Alina turned to see right behind her the man that had been in her dream.
Nikolai pulled her towards him as the cavern started to rattle and rumble.
The man just smiled, but there was no joy in his quartz eyes—only pain, sorrow, and the promise of revenge. Shadows rippled around him, blocking out the moonlight in the shafts around the ceiling of the grotto.
"The Darkling," Alina whispered, remembering the legend in her books. He was the infamous captain of the Flying Dutchman. He'd been behind the curse all along?
"You have escaped me once, Alina Starkov—you won't be so lucky again," the Darkling snarled as he stepped forward. His footsteps left no ripples in the water, no effect at all.
Her white hair, Alina realized, an abstract thought, separate from what was happening in front of her. They say that young girls with white hair have been touched by Death himself and has felt his kiss.
Perhaps that was truer than she thought.
Nikolai drew his sword, preparing for a last stand by Alina's side. The rest of the Volkvolny drew their weapons as well.
Alina realized that she did not have one.
Nikolai seemed to realize that at the same time, and he handed her a long dagger.
"Sorry, best I can do," he mumbled, pushing her slightly behind him. Still, he did not let go of her hand.
"You chose to steal my grandfather's gold," the Darkling seethed as the grotto continued to rumble and shake around them. "Your kind chose to kill my love. For that, I can never forgive, and I will make you pay."
He surveyed the group of pirates slowly backing away.
"Every. Single. One. Of. You."
With that, he raised his arms, and there was a hissing, as the shadows started to creep up the walls like a tide, the water itself rising.
Nikolai looked to Zoya. "Run—all of you!"
"Aye! Retreat!"
Nikolai let go of Alina's hand and ran at the Darkling with his sword.
"Come on, let's go!" Zoya gestured for Genya, David, and Alina to run.
Genya grabbed David's arm and ushered him out, leaving some of the fluttering papers behind. They flew to the water, where holes formed in the document before it was claimed entirely by the shadows.
The other pirates were running to the exits, to scamper back to the Volkvolny with their cursed lives.
As Nikolai approached, the Darkling drew his own sword made of shadow, and sparks began to fly.
"Come on, Starkov, we've got to flee!" Zoya gestured to Alina to come. "Captain's orders!"
Alina shook her head. She knew what she had to do—even if it was against Nikolai's wishes.
"I can't leave him," Alina argued, brandishing her dagger.
"And you think I can?" Zoya glanced towards the fight. "Still, the Captain ordered us to go, and we have to—"
Alina knew then that she wouldn't be able to argue with Zoya. For one of the first times in her life, she broke the rules, defied her orders, and she sprinted towards the fight by Morozova's gold.
She couldn't move fast enough. She could see it—a weak spot in Nikolai's form, she'd seen it so many times when the soldiers around Port Keramzin trained. And the Darkling had noticed, too, for his blade was headed right for Nikolai's side—
"NO!" Alina threw out her hand. To her surprise, a wave of light emanated from her palm, knocking the Darkling down, dispelling the shadows. She grabbed Nikolai's arm, pulling him back.
"Alina, what are you—"
"He won't die, we have to go." She pushed another tide of light towards the Darkling, pushing him further down the grotto.
"Come on," Alina urged.
Nikolai seemed to see the sense in this, for he didn't argue and followed her as she sprinted towards the shore.
All of the rowboats were gone, but they hadn't pulled out the anchor yet.
"There!" Alina pointed at it. "We can grab on, and they'll pull us up!"
"Aye." Nikolai glanced over his shoulder—they could see a dark silhouette in the mouth of the grotto. "It's our only chance!"
They ran towards the shallows of the water, leaping onto the chain just as it started to pull out of the water and the Volkvolny drifted away from the Isle of Curses.
Alina could hear Genya's voice, cutting through the air with her song as the ship started to pick up speed.
Alina did not let go of Nikolai until they were pulled up onto the deck, to a waiting and angry Zoya.
"What were you thinking?" Zoya looked from Alina, to Nikolai, and then back again. "Both of you? Are you insane? Trying to fight the Captain of the Dutchman?"
Nikolai, to his credit, turned red at getting scolded by Zoya.
"Now hopefully we'll make up the time lost by hoping for you two idiots to regain your wits," Zoya muttered. "Full sails out!"
Nikolai straightened the collar of his teal coat, and his gaze wandered to Alina.
"I suppose I should thank you, for saving my life." He nodded, his tone rather flat. He then turned and headed towards his cabin.
Alina hesitated only a moment. Then she ran after him.