When we parted I was catching my breath, he just knew how to steal my breath from me in a way when no one else did. He let me open the door and I walked out of the room walking downstairs where everyone was waiting. I saw Ivan and I walked past him going to my family when he tried to stop me I made sure he wasn't able to.

"Keep your hands off me." I said in a authority tone

I was tired of being intimidated by this heartrender as I saw Nina standing with Marie and Nadia talking and smiling. When my friends noticed me I smiled at them but I knew there were still things to settle here. I knew Aleksander was right, the fold could be used as a weapon and after that fight with Fjerdans I wanted every Fjerdan hunter dead. I didn't want women or children harmed but I was tired of Grisha becoming a target.

Are you done talking to your fiancé, cousin?" Adrian asked

"Yeah, we came to an agreement, sort of." I said, "We're gonna make a place for you, me and people like us to train."

"What does that mean for us?" Marie and Nadia asked

"You both are still my guards, you'll be with me. You won't go to the south, or the north, or in his service. I'll ensure you both come with me." I said

I knew in the beginning we all had been talking about our futures in the 2nd army and here I was about to become something bigger than I expected back then. I knew the truth that this was a big gamble but Aleksander kept his word when he promised things. Baghra had even said I was good for him so I knew I could handle whatever he threw at me but I knew we still had to talk about the stag necklace.

He has it and if it gets put on me it'll connect us where he can activate my power when I don't want it to. I thought

I heard Aleksander coming down as we all looked back seeing him coming down, he seemed to be thinking about what we talked about. What we hadn't talked about was did I need to temporarily return to the little palace to do all this wedding planning. The Materialeki could make the outfit for the wedding but I knew he'd wear black no matter what we did.

"So how long do you need?" Aleksander asked

"Till what?" I asked

"We will have to return to the little palace, the wedding should be done where our 2nd army can see it." Aleksander said

"I'm not going anywhere without them." I said firmly, "this is my family and I won't abandon them."

"We'll make accommodations." Aleksander said as he walked over and he got close to my ear whispering, "I want you back in that dress not these clothes."

I turned to everyone and we decided as a group to go along with it so we went upstairs to get our things. I changed into the dress he left on my bed as I was last to walk down seeing everyone there. I had the silk dress on and my black kefta, Marie and Nadia put theirs on following my lead to wear their Keftas as I saw my family look at me with shock seeing the dress. Aleksander couldn't hold his smirk back, winning against me seeing that I was in the clothes that were his color.

I saw his heartrenders had left so we stayed there for a little while before the sound of carriages coming. We walked out there as I had Adrian come with me knowing that 2nd army wasn't all bad but I assured my aunt he was safe with me. Ivan opened the door for Aleksander's carriage and I told Adrian to get in as I got in behind him while Aleksander got in, Adrian sat across from us and Ivan sat by him as I watched seeing my family getting in the other carriages.

Once the carriages started to move it was silent most of the ride there, Adrian looked at the heartrender sitting beside him. Hr also looked at me and I just gave him an encouraging smile. Aleksander had been quiet but this was mostly the way things were in the carriage. I crossed my arms a bit remembering the last time I was in this carriage.

"So, you're Amira's cousin?" Aleksander said breaking the silence, Adrian just nodded at his words. "How well of a teacher is she? I don't think we've seen you before." Adrian looked hesitant and I looked at Aleksander knowing that he was asking questions. "How did you.." I said, and Aleksander looked at me, his eyes holding mine looking for the answer as I realized I must have given it away with the way I treated Adrian. "You don't insist anyone goes with you unless they are Marie and Naida." Aleksander pointed out

"She's a good teacher, she understands how it feels to used to pass out." Adrian said, I just looked away knowing I never mentioned that Aleksander. I never thought it would ever need to come up due to I had control over the Tidemaker and the Sun Summoner sides of me. "She never mentioned she had those struggles but Baghra probably knew." Aleksander said

Adrian seemed to notice as the ride was long but it couldn't have come to a stop soon enough. I tried to keep a conversation with my cousin but Aleksander was clearly wanting my attention as he took my hand. I wasn't going to give that to him while amusing my cousin and soon we felt the carriage stop.

Welcome back to my misery. I thought

As Ivan got out and opened the door for us I motioned for Adrian to go first to which he followed my instruction then Aleksander had me go out as we were back now at the little palace. Adrian took it in but I waited for the rest of my family as Aleksander got out, taking my hand and leading everyone inside. Once within the grounds, I had that familiarity of how things were and I saw Baghra run over seeing me.

"You found her." Baghra said her tone worried

"Don't worry mother, I am not as evil as you make me out to be. Though your intentions of setting her to race me for the stag was a clever plan in the end she couldn't do it." Aleksander said

I looked down, unable to look Baghra in the face when she'd insisted he couldn't obtain that kind of power. I'd known for ten years that this was going to happen but I knew that some of the amplifiers from the stag were with me. Baghra approached as she made me look at her, seeing my disappointment but I saw her checking my collarbone area.

"You didn't put it on her." Baghra said

Aleksander seemed annoyed by Baghra interfering with her agreement as I was when I found out. My family was watching this whole interaction but Aleksander kept his composure since no other Grisha was there.

"I think my soulmate and fiancé deserves better than something forced upon her. She is my equal and the one I've been waiting on all this time." Aleksander said

Adrian beside me listened, realizing that Aleksander called me his equal but he'd been very sincere about what he meant as he wasn't letting my hand go.

"So now what do you plan to do with her?" Baghra asked

"I plan to start preparations for a wedding and she'll be my wife leading the next group of Dual Summoners we find over time." Aleksander said

Everyone seemed shocked upon hearing this but it was clear he meant every word that he said. I also knew there would be marital expectations the night of the wedding and that made me nervous as I have never been with anyone.