Seriously, thank you guys for all of the love and support! Your comments encourage me to keep writing the best that I can every day. Anyways, enjoy! <3
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Aleksander's POV
I ᖴEEᒪ SO ᗰᗩᑎY EᗰOTIOᑎS that I have practiced muting for centuries. I don't understand. I feel nothing for the tracker's death; he was just a thorn in my side. Regardless, seeing Alina's perfect face streaked with tears from weeping all night makes me want to tear my eyes out. I hate how mournful she is. She is more than mournful, she is broken. I broke her. That was clear by the mile-wide surge of light that she let out of her small figure last night. I've never seen anything like it. Even Fjerda must have been able to see the light. Her hair turned white when she let go of her power. It flows freely through her veins now. She is much more powerful than she realizes. The Otkazat'sya was holding her back from her true potential.
The soft rays of morning sunlight shine through the window. They seem to attract to Alina, making her skin glow brighter than it already is. She has no idea how stunning she looks. Her rose lips are parted slightly in her peaceful sleep.
I move a strand of white hair from her face, making her stir a bit before moving closer to my body. She puts an arm around my torso and rests her head on my chest. I'm not sure how to explain it, but laying with her just seems... right. I want to stay here forever with her curled up next to me. We most likely won't have another moment like this for a long time. She will push me away for killing Mal once she is done mourning.
If I had to do it again, I would not change my decision to kill him. He would have shot the Heartrender. If Alina was not stopped, she would have been taken over by Merzost. I made that mistake and I will not let it happen to her too. Merzost feeds on the Grisha that it persuades to use its' power.
I hear a knock at my door. My immediate reaction is to send shadows to consume whoever has interrupted time with my Alina, however, a king can never relax.
Luckily, Alina did not stir from the noise and she is still snuggled close to my body. I have fought in wars and lived multiple personas for five hundred years, but this will be the most difficult thing I have ever done. I slowly slip out from Alina's grasp and place a pillow under her head. Her hand reaches out and searches for someone beside her, then grabs the blankets and pulls them close to her in replacement.
I stand and watch her sleep peacefully for a moment. She truly earns her title as a Saint, the way she glows constantly making her look heavenly. Even if her eyes are puffy from crying.
Another knock at the door replaces my infatuation with irritation. I stalk over to the doors and open them aggressively, revealing a slightly terrified Ivan.
"S-sorry to interrupt moi tsar, but you asked me to inform you about the Lantsov boy."
"Yes, get on with it."
"We found him, moi soverenyi. He was hiding in an abandoned stable. Nikolai is being held in the dungeon as we speak."
I nod in comprehension. "I shall speak with him immediately. I would like to question him more of the mutiny planned by Miss Starkov and she is in no condition to answer such questions, so Lantsov will have to do. Now, make yourself useful and guard the door. The Sun Summoner is not to leave under any circumstances, understood?"
"Yes, moi soverenyi."
I get dressed quietly, trying not to disturb Alina before striding through the palace. I approach the dungeon's stone entrance and descend the many stairs to the dark, damp cells. The dungeon is perfectly dreary for the privileged, egocentric prince.
When I step out of the shadows and reveal myself to Nikolai, he extends his chains as far as they will go. The boy leans against the bars of the cage casually as if he was about to discuss the weather.
"Where are my friends?" His chains clank against the cell bars.
"Ah, you mean the accomplices to the revolt against me."
"We will defeat you. Alina will grow stronger and finish you off once and for all," he spits back at me.
"Well, your Sankta Alina is at my mercy now that she has been caught and contained. Now, you will answer my questions," I say matter-of-factly.
"And why is that?"
"It would be in your best interest to cooperate if you want Alina unharmed." It hurts me to threaten Alina, but I need answers.
He stays silent afterward. I take the indication to start. "Good. Now, who is all involved in this plan of Miss Starkov's?
"Take a hike, Shadow Man."
I turn to the dungeon guard, "Lucian, please go retrieve Alina and bring her down-"
"-Wait!" Lantsov bangs his bound hands against the cell.
"Yes?"
"... Mal, Genya, Zoya, Alina, and I were the only ones involved. Zoya helped us escape your escorts out of Ravka. Mal and I cleared a path for Alina to get the book and Genya found shelter for us once we got here."
"Where is Zoya?" If I can find her, she is most likely with the Soldat Sol, Alina's army. I can put a stop to her revolution against me once and for all.
"I truly don't know. We thought it would be best if the associates at the Grand Palace should not be aware of the army's whereabouts. It turned out to be a good idea obviously."
"You may not know where Alina's army is, but Genya was assigned here because of me. She was separated from your army before you were taken from the battlefield. As I take it, she was not originally a part of the plan. I will make sure to talk to Miss Safin later."
"What about Mal? Why is he not in the dungeon with me?"
I ignore the topic and move on to my next question. "What was Alina going to do with the book of Merzost once she claimed it?"
He hesitates before replying. "She was going to make an army out of light to fight your wretched nichevo'ya."
"She was going to create an army with Merzost?" I do not wait for a reply before walking away. I have all I need.
I hear the Lantsov boy yell from the cage as I start to ascend the staircase.
"Wait! Where's Mal? What did you do to him?"
And there it is. I can feel my wicked side shine through. This is what Merzost took from me. I do not have vitality to give, so it took my humanity and I seek satisfaction over strategy. "I killed the Otkazat'sya," I say in a cold tone.
"When I get out of here you will suffer for what you have done! Do you really think Alina will ever forgive you? You may have won this battle, but you lost Alina in the process!" His voice gets smaller and more echoed as I climb the stairs.
I try to shrug off his words, but annoyingly, they hold a truth to them. My wicked side is what gets things done. Fear is a powerful ally. In the end, I like the dangerous side that takes over, but recently it has appeared when Alina is involved as well. Especially when it comes to her friends and her pathetic love for them. Am I jealous? I have never been jealous before, but Alina seems to be able to pull these emotions out of me without trying. She makes me weak and she doesn't even know it.