Go back home
They left The Darklig's body with the Soldat Sol to protect and went back to the warehouse where Genya, David and Misha were waiting for them.
"Saints!" Genya screamed seeing them approach. The Tailor ran towards Kaida and warped her arms around her. "You left me so worried with your last words," she said, pulling away from the hug. "Nikolai, you are back," Genya couldn't help but hug him, the same with the rest of her friends. "You are all alive," she said with a big smile.
"Harshaw didn't make it," Zoya said sadly. They all stayed in silence for a few seconds.
"What happened?" David asked calmly.
"Yes, what happened? We saw a strange purple cloud cover all Ravka out of nowhere. Kaida! Your eyes!" Genya said.
"I know, I know," Kaida said with a smile too. "Let go inside and talk about what happened and what are we going to do next,"
They all went inside and before they did the meeting they gave some new clothes to Nikolai.
Kaida was with the rest of her friends, waiting for Nikolai and Tolya to arrive.
"I love your new eyes, and hair. They look amazing," Genya said with a smile.
"Thank you,"
"But I want answers. What in the world happened?"
"We all want answers," Tamar said with a smile, Nadia next to her.
"I will give them to you, don't worry," Kaida said. The door opened and Tolya and Nikolai entered. Kaida left a seat next to her for Nikolai and there was another one next to Tamar. She smiled at the boys but her smile disappeared when she saw Nikolai taking the seat next to Tamar and Tolya next to her. Genya and Kaida looked at each other confused.
They all stayed silent, not knowing what to say.
"If no one is going to ask the question we are all dying to know, I'll do it," Zoya said. "Kaida, what in the world happened? You were able to control of the small science, Sun and Shadow included,"
Kaida let a small laugh escape her lips. "You all know the story of the Original Grisha?" just David nodded. "Okay. Well, the Original Grisha, as the name says, were the first Grisha in the world but they are only born when the world needs them. They had the power of the mind when their power was incomplete, and to complete that power they needed to accept all the pain, happiness, sadness, every emotion that every person in this world feels and connect with them and if they weren't strong enough they died. I'm one of them, the second one in history to survive. The Original Grisha is the most powerful Grisha ever known she can't be killed, but the world needs a valance so he created a person, only one person that could kill The Original Grisha,"
"Then we need to find that person and make sure he or she won't kill you," Alina said.
"That's not a thing to worry about, I know he would never hurt me unless I ask him for," Kaida said with a smile.
"You know who is him," Zoya said, surprised.
"Yes, I do,"
"Then who is it?" Tamar asked.
Kaida took a long breath. "Jake," They all turned to look at him.
"Me? Why me?" Jake asked, confused.
"I don't know, but it's you," Kaida said.
"That doesn't make sense, he will die and you will remain young for, I don't know, a million years," David said.
"No. I will grow up the same as him. The world needs his balance and if Jake dies and I continue living he would lose that balance and something even worse than the Fold could be created. Time affects me the same way as the normal people," Kaida looked at Nikolai. She was happy because she didn't have to live after he died, but he didn't even look at her.
"This is insane," Adrik said with a laugh.
"It is," Kaida said smiling. "Now, what is going to be our next step?"
Alina and Mal looked at each other and before the sun summoner spoke she took a deep breath. "This was my martyrdom," Alina said. They all turned to look at her surprised.
"What?" Genya said surprised.
"Alina, are you sure?" Kaida asked her.
"I don't want to live as a living Saint, and I lost my ability to summon," she explained. "We will rebuild Keramzin," They all turned to look at Nikolai, he was the one who had to approve the decision.
"If that's what you want" he said. Alina nodded. "Then you will have the help you need to rebuild Keramzin,"
"Thank you," Alina said with a smile.
"The people will want to see a body, they will want to mourn her," Jake said.
"That's true," Kaida said. "You like it or not you are a symbol to the people, you are hope and they will want to see their Saint leave this world,"
"What can we do?" Alina asked.
"I could tailor one of the dead bodies," Genya said. "It won't last for too long but it can work,"
"We just need her face for a few hours. That will work," Zoya said.
"Okay then. We'll do that," Kaida said.
"What respect about me and what happened to me. It's going to be a secret, the people will think I was just kidnaped by The Darkling and kept as his prisoner. Only we will know what truly happened. Everyone get ready to march to the Fold and then to the Grand Palace," Nikolai left the room after that, his head down.
They all looked at each other confused for his attitude.
"That was weird," Zoya said.
Kaida didn't say anything and stood up making her chair to sound and ran after him.
"Nikolai," Kaida called him, trying to reach him or making him stop. "Nikolai," Kaida called again louder. "Why everytime I call someone to stop they ignore me?" Kaida murmured, walking faster towards him. "Nikolai, stop," he didn't stop. She saw how he was about to enter a room. "Nikolai, stop!" Finally, he stopped, his hand on the handle of the door. "Nikolai, turn around and look at me, please," she asked.
