colpo di fortuna

“there’s a light coming from that barn.”

mal looked over alina’s head to see that light was indeed peaking through the cracks of the barn when it suddenly disappeared. as alina feigned offense, he was suspicious. the fact that the smoke was coming from a put-out fire peeved him as odd. only people who had to hide would be so quick.

“please slow down,” alina said to the stag.

to both of their surprise, it did. then, mal jumped off the stag and held his arms open for alina. she gave him a pointed look and jumped off herself.

“hello?” called alina. “we aren’t here to hurt you. we just need a place to stay for the night.”

mal shook his head. “alina, i don’t think we should stay here. they might be dangerous.”

with a puff of her chest, she grinned. “between your fighting skills and my powers, i think we’ll put up a pretty good fight.”

he rubbed his face in concession and pulled out his gun. alina strode forward. she summoned light as she entered the barn, then waved her hand around to illuminate the dark corners. mal stayed by the door, dividing his attention between the stag and the barn.

“well, that’s weird. there’s no one here, mal.”

alina skipped out of the barn with a smile. “whoever was here must’ve left a candle burning.” she lifted the burnt-out lantern to his face.

he lowered his gun, still alert. “then, i guess we can stay here for the night.”

already, alina was guiding the stag inside. mal softly snorted and moved out of the way.

“okay, we’re gonna sleep in here. so, stay.” alina pointed to the beds of hay. again, to their surprise, the stag listened and settled in the beds of hay.

alina laughed. “i must look like a raging lunatic talking to the stag.”

“not more than usual,” mal mused.

at that, alina threw straws of hay at him that fell before reaching him. he chuckled and made his way over to the fire pit. it was still warm which made him more paranoid. he moved the wooden box to the otherside so he could face the barn.

alina joined him as he used his flint and stone to start a fire. she hummed at the warmth and huddled in the coat [y/n] gave her. after a moment, she looked solemn.

“do you think [y/n]’s okay?”

“i’m not sure. she probably got taken by kirigan’s men…” alina looked guilty, so mal offered a lopsided smile. “but, i’m sure with her powers, she’ll get out alright. could probably fly out of there.”

it didn’t seem like his words gave her much comfort as she stared into the fire. “we should go save her. we have no idea what general kirigan could do to her.”

mal sighed. “alina, i want to. but, we do know what kirigan will do to you and the stag should he catch you. [y/n] stayed behind so we could escape. i’m sure she wouldn’t do that if she didn’t have a plan to get out.”

“yes, she would.”

mal and alina jumped, mal reaching for his gun and alina with light at the ready. mal looked in the direction of the barn to see a girl in dark clothing. she walked towards them as mal trained his gun on her. she raised her arms in surrender when alina spoke. “didn’t you kidnap me?”

the girl laughed. “i believe you climbed into our carriage willing, miss starkov.”

“how did you find us?” mal asked.

“i was here before you,” she said.

alina tilted her head, lowering her hands. “what did you mean by ‘she would’? do you know [y/n]?”

“unfortunately… she’s my mother.”

ironically, crickets chirped in the dead silence.

“your mother?” several voices yelled in unison.

startled, mal pointed his gun towards the new voices and found three more people. the girl turned around and waved her friends over.

“i swear we mean no harm,” she said.

the man with the cane scowled. “is that why you didn’t want to be in the palace?”

she sheepishly laughed before returning her attention to alina and mal. “my name is irina and this is my boss, kaz. the one with twin pistols is jesper and the one staring at alina is inej."

mal nodded. “i’m mal.”

“and you already know my name,” alina said with her impossibly bright smile.

“okay! since we’re done with introductions, you said she’s been captured by general kirigan?”

alina grimaced and nodded, fidgeting with the sleeve of her coat. “she helped us escape.”

“she’s so self-sacrificing,” irina groaned and rubbed her face. “okay, what’s our plan?”

when you regained consciousness, you attempted to open your eyes, quickly shutting them after being met with blinding lights. you felt aches all over your body. cold intrusions weighted your wrists as you shifted them, accompanied by the clanking of chains. you could hear the bustling crowds outside, conversations about the famed general kirigan being in kribirsk. the wind kissed your cheeks red when several masses moved into wherever you were being held (you presumed a tent).

“get up.”

not carrying for the tone, you pretended to sleep. after several moments passed, your chains were yanked. you fell onto the floor, your muscles pulsating in pain.

“what a lovely wake-up call.” you wrestled against the hands grabbing at you and, when you lost, were forced to sit up. “you know, i usually get to know someone before getting rough. we all have our kinks i suppose.”

a high-pitched giggle rang before it was muffled (not very well though). with a cleared throat, it ceased completely. you slowly opened your eyes to observe the room. a total of five bodies: zoya, ivan, a palace guard, a durast, and aleksander. you’ve gotten out with higher odds stacked against you.

“tell me where they went.”

you rolled your eyes and smirked. “unfortunately for you, my dear general, i’ve only sent them off. just told them to run far from ravka.”

your former lover glanced at ivan who shrugged. he breathed in deeply, clenching his fists. he squatted in front of you and called out to his subordinates. “leave us.”

one by one, they left the tent, zoya hovering by the opening with a nasty look on her face. you looked at her and winked. her lips curled into a sneer before she huffed away.

you returned your attention to aleksander who took the opportunity to come closer to you. you leaned back but failed, closed in by a bench. you watched as his hands rested on your knees. you tried to shake them off only for him to grip tighter as they climbed your legs. you met his half-lidded eyes, thrown off by the (scandalously) familiar gaze.

