Darkling's pov:

The day of the winter Fete I'd returned early to make sure Amira was ready. Walking down the hall I saw her looking out the window in her usual Kefta being curious about what was outside. I knew she hadn't gotten out much with my mother keeping her constantly training and the only time she had freedom was during the week I'd taken her to the north to see what the first army was like.

"Does it amuse you?" I asked her, she looked at me for a second, surprised to see me before she looked back out the window. "Can we go out there?" Amira asked

"Out to the circus the Queen has hired? People might recognize you." I said knowing the Dual summoner had gotten around to people but her identity of being such to the people had been kept out of range except her name.

"Please Aleksander. I am tired of being locked up in the little palace and I loved being outside the little palace feeling free." Amira begged

I walked over to Amira, taking her hand bringing it up to where I could kiss the top of it as my eyes never left hers. Her yearning for the outdoors of this place is evident on her face from being denied out of here. Debating what was the best course of action to take with her before I decided to give in to her wishes. Leading her down a path I had a cloak and put it over her shoulders to conceal her Kefta then placed my arm around her as I led her around.

Watching her curiosity of what this circus the Queen had come here was enough to make her happy. For a few moments as we walked and I let her enjoy her time to take part in what was going on it felt different. Being with her always felt different than when I had one of the 2nd army around. It felt almost like we were not generals and soldiers or 2nd army Grisha but normal people. I knew better than to let that thought linger she and I would always be Grisha and eternal but the fact she was so sheltered here was noticeable. Noticing people staring at us I kissed her and she responded which helped us blend in even more.

We walked for a bit afterwards as the circus had a performance to represent her defeating Volcra. I couldn't tell at first if she was scared of the idea or she was upset with the representation but like most people were looking at her for the sun. Leading her away I saw she started to cry and wiped her eyes. "Don't cry, it's not worth your tears." I told her

That night at the Fete I greeted the royals as usual before I walked around. Most of the Grisha were doing their performances when I sensed her before I saw her. She was leaning against the wall, her black silk Kefta perfectly framing her and to know she was going to be my wife someday was the best feeling.

"Ah there you are." I said as she seemed statledosing her concentration. "You are breathtaking, Amira."

"Thank you." She said with a curtsy

When the music started playing I offered my hand to her "Would you like to dance?" I asked as she put her hand in mine. I was glad that she was very comfortable with me as we danced but I knew that I had plans for tonight. Keeping hold of her hand I was able to slip the ring off of her without her noticing as I was going to ask her officially but I got her over to the stage and we did our performance. As I slapped my hands together to make it dark then turned to her as she did her part of the performance I knew she was only doing half of her power as she looked at me once it was done. Offering my hand to her I knew exactly what to do as I kneeled down in front of her seeing her surprised.

"Amira Silina, Dual Summoner, will you marry me?" I asked her

I could see she was in surprise being this was in front of everyone at the Fete but she could say no or she could say yes.

"Yes, General Kirigan." Amira said

I slipped the ring back where it belonged on her hand as I led her through the crowd but many people wanted to talk with her. I amused the nobles for a bit to talk to our Dual Summoner as they gave her regards for the engagement and then they were talking of high hopes for destroying the fold. If they called her a sun summoner I would mention that she was not just that but a Dual Summoner accepting all of her was vital. Soon though I noticed she wanted away from the others so I used my powers to conceal us and got both of us to the war room.

"I don't remember this on the schedule." Amira jokes

"I figured you wanted away from everyone." I said

Hearing her laugh a bit seeing her happy to be alone was great but she caught me off guard as she pulled me to her kissing me. I kissed her back, my arms wrapping around her securely. I lifted her up on my war table as we continued to kiss. I'd been with others over 400 years but something about her always felt different than the others. Things had been going slow and it felt like this might be our next step in our relationship so I pulled away from her for a second.

"Are you sure?" Aleksander asked

"Yes, I am." I said

I claimed her lips again in a kiss before we started to make out again, things getting very personal as her arms went around my neck. We had to stop when there was a knock on the door. I could see she wasn't happy about it but also she smiled at me as I kissed her once more before heading over to the door seeing Ivan.

"What?" I asked

"The Tidemaker was attacked in the room. Amira was the target." Ivan said, "We have the suspect in custody and there is word on the stag."

"I'll be right there." I said

I walked over to her and put a hand on her cheek seeing that she looked worried. I realized if she'd been going into a dressing room how much she could have been hurt. Her father would probably kill me or try to if she'd been hurt or worse killed.

"Is everything alright?" Amira asked

"Wait here guards will be outside the room. Don't leave." I said assuring her, "I need you safe."

She put her hand over mine as she looked at me "I'll be waiting and Aleksander I think you're right. Let's get married after the stag is found." Amira said

The idea of having her walk down that aisle with the intention to marry me was an idea that I liked. I knew already about the soulmates and how I'd seen her initials on my wrist. I removed my hand as I started to walk away before coming back and kissing her as she smiled then I left. I couldn't have been gone more than ten minutes when I came back and she was not there anymore.

mother. I thought

I heard the tracker found the stag but refused to come and give its location that he was wounded. I ran out to look around the grounds for her when I heard the commotion and I saw the carriage going. Her standing there on it's edge looking and holding on.

"AMIRA!" I yelled

I saw her get pulled into the carriage not knowing if she was taken hostage or if she left on her own but that was enough. I put the order out to find her no matter what and that I wanted the tracker to be sent to a healer so he could tell me where the Stag was.