Slowly, he turned around, but his eyes didn't meet hers.
"What 's going on? Are you okay? Talk to me," she said sadly.
"It's nothing, I'm just tired," he said.
"That's why you don't meet my eyes? Because you are tired?" Kaida asked. "Don't lie to me,"
"I'm not lying," Nikolai said.
"Yes, you are," she said frustrated.
"Stop using your small science with me!" he snapped.
Kaida lifted her eyebrows angrily. "I'm not using it,"
"Then how do you know I'm lying?" he asked angrily.
"Because I know you! I know you act distant with people when you are not okay, I know you don't look into people's eyes when you are lying! I know you. I will never use my small science with you because we are supposed to trust each other, to tell each other when we are not okay, so stop being a jerk! If you want me to leave, I'll leave, but only if I hear the words coming out of your mouth," Kaida said furiously.
They stayed silent for a few seconds, Nikolai finally looking into her now purple eyes.
"Well?" Kaida asked, crossing her arms over her chests.
"I almost killed you," he said in a whisper. "I almost ate you alive," Kaida's expression changed to comprehension. "I hurt you and almost killed you. Why are you still with me?"
"You also saved me, Nikolai," Kaida said, taking a step towards him. "Why can't you believe I love you?"
"I do,"
"No, you don't. If you did you would know I would never leave you. What happened wasn't your fault, Nikolai, none of it,"Kaida was now in front of him. She lifted her hands and put them gently on his cheeks.
"I thought I was going to be a different king, but once again Ravka is going to have a monster on the throne" Nikolai said, his voice breaking.
"You are not a monster, my love. You are the bravest, strongest, kindest and best person I have ever known. You are not a monster," Kaida said, their forehead together.
"I'm scared, Kaida," a tear ran down his cheek and Kaida cleaned gently with her thumb. "I feel like my drowning and I don't know how to swim,"
Kaida opened her purple eyes and connected her eyes with his hazel once. "Then I will pull you out and show you how to swim, I will give you my lungs so you can breathe. We will survive," Nikolai started nodding and then hugged her strongly, hiding his face in the empty space between her shoulder and her chin.
"I love you, little dragon," Nikolai whispered.
"I love you, sobachka," Kaida whispered back. Kaida pulled away from the hug. "Let's go, we have a tyrant to burn and fake a friend's death," Kaida said with a smile.
"And go back home," Nikolai said.
"And go back home,"
⚜️⚜️⚜️
They all got dressed and rode back to The Fold where the Soldat Sol were waiting keeping The Darkling's body safe.
"Let's take his body to the Capital so we can burn it in front of everybody, they deserve to know that what made them suffer so much is gone," Nikolai said. They all agreed and got ready to start marching to the Capital.
Kaida rode next to Nikolai, her chin up and a small smile on her lips. The people of Ravka were around them, cheering at them and giving thanks.
"Sankta Kaida!" someone shouted. "Daughter of the world!"
All the people started cheering her name.
"Long live to King Nikolai!"another one shouted and all the people started cheering their names.
Kaida looked at Nikolai and they both smiled.
The Grand Palace was quite ruined, but The Little Palace was completely ruined but they didn't care.
They all got off their horses and got ready to burn The Darkling's body and bury "Alina's" dead body.
The Darkling's body was lying on top of several stacked logs, Alina's body next to it ready for burial.
They were all ready to burn The Darkling's body but they needed to wait for Kaida to give the order. Nikolai looked at her, she had sad eyes, he couldn't understand after all he did why she was still sad for his loss, but he did understand that he was an important part of her life.
Kaida looked at him and walked away from him to approach Alexander's body.
"You lost," she whispered. "I'm sure you are pretty angry because we won, but know that we lost too. We might have won the war but we lost too many things in the process and all because of you," Kaida said with tears in her eyes. "I hope you burn well in hell, Alexander Kirigan," A tear escaped from Kaida's eye and fell down her cheek. She walked away and got beside Nikolai. "Burn it," she ordered.
The Inferni send flames towards The Darkling's body and they all stand there looking the flames consuming his body. Alina and Mal were with them, hiding but they were there, watching him burn.
When the only thing left were ashes they walked towards where they were going to bury Alina.
"My dear friend, I hope you rest in peace," Kaida said before Alina's fake body disappeared in front of them.
"Today it's a new start for Ravka!" Nikolai started his speech. "We have lost a lot with this war but this is not the end of Ravka. We survived and we will continue living. Ravka will come back to what it was, but better!" The people started cheering. "I will become Ravka's new King, but I won't be alone. I'm happy to announce my compromise with Kaida Deveraux," the cheers got stronger and the people started to shout:
"Daughter of the world,"
"You really know how to call everyone's attention," Kaida said with a smile approaching him.
"Of course," he said with a smile before pulling her into a kiss.