“what the hell do you think you’re doing?” you said, your eyes darting from his eyes to his lips.

a lazy smile took residence on his face, his tongue flitting across his bottom lip. “did you not miss it?”

feeling very confused and slightly mortified, you tilted your head away from him. “miss what?” you asked.

“our rendezvouses. how you could have me groveling at your feet with a simple touch. how i begged to use my mouth to please you,” he whispered. he rested his hands, kneading your inner thighs.

you scoffed. “did alina rejecting your advances give you brain damage? you really thought i would—”

your words were swallowed when his lips meshed with yours. you would be lying if it didn’t make you have butterflies. after being apart for years, you couldn’t tell if it felt right or nostalgic. stopping yourself from getting lost in the feeling, you shoved him away with your bounded wrists and bolted up. aleksander stumbled back, looking bewildered and distant.

“how dare you?” you spat. “trying to seduce me again for your stupid ambitions? let me be very clear, aleksander. you may have fooled me once, but there will not be a second time.”

you snorted and shook your head, a flurry of emotions rising in you.

“for thirty years, i wondered why i wasn’t enough for you? for fate? did i not follow you faithfully? did i not hang off your every word? did i not love you more than my own life?!”

furious tears welled as you heaved heavily. aleksander was still, his mouth parted, looking as if he wanted to say something. you couldn’t afford to give him the chance anymore. the stitches in your heart were breaking at the seams.

“i hated the world for so long for not giving me the powers you desired. i hated myself over things i couldn’t control. i knew for months that i was not your fated, your wistful destiny, but i stayed. i hoped that your words were empty and you said those things in a drunken stupor, but they say drunken words are sober thoughts. i was a fool to wish otherwise.

“the day i left was the day i stopped allowing myself to mourn over the fact that you were no longer mine. i finally saw my worth and decided that i would love someone else who would too.” you wiped away the tears that fell, then closed your eyes to prevent more from falling.

“did you?”

“what?” you whispered tiredly.

you heard him shuffle to stand, his shoes dragging against the carpet. “did you find someone else to love?” he weakly asked.

you made the mistake of opening your eyes. you took in his appearance—his red, glossy eyes that bore into you and the subtle way his frame wilted. you couldn’t decide whether to scoff at the audacity of him, acting as if he was the victim, or cry at the sight of his regretful posture. even through everything, a small part of you desperately wanted to believe him and embrace him, but you knew you couldn’t—that you shouldn’t.

“i did,” you said, avoiding his eyes.

“oh,” he breathed. “are you still...”

“we parted ways prior to my being here.”

he hummed softly and looked to the sky—like he was praying to the saints. “what if... i was being sincere? would you give me a chance to prove it?”

a scoff left you in disbelief, bitterness coating your voice. “you continuing to pursue your delusions is proof enough for me.”

with longing eyes, he stepped closer to you and captured your hands in his. he bent his neck to level with you. “what i’m doing… what i have been doing for the past five-hundred years… it’s all been to make ravka safer, to make grisha safer, to make you safer.”

you turned away, your will to not fall fading, only for him to tilt your chin towards him. he cradled your face in his palm, brushing away stray tears. “please, [y/n]. i admit, i made one of the biggest mistakes in my life not searching for you. i believed that you were a placeholder, someone to keep me satisfied until the sun summoner came. when you left, i realized how wrong i was.

“every single day, for 30 years, you were my first and last thought. how are they? are they safe? i hope no harm has come to them. [y/n], when you appeared before the king, you don’t understand how relieved i was to see you. at first, i was angry and spiteful at you for leaving me alone, but, as time passed and we fell into routine, my love resurfaced and won.”

you chuckled. “and what would you have me believe alina was? i saw it in your eyes at the winter fete. the same affection i once thought you held for me.”

“the winter fate?” he paused before smiling. “[y/n], you must’ve caught me thinking of you wearing that kefta.”

you grabbed his wrist and pulled it away from your face, the heavy chains grounding you. “you must think me stupid to believe that.”

then, aleksander looked grief-stricken. he fell onto his knees, his lips ghosting over your hands. “what do i have to do to make you believe me, [y/n]?”

you offered a sad smile. “destroy the fold… then, and only then, will i believe that your words aren’t pretty lies to trick me into complying.”

you turned as much as the chains could afford you. “please leave me be,” you whispered.

it felt like eons before you heard him move away. “there will be an expedition through the fold tomorrow. we are to escort foreign diplomats. so, rest up.”

wind rushed back into the tent as he left. once the tent flapped shut, you sank into the ground. tears streamed down your face as you pounded your chest, trying to relieve some of the sorrow. you hated yourself for even hoping that some of what aleksander said was true. you hated that, unlike what you wished to be, you were still easily manipulated by his charms.

i hate that i can’t hate you.

