When I awake, sunlight is shining through a window and I'm on a soft bed. I must have fallen asleep on the horse.

I hear a knock at the door and a voice asks, "Can I come in?"

"Come in!"

A red-haired girl with a white kefta comes in as I get out of bed. "Come on! We need to get you ready for the King!"

"What?"

"Yes, yes. Now come on, get washed. You smell horrible."

"Um, yeah, anyone would if they have ridden a horse for about a day and was almost killed twice."

"Feisty, that's good."

"By the way, what's your name?"

"I'm Genya Safin. The Queen's tailor. Though now that your clean it doesn't look like you need much done."

"Thanks?"

"Come over here," Genya says to me as I walk over to the vanity and sit down. "How about I add some gold streaks in your hair and some silver coloring to your eyelids."

"Ooo! Yes, it'd look incredible!"

Genya uses a comb and brushes gold flakes through my hair. I try to turn toward the mirror but Genya stops me. "No, wait till I'm all done," she says and takes out some silver flakes, transferring the color to my eyelids.

When I turn to the mirror, there are streaks of gold that glitter in my hair like sunlight, and my eyelids are shimmering like moonlight.

"Thank you!"

"You're welcome. Now get dressed in this uniform," she says handing me a first army uniform.

"Why do I have to wear this? I thought the Grisha wore a kefta."

"The King wants you seen as an ordinary soldier so it doesn't look like the Darkling was hiding you from him."

"Oh."

"Now put this on," Genya says handing me a gold sheer lace veil. "No one can see your face before the king does. Also, the Queen can't know that I did some work on you. Come on."

As we walk in the halls, I ask, "Where are we going?"

"We're going to the Palace."

So we're in the Little Palace now. As we enter the Palace, the Darkling walks over to us.

"I can take her from here," he says.

"Yes, Moi Soverenyi," Genya says as she walks away to the throne room.

"How did you sleep?"

"Surprisingly well considering I was on a horse."

"That's good."

"Did one of the servants carry me to that room?"

"No, I did. Also, that room is yours."

I felt a blush creep into my cheeks. Thank the Saints he can't see through the veil. "Thanks."

"You're welcome. Now when we get into the throne room, follow my lead," he said as we were at the entrance of the throne room.

We walk to the middle of the room and the Darkling bows. "Moi Tsar."

He nudges me and I bow saying, "Moi Tsar."

Saints. I've never seen him before but he's ugly. As we come back to normal position the King says, "Now show us. Are you really the Sun Summoner?"

The Darkling nudges me grabbing my hand as the room fades to black. I call the light and it comes flooding to me, feeling as if I was bathed in sunlight, just the same as on the day the Grisha Examiners came. The room fills with soft light, people start crying "It's true! She's real!" as the King applauds.

"Bravo!" he shouts. "You're all dismissed."

As the Darkling and I walk out I'm swarmed by Grisha and the Darkling disappears. Genya runs up to me.

"Miss, the Queen wants to see you," she says pulling me down the hall.

"Genya, please call me Alina. We're friends."

"Thank you, Alina. Now come on," she says pulling new through a door.

"So you're the Sun Summoner," the Queen says to me as we enter.

"Yes, Moya Tsaritsa."

"You can leave now."

Genya and I leave the room. As we are walking away, we run into the Darkling.

"Alina, the King was pleased by your display," the Darkling says.

"That's good to hear."

"Genya, have Alina fitted for a kefta," the Darkling says and starts to walk off. "Oh, make it black."

I run to him. "What do you mean by black? Isn't that your color?"

"Yes, but I and you are equal."

"Alina, that's a huge honor to wear black," Genya says.

"Thank you. Can I choose the accent color?"

"Yes," is all he says before he walks off.

•••

When we're back in my room, I get fitted for a Kefta.

"Now, what color accent would you like?" the Fabricator asks.

"Is it possible to have it where depending on the lighting it changes from silver to gold?"

"Yes, we can. Though your first kefta would take longer though."

"That's fine. Thank you."

"You're welcome," the Fabricator says as she leaves the room.

"You're going to look stunning in your kefta!" Genya tells me.

"Thanks. I can't wait to see how it looks."

"You need to head down for dinner."

"Could we eat dinner together?"

"Sure, though I am a servant. We don't usually eat with others."

"That's fine."

•••

After dinner, Genya leaves me to get ready for bed and I fall asleep wondering about Mal.