Little Shadow//Shadow & Bone

four

"How's it feel?" Mal asks Alina. "Ready to take on the Fold?"

"I feel ready to take on the world," Alina admits.

"No need to take on the world. Just everyone currently after us is enough," Mal tells her.

"So, the world," Alina remarks.

"I'll keep us off the beaten path, but we'll be on our own again," Mal says.

Nikolai walks towards us. "Who says you'll be on your own? I want a front-row seat to the light show, thank you very much. Plus, the King is on the other side of the Fold, ergo so is my payment."

"We could definitely use your arsenal," Mal tells him.

"Maybe some kind of fortified carriage?" Alina offers.

"Carriage?" Nikolai asks. "Land travel is so boring. And that'll take days. Come along." Nikolai shows us down the deck. "Prepare to decouple! Kovu." He pulls a lever. "Secondary mast released! Engage secondary sail."

I hold my arms out to steady myself as suddenly we're in the sky. Alina won't budge from the bench.

"Alina, you gotta see this," Mal tells her.

Alina shakes her head. "No, I really don't."

"No, trust me, you do." Mal laughs as he pulls Alina up from the bench. "Come on."

"How is this even possible?" I question.

"Did you expect any less?" Nikolai remarks. "It's like you haven't even met me. Years and years of designs and several dozen crashed prototypes."

"Crashed?" Alina questions.

"I call her the Hummingbird," Nikolai tells us.

"Captain, the Fold's in sight," Tamar shouts.

"Next stop... destiny," Nikolai says.

We head straight into the Fold. I feel no better this time around then last.

"I hate this place," Mal states.

"Just a bit of pitch black and bloodthirsty monsters," Nikolai offers. "What's not to love?"

"Seems like a good day to kill some Volcra," Tamar states.

Tolya sighs. "I'd much rather a hot bath and a book of sonnets."

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Mal asks Alina.

Alina nods. "I feel stronger than ever. This is my chance to finally eradicate it. For good."

Alina takes a deep breath before letting the light out. It surrounds us going deeper into the Fold. I turn away as an even brighter light emerges. I can start to see the sky. Then suddenly Alina's light flickers.

"Alina?" Mal asks.

"What's happening?" Nikolai shouts.

"Alina!" Mal shouts.

Alina falls to the deck as her light goes out.

Mal rushes to her side. "Alina. Alina. Alina."

I can hear the volcra getting closer.

"Kovu, get us out!" Nikolai orders.

A volcra lands on the deck and I take a deep breath before slicing it in half.

"Move a little faster please!" I shout.

Another volcra flies overhead. Finally, we burst through to the other side of the Fold.

"Kovu, begin descent," Nikolai instructs. "Brace yourselves for landing."

It's not much of a descent. Really, it's more of a crush. As we make impact, I feel Nikolai grab hold of me. He pulls me close as we hit the ground. Nikolai helps me stand up.