—

unbeknownst to you, aleksander’s heart was rabid and his duplicity dissolved, almost like the kiss was a rush of cold water. he couldn’t find it in himself to deceive you—or himself—anymore.

at first, he was attempting to seduce you. but, when he had kissed you… it was like all those years without you were unreal. it was like he hadn’t lived in the moments where you weren’t there by his side. it was like he could finally let go of the breath he never knew he was holding.

he was a blind man who was given the gift of sight, a deaf man given the wonders of hearing.

he had never felt more stupid in his life. he already had his equal. [y/n] was there, presiding over his heart, and he was an idiot to believe what he felt for them was something akin to complacency.

“general kirigan!”

blinking, he looked up to see ivan running towards him. he raised an eyebrow questioningly.

the heartrender stopped by his side, leaning closer. “we found the sun summoner and the stag. should we bring them in?”

aleksander glanced back at your tent, then turned away ashamed. “bring them unharmed. bring the tracker too.”

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three days, you and mal agreed on. you procrastinated for the first two. well, not really procrastinated. you purchased some food and extra layers in balakirev the first day. the second day, you made your way to ryevost. to your misfortune, you were almost caught by aleksander and his merry band of misfits. but, his attention was stolen by teenagers? it was certainly entertaining to see the grisha get outwitted by the bunch.

you waited until you couldn’t detect them anymore. swiftly and careful to hide your face, you made your way to tsibeya on the third day. by high noon, the white forest greeted you with light snowfall. about 5km in, two huddled teens came into view. the crisp sounds of your steps alerted them, their eyes darting to you.

“[y/n]?” alina stepped in front of mal in a defensive position, light drawn at the ready. you surrendered your hands as mal lightly pushed away hers.

“alina, i told you they were coming,” he said.

with some reluctance, the sun summoner lowered her hands and eyed her. “why would baghra send you? you arrived at the palace the same time as i did.”

you smiled, ignoring her question, and strode past them, only pausing for them to follow. mal slung his sack over his shoulder and gave alina’s hand a light squeeze before jogging ahead of you. “i’ll look out for the stag. but, it’d be better for all of us if you answered her questions,” he whispered. “she’s naturally curious and very stubborn.”

you sighed and slowed your pace, matching your strides with alina’s. “baghra and i have a mutual understanding, one that precedes the importance of the second army,” you said.

alina glanced at you warily. “which is?”

“the black heretic cannot gain any more power.”

her lips pursed. “but, you arrived at the same time i did,” she quipped, “and i still can’t do much.”

you offered a dry chuckle. “i guess i picked it up that much faster.”

silence fell between you two, the crunching snow and distance chirps of birds filling the air. you took this opportunity to take in alina’s appearance. she wore ill-fitted clothing that couldn’t have been providing any warmth. her profile was worn, sunken eyes accompanied by an angry blush from the cool temperature. you shrugged your coat off, leaving you in your kefta, and draped it over her shoulders. she looked at you in surprise which made you smile softly.

with this small bridge, you spoke. “it must’ve been difficult escaping the palace without help.”

alina sheepishly smiled as she tugged the coat on, shuddering in the extra warmth. “not really. i just snuck into the trunk of a carriage and waited until it stopped.”

“you snuck into a stranger’s carriage?” you raised in an eyebrow, mirth evident in your eyes.

“not my best idea, but i’m safe now!”

you laughed at her embarrassed look, causing mal to look back. you saw as his lips quirked when his eyes met alina’s blushing face. warmth spread in your heart as you witnessed his loving gaze, almost feeling as if you were intruding on a secret conversation. you peered at alina who just returned mal’s stare with a blinding smile native only to one alina starkov. you envied their relationship, wordlessly intimate and completely trusting. sadness stirred at the bottom of your heart, memories of hushed giggles and longing gazes bubbling. 

all lies, it was.

—

the sun was setting and, luckily, the three of you had already arrived where mal had last seen the stag. mal said he doubted that the stag moved on, leaving you guys to wait around.

brushing some snow off of a log, you sat and hugged your knees closer to conserve some warmth. alina and mal joined you, leaning into each other to share their body heat.

“when we find the stag, i need to be the one to kill it,” alina grimly stated.

mal looked down at her. “you’re a terrible shot. they made you a cartographer for a reason.”

you snickered as alina feigned offense and mal grinned unapologetically. “besides, i thought we weren’t killing it,” the tracker said, glancing at you. alina’s forehead scrunched in confusion when she turned to you.

a puff of fog appeared as you let out a sigh. “we’re not. unless absolutely necessary.”

“if we don’t, kiri—”

“i have a plan, alina,” you interrupted. “all we need to do is guide the stag away. with a combination of your abilities and mine, it’ll be fairly easy.”

“that won’t stop him from finding it,” alina protested.

you gently placed a hand on alina’s head. “that’s why, once we get it out of fjerdan territory, i’m taking it to the wandering isle. the distance will prevent aleksander from coming for it personally and give me more time to work out a permanent solution.”

she stayed silent for a moment, mulling over your plan, before she frowned. “aleksander.”

your head tilted questioningly when her body faced you, a serious look on her face. “how do you know his name?” she asked.

sucking in a deep breath, you realized you had relaxed too soon. her sharp eyes trained on you as you rubbed your face. mal remained confused, leaning forward to observe the two of you.

“it’s difficult not to know the name of your warden,” you replied.