"Shame isn't it?" Baghra said from behind me

"You did this." I said

"You intend to get the stag and put it on her, making her a slave." Baghra said

"A regular Sun Summoner would be useful but she is a Dual Summoner, she has become everything. The Future of our people, more than I am." I said

"Yes, but where is she going?" Baghra asked

"Careful, she's more important than you right now." I said

"Good Luck finding her Aleksander, I would guess you'd need a skilled tracker to track her movements. I may be less important to you but she looks at me as an example." Baghra said

Days went by as I got reports from people who were looking for her and yet no one had seen her! How could she sneak past so many guards and where was she hiding? I decided to leave the little palace and search for her on my own with a few people to come along. I started to think about what Amira might be doing as she'd never been on her own and of course we'd noted Marie and Nadia were missing too so I knew she had her assigned guards with her. Those three would be a force to deal with on their own but I thought of where she might go.

she wouldn't go seek her parents, would she? I thought

When it came down to the truth we went about looking over every city knowing she hadn't gotten past the fold. I could feel it she was close and when I looked at my wrist pulling the kefta down I saw her initials faintly there so I knew we were on the right track but when they faded again once we went a certain direction I questioned where she was hiding.

I will find her. I thought

Amira's pov:

I kept watching on my wrist as it was there but then it faded as I gave a sigh of relief knowing that there was another city close to Keramsin. We were to wait out there and it was hard not to want to leave but we stayed down in the basement where it was easy. If grandma Catalina was answering the door it was just someone bringing the usual milk.

"Are you ok?" Marie asked

"He isn't looking at his wrist to know if I'm close." I said

"That's good." Nadia said

We waited there in silence that felt like forever until I heard the sound of the front door again and the person walked into the house. I had my dagger in case I needed it ready to attack but when grandma came down I calmed down. I put my dagger away when I saw my parents and I went over and hugged them.

"Amira, you're safe." Father said

"You are safe Amira." Mother said

"We need to get moving, Morozova's stag is somewhere." I said

I heard the sound of someone else coming down and I saw Nico, he seemed surprised where I was. I questioned if he was still on my side or was he working with my fiance. When he walked over and hugged me I was surprised but I hugged him back.

"We need to get moving. Your name is in every town looking for the girl with the black engagement ring." Nico said as he took my hands and removed my gloves seeing the engagement ring. "So you are going to marry him?"

"It was arranged and he did ask in front of nobles I couldn't say no." I said

"Are you still going to go through with it?" Nico asked

I looked at my wrist as I knew that the letters were not there but I traced his initials on my wrist. My father must have noticed cause he grabbed my free hand and he made me look at him. I knew the truth that his arrangement was not what he thought.

"He's your soulmate?" Father asked

"Yes." I said

We decided over a plan as we discussed it before I saw someone come in a woman with a little boy who had a bracelet like I had once. I knew what he was before I even had to say anything as I just knew. Yet I didn't know who she was as I looked a bit curiously knowing that there were many things I didn't know about this family.

"Who are you?" I asked

"I am Analise, this is my son Adrian." Analise said

"Hello sister." Father said

"Hello Alejandro." Analise said then she looked at me "you're Amira, the one the Darkling is looking for."

"My daughter, Amira. Dual Summoner." Father said

"So is my son but he is Inferni and Tidemaker" Analise said

I was in shock but I knew that there was no time and we all decided to leave as a group. Turns out my grandparents saved every dime to get their own carriage so we were able to use it to travel and the cloth covered the windows so I was concealed. Inside the carriage with me was Father, Mother, Marie, Nadia, Analise, Nico and Adrian. My grandparents were leading the carriage while Nico had given coordinates where to go.

I closed my eyes to try and sleep while we were going and somehow I was able to but once we made it so far we had to go on foot. I told everyone we should split up if I was caught by my fiance they didn't need to get caught with me.

We split into three groups of two groups of five so that way we would be able to keep the power even. Nico was a tracker but he was going with me if I had to get the stag before Aleksander. We split up in the woods as we were moving. Nico focused and it was like he could feel it as we were waiting to get through.

I happen to look at my wrist seeing the initials again seeming brighter than last time. I knew we would come face to face no matter what I did. I was glad things were going well but once we were close I told dad to get Nico out of there but mom did. The Stag made itself known and I was ready or so I thought. While looking at it though, my consciousness that told me I wasn't a killer came back and I fell to the ground in front of it.

I can't do this. I can't kill such a magnificent creature. I thought with a few tears

I felt something nudge me with it's nose as I looked up seeing the stag and I wondered if there was another way to do this. I placed a hand on it's snout and the radiant power that went through me was amazing as I carefully stood up. I smiled looking at it feeling it's power merging with my own but then I felt pain on my side and I fell from the stag.

"Amira!" Father said as he got over to me and he carefully picked me up

"Easy, I wasn't going to hurt her." Aleksander said

I saw him forming shadows and instinct took over as I put light up knowing that the bulletproof Kefta was a lifesaver for me. I could run out of power if not careful as I looked at him knowing that he figured it out that I was going after the Stag.

"I'm disappointed in you Amira, I thought we were on the same page of things. You were coming after the stag this whole time." Aleksander said

"You just want to kill it for its power." I said

"It's for you." Aleksander said

"Lies, if you kill it you get the amplifier." I said

"Believe as you want for now but you can't protect it." Aleksander said

I wanted to deny it but the stag ran in fear and before I knew it he killed it before my eyes. I'd failed at what Baghra wanted and asked me for but I was starting to drain my energy from holding this.

"Now please hand her over." Aleksander asked

"No." Father said

As my hand fell from holding the light the last thing I saw was a flash of light and the feeling of being carried. I was in and out of consciousness from being tired but I heard father say he was going to hide me for as long as he could.