We laid like that for a bit falling asleep but I felt him stir and leave the bed as I opened my eyes. I couldn't sleep so when we went to look over his war plans I left the room without him seeing. Walking I walked the halls wondering just what was bothering me as I kept walking till I made it to our church connected to the little palace. No one was supposed to be here but I needed to clear my head, I'd never really been here because no saint had been in front of all of us and yet now they thought I was.

The Sun Queen, that's what people call me but it's not true. I'm not just a Sun Summoner, I'm a tidemaker too so what does that make me? I thought

The fact I came from a bloodline of sun summoners was the secret that no one was wanting to talk about. I was born in a mixed bloodline of summoners, my grandfather was Inferni and my grandmother was Sun Summoner, between those two my dad had inherited the Sun Summoner from his mother and I'd inherited both of my abilities from my parents.

As I looked at the tapestries I stopped at one, a man with chains on his wrist with the amplifiers on it. Sankt Ilya Morozova, Aleksander's grandfather that people said was dead but then again I didn't completely think that was true. My senses knew dead was never dead as the black Heretic was supposed to be dead and Aleksander was very much alive. I was so focused I didn't even hear the sound of footsteps walking in there until he spoke.

"Having trouble sleeping, Milaya?" Aleksander said

I couldn't help but blush at his words as I felt his hand on my shoulder while he saw what I was looking at. I was never really that big of a believer but this power the people had to worship and believe was clear to see. Aleksander didn't say anything right away as I just stared at the tapestries and I questioned if this was right. Was I rushing into marriage because of obligation, because of finding what fate decided was my soulmate?

"Are you having second thoughts?" Aleksander asked and I sighed, "Would you be upset if I thought we were rushing into this?" I asked without looking at him.

He made me turn around to look at him and I saw in his eyes a bit of anger with our arrangement. I was to be his wife and if Dual Summoners were found I was to lead them and here I was second-guessing myself. I knew he was the only person I'd been interested in, there had been no one else.

"I think Nico is a bad influence on you, he'll be sent back to the first army." Aleksander said as I looked at him shocked. "Nico risked his life to keep me safe, to lead me to the stag." I said in a defensive tone.

I'd lost so much already and I was having a debate but I knew my powers were still my own. He wanted to bridge us together someday but it was on my terms because I wasn't a foolish girl he could manipulate. "You can't send him back to the first army; they will kill him! I need allies and he is one of my allies." I said

Aleksander seemed threatened by Nico just being here because of him being a man, I didn't look at Nico the same way but I knew there was a lot already. I went to walk away as Aleksander grabbed my wrist and pulled me back. I felt the cool of the altar in the church against my back as I looked at him.

"Aleksander, why'd you do that?" I asked, he just walked over as he kissed me, I kissed him back as I put my arms around his neck feeling him lifting me up to where I was sitting on the altar. I pulled away as I started realizing he was getting ideas and I tried to push him back.

"Why are you scared?" Aleksander asked as I looked at him, I knew there was so much going through my head but I was scared of making mistakes. If I was going to be looked at like a saint I thought I needed to act the part and yet he tempted me from those. He made me look him eye to eye as if questioning me "Are you afraid what they'll think if they find out the truth about me? That you will be the Black Heretic's wife?"

I had no plans to expose him as the Black Heretic because I was partially swayed by his cause but I had my morals with Baghra's training to know right from wrong. "I just think maybe our first should be when we're both ready. You tumbled with others, I'm sure Zoya was one of them." I said, looking away from him. I just wanted to get away from him before I said the wrong thing to him as he had me look at him. "Yes, you're right but you're not her. She was just to distract myself from waiting for my sun summoner, my Sol Koroleva to have by my side. Zoya doesn't mean anything to me, Moye Serdtse."

He just called me the Sun Queen and his heart...maybe I was wrong. I thought

"When do the nobles need to cross the fold?" I asked, knowing that if I couldn't make the bridge through the fold on my own he would put the stag antler necklace on me. "In the morning, Zoya is to man the sails but I believe you can give us safe passage." Aleksander said and I nod in understanding knowing he gave me the option to the Stag necklace. I was refusing because I thought I could use the part of it that was a part of me already without him knowing.