“warden?”

you debated whether or not to tell alina the complete truth, but you threw caution into the wind and exhaled. “my arrival at the palace was not the first time i had been there. some time ago, i actually called that place home. but, one day, i woke up from the false reality and escaped from the place that was, retrospectively, my prison.”

too intelligent, alina connected the dots in record time. “you’re the lover the servants talked about,” she said breathily. “the person baghra thought would change him.”

a bitter smile danced on your lips. “i’m not sure if he loved me as i did him, but i would’ve hung the stars if he asked me to.”

alina clasped your hand in hers, offering a weak smile. you returned it before continuing. “i met him about four-hundred years ago, when he was hiding from the crown. i was young and enchanted. i believed in everything he wanted for grisha and became his willing accomplice.

“when he returned to the palace, i followed. when he locked me in my room, i complied. as naive as i was, i was in love,” you paused to glance at the pair in front of you, reminded of their small moments that paralleled your memories.

“i was in love...” you trailed, staring at your lap as your chest panged dully. you shook yourself out of your daze and cleared your throat. “no matter, i saw him for the crazed tyrant he was and, when i found out you had been discovered, i returned to thwart his plans.”

faint rustling drew mal’s attention away, the tracker slowly stepping towards the source. alina’s eyes followed him as did yours. after a few seconds, he turned. “that way.”

like meerkats, you and alina shot up and crept beside mal. his eyes darted around the clearing you were approaching and, there in all its glory, was the stag. the three of you stopped at a safe distance when it turned to look in your direction.

you started laying out the plan. “okay. alina, you need to—”

“wait,” alina said, stepping forward, with her eyes trained on the stag. “i— i’ve been seeing it in these visions ever since i arrived at the palace. i don’t know why, but i think it’s been trying to reach out to me.”

then, the stag walked towards alina who took several more steps. she gingerly reached her hand out and the stag met her with its snout. light erupted from them and alina let out soft laughs, basking in the warmth of the light. you softly gasped at the sight. it chose—

suddenly, an arrow shot the stag, causing it to lurch away from alina in pain. she tumbled backwards as people rushed in from all sides. mal raised his gun and shot at the bowman, knocking him down. he swiftly notched an arrow in his bow, prepared to shoot the stag, when a strong wind forced it out of his hand. you turned and was faced with a familiar-looking squaller. you loosened gravity’s hold on her and forced her to float. when you were about to fling her away, a grunt sounded behind you.

“mal!”

your focus disappeared; you pivoted to see mal embedded with an arrow, effectively dropping zoya and incapacitating her. you went to help him when an intense pressure hit your chest, your heart beating erratically. it forced you onto your knees next to mal. your heart was pounding in your ear before it stopped.

bright flashes threw off the heartrender and bowman. you greedily breathed in air as alina darted to mal. you could hear the snap of the arrow followed by mal’s agonizing scream. glancing up, your vision slightly blurred, you saw shadows gathering behind you. at the sound of a billowing cloak, you rushed to create a gravitational downforce around you, not allowing anyone to move. you slowly stood up, facing aleksander with a glare.

he let out a haughty laugh. “i should’ve known you would be with her.”

“alina, i need you to get to the stag,” you commanded.

“but, mal! he’s— he’s dying!”

you glanced behind you to see her applying pressure on his wounds. thoughts raced in your mind before settling on one solution. “i promise you he won’t so long as you follow my instructions.”

desperation evident in her eyes, alina could only nod.

“get to the stag and shield us on my count.”

you inhaled deeply. “3, 2, 1!”

alina ran for the stag and created a barrier. you dove under it before it separated you from the others. outside of it, aleksander found himself free to move. creeping closer, he called out. “you can’t save them, alina. you may have the power of light but not the power to heal.”

alina’s resolve wavered as her eyes flicker to mal. “don’t listen to him, alina! i promised you, didn’t i?” you reassured.

alina bit her lip as she kept up the barrier. you made mal float and pulled him closer to the stag. you gently set him down and reached for the stag. it groaned and flailed in protest.

“i know i’m not your chosen, but please. i must heal him and then i can heal you,” you whispered.

the stag quieted and allowed you to touch it. with one hand on the stag, you hovered the other near mal’s wound.

“i’m sorry, mal, but this is gonna hurt like hell.”

you manipulated time on his body. blood slowly returned to the wound whilst the arrow pieced itself together, ripping itself out of him afterwards. mal let out a painful howl before the wound stitches itself back together, like no arrow had been there in the first place. as he recovered, you quickly moved around to the other side of the stag.

“i see you’ve been busy,” aleksander said sharply.

rage gathered in the pit of your stomach when you shot a glare at aleksander. “and you’ve been a complete fool. after all this time, you still can’t get it through your thick skull that morozova’s amplifiers have to choose you,” you spat.

you returned your attention to the stag’s wound. you murmured an apology before you worked on it. it whined through the pain but stilled once you finished. your hands trembled as you shakily pushed yourself off the ground. the stag stirred and stood on its legs, causing alina to follow in suit. you ran your hand through its fur and whispered. “just once more, friend.”

as if it reads your mind, it knelt before alina. you looked at her, mal now standing beside her.

