Chapter 10

A few weeks passed. It was long enough that Aleksander felt comfortable walking with Alina in the gardens. He hoped she liked some recent additions he'd had placed for her. With her arm through his, he could feel her warmth radiating through to him. He would do anything to keep that feeling.

Behind them, a soldier approached Ivan. Aleksander found that since the assasination attempt, he was acutely more aware of their surroundings and who was coming and going. Before Ivan even caught up to them, he could tell it was good news. It was in his heartrender's step. Ivan approached from the side, leaned in, and whispered in his ear. He couldn't help the smile that came to his lips or the sheer joy that overcame him.

"You're happy," Alina noticed with a teasing smile. "Must be good news to make you feel like this," she marveled. The connection between them, their powers, their souls had grown increasingly stronger. His joy brought her joy, and then it echoed between them.

"My men have found signs of the herd."

"They have? That means it will happen soon? We'll be able to destroy the Fold. You think … we'll be able to, right?" There was a nervousness in her voice. She sought his reassurance.

"Yes," he agreed. "You'll be strong enough." They were going to find it. He could feel it. It was destined to be. It would strengthen Alina, and then nothing could stop them. They would have the power to protect Grisha. No one could hurt them again. It would be the moment he'd waited his entire life for. He could get his revenge on Zlatan, demonstrate that they could control the Fold to protect them from their enemies, and then no one would mess with them again. All Grisha could be safe.

Confusion came over her face, and he replayed his words to try to figure out what had caused it. "Aleksander?" she asked. "We're going to destroy the Fold?"

He carefully avoided that question. "You will be strong enough. Alina, what's wrong?"

But the stress in her features only intensified. She looked lost, and then her eyes narrowed with understanding. "You're lying." Her eyes searched his for an answer.

"What?" he asked, trying to play it off.

"You're lying. Why? Aleksander, I can feel it, in the responses within us, I can feel it."

With growing dread, he realized that their bond had grown so strong that she could feel that too. How had he not realized that she'd be able to … Their connection had grown stronger and stronger. They had been feeling each other more and more. When they touched, the power flowed between them, and their emotions constantly ebbed and flowed between each other. He hadn't realized, though, she would get attuned to him enough to detect lying, or rather misleading. He had, of course, planned to talk with her about how they would use the Fold, but not for some time, not until she had the Stag around her neck and was safe and their power was assured. He needed time to truly explain to her what was at risk if they just did away with the Fold. She wasn't ready for this conversation, so he had to convince her she was wrong. "Alina, I don't know what you're talking about. You're imagining things, likely because of your own self-doubt. I know you'll have the power to destroy the Fold once we find the Stag." He tried focusing on a truth. He tried not to think of how he was denying something that was clearly happening between them or how he was exploiting her vulnerabilities to get her to deny her own senses. Even as he said it, though, he could feel the guilt in his heart that she would surely feel as well.

She gasped and shook her head. The confusion was still there, but now it was met with anger in her eyes. And then she did the most unexpected thing. She slapped him. Full force, no holding back, she slapped him clear across the face. The shock of it affected him more than the pain.

He felt Ivan's power surge behind him, and he quickly held up his hand to stop his heartrender from using it, but it was too late. Alina collapsed in front of him as her heart briefly stopped pumping blood to her brain and she began to faint.

"Never harm the girl!" he growled at Ivan as he rushed to her side.

"Oh I'm 'the girl' now, am I?" Alina spat back. She refused to take his hand and tried to help herself up. "Kirigan, I think you'd better tell me what's going on."

He took hold of her arms, whether she'd accept his assistance or not, and pulled her up into his embrace. "Alina …" How did he quickly help her understand the horrors that might await Grisha if they simply destroyed the Fold?

"Tell me," she begged.

"We will destroy the Fold, eventually. We can certainly use your power to make sure that no Grisha ever dies in crossing the Fold again. But for now … destroying it? Alina, the general of West Ravka tried to have you killed. He is still trying to kill you. What do you think will happen when we tear down the only barrier between us? What will protect you, when the Fold is gone? If we just use the Fold for a little bit to establish our power …"

"Grisha. Grisha will protect me. The palace. You."

"And when the Shu Han come? And the Fjerdans? They torture Grisha before they kill them. Did you know that? On the pyres. They keep the fires going slow and low to cause the most agony before they slowly raise them, so the Grisha feels every inch of their skin burning bit by bit. What will protect Grisha when we lower the Fold and they all come for us? We know the Fjerdans are working with the West Ravkan General. What do you think they will do to Grisha when the Fold is gone? But if we used the Fold, we could control it, Alina, you and me. I could create a Fold as my ancestor once did wherever we needed one. And your light could open it back up. I think it could be possible, Alina. I think we could do it. We could move it where we needed, close it when we needed the protection, and open it if we needed to cross. Then nothing and no one could harm Grisha again."

She shook her head in horror. "You're mad."

"We wouldn't use it to harm anyone without reason, Alina. Just for our protection, for Grisha."

She pulled back and shook her head again. "No," she said firmly. "I won't … I will not use my power to help you create more desolate scars across Ravka, across the world. I won't!"

"Alina …"

She yanked her arms from his and ran. He stood, trying to think of the right words to call after her to make her understand. He'd thought he'd had time to perfect his persuasion before this discussion was needed, but she'd seen right through him.

"Sir?" Ivan asked from his side.

His eyes followed Alina. She wasn't running to the tunnel that would lead her away from the Little Palace. She was running towards the lake, perhaps to clear her head. "Let her go," he commanded. "Just don't let her leave the grounds. Have guards follow at a reasonable distance to make sure no one attempts to harm her. She'll come to her senses."

"She's naive, sir. She doesn't understand making difficult decisions. She doesn't understand the consequences."

"I don't want her to ever go through what we have to understand why we have to make those difficult decisions."