets have you kept until you were ready to share them?"

He tucks his hands behind his back, looking distinctly uncomfortable, "Prince's prerogative?"

"If a mere Prince gets a pass, so does a living Saint."

Though he knows that I'm very aware that he was not referring to me, he still goes with it, "I hate how you have a habit of winning arguments. It's very unbecoming."

"Was this an argument?"

"Obviously not. I don't lose arguments."

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It's absurdly late. I spent most of the night helping Nikolai with various plans and schematics. Before I can even close my eyes, there's a pounding on my door. I groan but drag myself up. After slipping on a robe, I open the door and hiss, "What?"

Alina, Mal, and the twins greet me. My sister's panic is glaringly obvious. I sigh but quickly slip on my boots.

"Lead the way," I mumble.

We somehow end up in David's room. The journey was a bit foggy but now I am wide awake. Apparently, Alina believes that the Darkling plans on weaponizing the Fold in the very very near future. Supposedly, David may have made something that could make this possible. I know it's true before the Fabrikator even confirms it.

"There was a plan for a glass skiff that Nikolai and I came up with," David mutters.

Alina frowns and glances at Mal, then at everyone else. Tolya and Tamar look puzzled.

I lean forward, "David please tell me you didn't."

He nods slowly, "The frame is made to hold lumiya, a variation on liquid fire."