“you two, get on.”

alina gave you a bewildered look. you returned it with a pleading one. without protest, she and mal both mounted the stag. then, it rose, looking towards you. you leaned your forehead against its snout. “take them far from here.”

you stepped to the side and took alina’s hand. “now, i only have so much energy left to keep them here. so, ride fast.”

“what? you’re not coming with us?” alina’s jaw dropped.

you offered her a melancholic smile. “please, if i have to witness anymore of your loving gazes, i’ll become a bitter spinster,” you teased before growing serious. “alina, keep the shield up until you’ve left fjerdan territory. only make it as big as it has to be. mal, you’re going to have to make sure she doesn’t fall off.”

you let go of her hand and gave mal a nod. inching away from them, you approached the center of the field, barely covered by alina’s light. you glanced back and jerked your head, signaling them to leave. you immobilized aleksander and his men once more, allowing alina and mal to slip through and disappear into the winter night. despite your raging headache, you kept your focus until you couldn’t see the light. you collapsed, the snow cushioning your fall. your vision blurred as you heard footsteps approach you.

“we’ll find them eventually.”

you squinted at your former lover. “no, i don’t think you will, aleks.”

aleksander crouched down and whispered in your ear. “i should kill you where you lay.”

“be my guest. you are well within your rights, general kirigan,” you taunted.

he sneered. “out of respect for our past, i won’t. but, you will be my prisoner.”

“what’s new?” you asked before promptly passing out.

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author’s babble pt.2: ohoho! can you believe they did that? now, you may be wondering why [y/n] is able to manipulate time. it has to do with spacetime being 4 dimensional and the complexity that comes with the concept of gravity. a bit wibbly wobbly timey wimey (ﾉ´ヮ´)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

following a knock that sounded through the room, the guard stepped in with a soldier. you dismissed the guard with a nod and waited until the door shut behind her.

“hello, i’m [y/n] of the second army. your name, sir?”

he looked at you warily as he toddled down the steps. “malyen ortsev. tracker with the first army, ma’am.”

you paused, your eyebrows raising in surprise. “mal?”

with a frown, he nodded.

“i’ve heard quite a bit about you from alina.” some tension left mal at the mention of his best friend.

“well, this certainly changes things,” you murmured.

“where is alina?”

you pinched the bridge of your nose. “she’s escaping with the help of a friend of mine.”

at your words, he looked taken aback. a few seconds passed before he turned to leave. you lurched forward and grabbed his arm. “wait! can you tell me where the stag is?”

“i told kirigan that he’d only get the location once i saw alina,” he snapped before continuing to the door.

“i’m not asking for general kirgan.” despite your distinction, he kept climbing the steps. annoyed, you immobilized him with your powers. “look, mal. i understand you’re dying to see her, but you need to understand— i need to find the stag before he does. for alina’s sake.”

“what do you mean?”

“he’s not who he says he is.” you released your hold on him, allowing him to face you.

his brows furrowed. “will he hurt her?”

“for now, no. if he gets his hands on the stag, most likely. i’m sorry, but time is of the essence. will you show me where the stag is?” desperation coloured your voice.

with a look of contemplation, mal rubbed the back of his neck. “first, we find alina. then, i’ll show you where it is.”

you released the breath you didn’t know you had been holding. “well, it’s a good thing she’s coming here.”

—

in the same moments, two souls were teetering between dancing around each other or relieving the staunch tension between themselves.

aleksander’s eyes flickered from alina’s half-lidded eyes to her flushed lips. for a moment, he thought of you and paused in a flash of guilt. before he could move away, alina leaned in and captured his lips. remembering his purpose, he returned the kiss with every bit of passion she gave.

she’s your equal— your soulmate, he told himself. his stomach lurched at the word. he was reminded of the times he briefly thought… no, it’s no time to think of the past, aleksander. she is your soulmate. it was decided the moment you were born to the darkness and her to the light. 

she is my equal. that was what he kept telling himself while he locked lips with the— his sun summoner.

her hands trailed down his kefta and, once they got very low, aleksander pulled away. alina peered up at him, concern written on her face, as she cradled his face.

“what’s wrong, aleks?”

shivers crawled up his spine while the roaring of his pulse deafened him. when he met her eyes, he could feel the small amount of disappointment eating away at him. he suppressed it and shook his head.

with a meek smile, he leaned into her palm. “i just wanted to make sure you were sure of… this.”

alina grinned and hovered her lips over his. “absolutely.”

just before their lips touched once more, a knock captured their attention. fleeing alina’s side feeling almost relieved, aleksander cracked the door open to find ivan with a grave look.

“marie and genya were attacked in the fitting room. alina was the target.”

immediately, all the emotions he had been feeling were reduced to a single one: anger.

“we have a suspect in custody.”

aleksander nodded. “give me a moment.”

he lightly shut the door and approached the waiting girl.

“is something wrong?” alina asked.

he offered a fake lopsided grin. “it’s nothing. just a nobleman demanding to meet me. i’ll be back momentarily.”

he quickly receded and left the room, leaving alina wistfully waiting.

however, as soon as the door shut, another one opened. startled, alina instinctively summoned light to her defense. baghra appeared from behind the wall.

“come with me.”

alina, bewildered, lowered her arms. “baghra? what are you—”

the older grisha stepped into the room and grabbed alina’s arm. “there’s no time to dawdle, stupid girl. you need to leave this place. tonight.”

after guiding her through the secret door, baghra pulled the lever to shut it and led the way down. “i’m trying to save you from being a prisoner for the rest of your life.”

“whatever you think is wrong, i’m sure alek— general kirigan could help,” alina said.

“i’m trying to save you from aleksander.” they reached the end of the stairs and turned into a torch-lit hall. “he wants to weaponize the fold the way he meant to when he first created.”

alina scoffed in disbelief. “the black heretic created the fold! and that was hundreds of years ago! maybe, maybe you’re feeling faint from being in your hut for too long. he wants me to get stronger so we can banish the fold!”

baghra stopped and sighed. “he wants you to get stronger so he can use your powers to control the fold.”

“no. no! he isn’t like that,” alina forced. she wouldn’t believe for a second that aleksander could be so mani—

“aleksander is the black heretic, foolish girl.” shadows crept in, banishing any light around, at the wave of baghra’s hand.

the stern look on alina’s face crumbled as she came to a realization. “you’re his mother.”

as light returned, baghra’s glossy eyes shone. “my son tried creating an army with merzost. he didn’t think about how it would affect the people who lived there. he turned them into the twisted, ravaging monsters that attacked you.”

“the volcra were men?” alina weakly asked, horror consuming her features, as tears welled in her eyes.

“men, women, children. merzost always demands a price and he still did it anyways.” baghra strode past the girl towards the cluster of antiques.

“he told me he wanted to make the country whole again,” alina whispered.

the older grisha snorted as she uncovered an old portrait, aleksander’s portrait. “he’s had centuries of practice lying to a naive grisha. did he give you a glimpse of his troubled past? tell you how lonely he was? he’s been obsessed with power, with collecting all of morozova’s creatures, with coaxing powerful grisha to his side.”

“the grisha in the forbidden hallway,” alina breathed. “the one he was having an affair with.”

with a grimace, baghra continued down the hall to a wooden door. “they were an extremely powerful grisha, one of a kind. i had thought, perhaps, he had fallen in love and abandoned his plans. apparently, love wasn’t enough.”

she swung the door open, alina marching up to her. “now that i know the truth, i’ll fight him.”

“you’re not nearly as strong as he is. i thought i had more time to prepare you, but [y/n] will have to help you now,” baghra said.

“wait, [y/n]? they’re a novice—”

ignoring her, baghra continued. “stay on the main path until the fork. if you take the path on the right, you’ll find food storage. wait and some grisha that are loyal to me will guide you back to my hut.”

alina hiked up her ketfa and stepped through, forgoing the lantern. she gathered light in her hand and rushed down the hall. when she was met with the split, she turned left, deciding to go at it alone.

—

a hour passed before the bookcase opened again. you and mal quickly stood to attention. however, unlike what you expected, baghra appeared alone.

“where’s alina?” you frowned, mal sharing the same look.

baghra’s eyes rounded. “she’s not here?”

you groaned, tilting your head back in frustration. “she’s ran off, hasn’t she?”

glancing at mal, you placed a hand on his shoulder. “so, change of plans.”

“i have to find her,” mal said, picking up his gun.

“wait. i can sense aleksander growing nearer.” baghra walked to the door. “i will distract him. [y/n], get the tracker out of here and find the girl.”

she left the hut. you hovered near the door and closed your eyes, concentrating on her mass moving swiftly through the grounds. she stopped when another approached her, aleksander. you opened your eyes and waved mal over.

“follow me closely. it’s imperative that aleksander doesn’t see or hear us or else there will be hellfire.”

mal nodded and trailed behind you as you ventured outside. careful not to step on fallen leaves, you treaded on the soft grass and relied on the trees to hide you from sight.

“careful. you don’t really matter now either,” aleksander said spitefully as he stepped towards his mother. “if you had something to do with her disappearance, think about what i might do.”

as he stalked off, baghra called out. “i’d wager you’d need a skilled tracker to find her now.”

you watched as his figure grew smaller. when he was only a speck, you emerged from the trees signaling mal to do the same. baghra faced you, distress veiling her. “you must go now.”

you looked to mal. “d’you wager you could find her?”

“it’d be quicker on my own,” he stated.

scratching your head, you mulled over it for a second. he might just take her and leave. but, he’s already shown you where it is.

“we’ll meet at the border then?” you offered with a smile.

“give me three days and we’ll be there.” he held out his hand. you took it, shaking it firmly.

baghra, who had been playing lookout, snapped. “go! i must go back so as not to look suspicious.”

with the older grisha’s departure, you strode towards a stone wall. you turned and grinned at the tracker. “tell me, mal. have you ever wished to fly?”

taglist (couldn’t tag the ones in bold): @kykymyeon @shelivesindaydreamswme @blackbirddaredevil23 @amortentiaaaa @safetyhtom @savannah-elliott @deceivedeer @gloriousmoneyrascalbiscuit @sarcastic-and-cool @supersouthy @let-love-bleeds-red @andwhatofthelight @all-art-is-quite-useless @mixed-imagination @ashdab2611 @aria-grace-scott @multifandom-addict @aleksanderwh0r3 @p3nny4urth0ught5 @kirigansgf @evyiione @theoutsidelandhere​ @wizardwheezes​ @partiesandblurrypolaroids​ @pansysgirlfriend​ @imrann123456 @rachellovesharry

author’s babble pt. 2: wow. i’m actually getting quite excited myself just writing the next part. i’m still trying to decide whether to diverge from the series completely or stay close to canon. but, i do know that the next part will have a little bit more action for [y/n]! stay tuned!

after david left and their amusement settled, genya prepared alina for the winter fete. alina let out an occasional giggle here and there during their small talk until alina began speaking of general kirigan.

“he’s so easy to talk to, genya,” alina said. “at first, he was intimidating and broody. now, he smiles at me and... i thought mal made me feel special, but aleksander—”

genya faltered, guilt swelling as she was reminded of the intercepted letters. she finished touching up alina’s appearance before closing her tool box. leaning against the table, she sighed.

“alina, i am thrilled you have found some assemblance of happiness with general kirigan. however, the allure of powerful men is not all it seems. yes, they are stars that shine so brightly that you can’t help but fall in love just a little.”

genya took alina’s slow nods as a sign to continue. “but, they also burn faster than any other and, once their light fades, they drag all others into darkness. the sad thing is you can’t escape because you’re already in too deep.”

baffled, the younger grisha shook her head with a small laugh. “why are you telling me this, genya? are you suggesting i be wary of aleksander?”

genya flinched at how the general’s given name fell so casually from alina’s lips. she fidgeted with her fingers, biting her lip. she saw the questioning look on her friend’s face.

“there’s a rumour amongst the servants,” genya said hesitantly, “that general kirigan had a lover in the little palace some years ago.”

alina snorted. “you’re worried i’ll be the jealous lover?”

frustration furrowed genya’s brow. “it’s not that. the rumour—”

“i thought you were above mindless gossip of the queen’s staff, genya,” the sun summoner teased. genya’s patience thinned as alina continued. “i promise i won’t turn into a volcra that harps about—”

“alina! please, this is serious!” the older grisha forced her voice into a harsh whisper.

with round eyes, alina closed her mouth and slouched submissively. genya apologized softly before she spoke. “they said that one of the rooms was occupied, but no one had ever laid eyes on the supposed resident. they began to think it was a ghost story until they heard… noises coming from the room.”

“noises?” the brunette lifted a delicate brow.

“pleasurable noises,” the redhead uncomfortably said. “truth be told, the servants weren’t even supposed to be in that part of the little palace, — it was forbidden — but their curiosity got the better of them. by rare chance, some servants would even catch general kirigan approaching the hall with flowers in hand.”

“so, the general had a clandestine affair with another grisha. case solved.”

genya shook her head. “no grisha, man or woman, evoked any reactions from him.”

“he was probably keeping his emotions in check because of heartrenders,” alina brushed off.

“i highly doubt he could keep up an affair with a grisha in the second army without anyone catching on, alina,” the tailor retorted. “regardless, one day, after it continued for years, the servants heard glass breaking from the room. the next day, general kirigan marched into the room and destroyed it in a fit of rage. afterwards, he ordered servants to replace everything in the room.”

alina gave the redhead an exasperated look. “it was probably his getaway where he… relieved his stress,” she said with a faint blush as her thoughts skewed scandalously.

genya clenched her fists. “they found clothes that weren’t fitted for general kirigan, clothes that were much smaller than anything in general kirigan’s wardrobe.”

as her blush faded, the corners of alina’s lips turned downward. in wavering confidence, she spoke. “but, it’s a rumour, right? the chatter of bored women?”

the older grisha sighed, relenting. “yes, a rumour.”

a bright smile returned to alina as she shot up. “they were probably spinning lies to keep themselves entertained.”

resigned, genya said. “i’m sure you’re right, alina. let’s get you to the fitting room now.”

the two women walked out with linked arms, one feeling excited and another regretful.

✵✵

you dismissed your escort with a curt nod as you entered the festivities. nobles and grisha alike were mingling, both enjoying the confectioneries. you maneuvered around the crowds with a polite smile until you bumped into your (not so) favorite person, aleksander.

“usually, people part ways for me,” he teased.

ignoring the ache coming from your heart, you rolled your eyes. “oh, i’m sure they do, general. how unfortunate is it that i find myself in your way. please let me rectify it for you right away.”

when he offered his arm, you gave a mocking smile before moving past him. aleksander shook his head amused and followed behind you.

“you know, at one point in time, you would’ve loved being paraded around on my arm.”

“paraded?” you scoffed. “you’re an ass.”

his soft chuckle stirred butterflies in your stomach before you squashed them down. “yet, here you are, promenading with me.”

“you’re stalking me. i’d hardly call that promenading,” you said.

“some nobles might think otherwise.” he nodded towards leering strangers who were gossiping amongst themselves. you groaned as you tried to create noticeable distance between you two. spoiler alert: the halls were too narrow.

you waved your hands in a shooing motion. “aren’t you supposed to be tending to guests? the king and queen, perhaps? you can promenade with them.”

he snorted as the two of you approached the drawing room. “i doubt they’d get off their asses.”

not wanting to greet the royals, you stopped short of the open doors. “well, i believe this is where we part ways, my good sir.”

“are you sure you don’t want to promenade more?” he looked at you pleadingly, making you laugh.

“have fun, aleks,” you sang as you moved toward the corner of the room.

once you were alone, you quickly realized that your exchange with aleks was warmly familiar. you inwardly groaned. plotting his demise, [y/n]. remember? you aren’t here for a reunion.

your eyes trained on aleksander as he spoke to the king and queen. you could tell the queen said something insulting by his tense shoulders. by the time he recovered, it seemed nobles were approaching them. as people talked and passed through, aleksander’s face grew tired until you met eyes.

he glanced at the tsar before rolling his eyes exaggeratedly. you grinned as you twirled your hair in the same fashion as the tsaritsa, mocking her aloof expression. you saw him chuckle before conversations around you died. people turned their heads to the door, causing you to do the same.

walking in the room adorned with a black kefta was miss alina starkov. you couldn’t help but peek at aleksander who looked speechless. you should’ve expected it. she was beyond stunning in her new kefta. you couldn’t help but feel hurt once more by aleksander. dread filled you as they spoke in hushed tones, intimately close.

following her entrance, two inferni began a fire show, exhibiting their control and providing some light entertainment for the guests. when it was over, you noticed another intimate exchange between the… equals. disinterested and bitter, you left the room and made your way to baghra’s alcove.

✵✵

as people rose, hopeful chatter littered the room before the tsar called for everyone’s attention. “along with the liberation that the sun summoner will bring us, we will also be able to fight and conquer our enemies with our gravity summoner!”

the tsar waited for you to appear, only to be met with silence. he leaned down to aleksander. “where is my gravity summoner?”

despite the small annoyance that bloomed from the king’s possessiveness, he looked at the spot you were at only to find you gone.

“they must’ve retired for the night, moi tsar,” he said.

the king cleared his throat, slightly annoyed. “it seems my new weapon has chosen to get a full night’s rest so they may begin fighting for ravka that much sooner.”

aleksander inwardly scoffed as the nobles nodded and laughed alongside the king. the people (as well as the king and queen) returned to their conversations, leaving him free to go search for you. but, before he could leave, a guard approached him.

“sir, two soldiers have come saying that they found the stag.”

aleksander’s world stopped. “let’s go.”

the guard nodded and left, aleksander following right behind him.

✵✵

“—and i knocked a tree onto his house. when the villagemen tried to help him, i increased the gravitational pull on it and, essentially, made it impossible to remove. the man gave up and moved across the village.”

baghra smiled as she tended the fire. “it seems, despite the looming threat of experimentation, you still found ways to practice small science.”

you grinned. “of course i did. it’s a part of me and i cannot imagine not practicing.”

behind you, the door swung open as a guard barged in. baghra turned, her amusement fading. “what?”

“someone’s found it.”

the poker clattered on the floor. “that’s impossible,” baghra said.

a bit lost, you interjected. “who’s found what?”

“a tracker from chernast found morozova’s stag.”

your eyes widened in shock as you looked at baghra who seemed grim. “you must bring him here.”

the guard grimaced. “he’s already been taken to see the general.”

a moment of silence passed as a thousand thoughts raced through your mind. if we beat him to it, i could kill it and use it.

you turned to your mentor whose eyes were already on you. “we need to get to it first, baghra. i can kill it first.”

she hesitated before addressing the guard. “you are to bring the tracker here as soon as general kirigan’s done with him.”

the guard nodded, leaving briskly. baghra sighed. “[y/n], you must not kill the stag. protect it at all costs. even if… even if it means you have to kill aleksander.”

“what?”

standing up abruptly, baghra moved to a bookshelf. she pulled on a book, opening a secret passageway in the wall. she paused. “his time has long since passed as has mine. it will be a mercy killing.”

you stared at your hands, a slight tremble riddling them. you came back thwart his plans, not murder him.

“i’m not a killer, baghra," you stated weakly. "what if i can’t do it?”

the older grisha knelt down and lifted your head. “you can and you will. we both know how it will end if he obtains an amplifier.”

she grabbed a lantern and moved into the passageway. “i will get the sun summoner out of the palace grounds. you deal with the tracker.”

without bothering to wait for your reply, she closed the door and left you with your thoughts.

maybe, you’re condemned to a crueler fate than alina, [y/n]. bound by morality to kill the love of your life.

taglist (i couldn’t tag the ones in bold! sorry ☹): @kykymyeon @shelivesindaydreamswme @blackbirddaredevil23 @amortentiaaaa @safetyhtom @savannah-elliott @deceivedeer @gloriousmoneyrascalbiscuit @imrann123456 @sarcastic-and-cool @supersouthy @let-love-bleeds-red @rachellovesharry @andwhatofthelight @all-art-is-quite-useless @mixed-imagination @ashdab2611 @aria-grace-scott @multifandom-addict @aleksanderwh0r3 @p3nny4urth0ught5 @kirigansgf @evyiione @theoutsidelandhere​ 

author’s babbles

firstly, thank you all so much for your messages! they inspired me to write this chapter today!

secondly, i was a total numpty and someone asked me to tag them. however, i accidentally pressed ‘answer privately’ and now i have no idea who it was. if that is you, i’m so sorry! pls message/ask me again!

have the most wonderful day, week, month, year, and life! until i write the next chapter :)