"Answer one question and I believe it I won't ask again. Are you planning to weaponize the fold if I do this?" I asked

I saw his expression change as he let me off the church altar and I waited for an answer as we stood there. "I'd love to throw Zlatan into the fold, he planned an attack on your life." Aleksander said as he knew there was a lot I could do possibly on my own. "That doesn't answer my question Aleksander. Lives will be at stake if you send the fold towards West Ravka knowing General Zlatan is the cause of the trouble on the night of the Winter Fete." I said

He didn't seem to have an answer but I couldn't help but consider all of our 2nd army soldiers that might have family on the other side of the fold. People they wanted to see the moment they got off, Zoya regardless of how I felt with her probably had family members in west Ravka. I heard from people she went through the fold many times to visit family while making the sails.

"Where are you going?" Aleksander asked and I just kept walking "I'm going back to sleep"

I didn't know if I could lay in his bed without worrying he'd use the fold as a weapon on west Ravka. The General deserved so much in fact if I got my hands on him I might hurt him for killing my fellow tidemaker but then again my thoughts went to the people who helped me get out of here. Mr. Brekker and his crew were probably going to be on the skiff.

I hope they hide from him they don't deserve to die but this will be hard. I thought

I walked into my room and laid down as I fell back asleep, when morning came I yawned but I got myself together. Genya came in and she helped me with a few things making sure I looked good and then she brought me over a dress.

"What is this for?" I asked

"For the trip on the Skiff." Genya said

I let her help me change into it and I looked at it seeing it was more sun summoner but my tidemaker side was represented too. Genya also put my hair together as I looked at the hairpin in my hair knowing that a lot was going on.

"Genya tells my family I want them on the skiff, if anything goes wrong with me I need their assistance." I said

Genya nodded as she finished and I wore a cloak to cover myself not wanting to feel so out of place, I questioned if this was right. Why did he suddenly want me to help those through the skiff? Would Zlatan try to harm us if we do this? I heard a lot of noise coming outside so I went to check it out when I heard someone yell "Watch out!", Immediately I put my hands together and used the light to surround me as the air was cut in half.

"Who did that?!" I asked

"I did." A male voice said

I saw a boy who had dark hair as I did with my dad's eye color that I would have considered he was my brother. I didn't have a brother as far as I knew, at least dad never talked about his past relationships so I crossed my arms while looking at him. This boy was a squaller that was easy to tell as he had the same power as Zoya.

"And you are?" I asked

"Aidan Nikitin, and you're the Dual Summoner Amira Silina." Aidan said

"Yes, I am." I said

I heard the sound of footsteps coming out and I knew who it was as I knew Aleksander's movements compared to my family's movements and the people coming were my family. Father reached me first but I looked over at him, seeing him surprised. "Dad, what is it?" I asked, seeing his shocked face, but then Aidan spoke "Hi Dad, I see you have a new family and my half-sister is the Dual Summoner." Aidan said

I think most of us, the other summoners, and I were in shock to hear that this squaller was my older brother. I adjusted my cloak so my hands could be free. Aidan noticed the ring and he looked curious that I couldn't help but smile. "General Kirigan asked me to marry him and I accepted." I said calmly, Aidan just seemed to be looking before asking "So when is the wedding?" I didn't have a response for a few reasons one there were a few things more important than me at the time.

"Once her dress is ready, the materialeki are in the middle of making it." Aleksander said as I looked back seeing him walking over and I didn't even hear him come out. He walked over putting an arm around me securely. I didn't forget last night what he was implying and what he was considering. "We need to go lapushka." Aleksander said leaving with me, I nodded but I still insisted on my family going so he allowed it, having two carriages as we headed out. I noticed David was in the carriage with us and Ivan as I sighed until I saw what was in Ivan's hands.

Maybe I should just wear it...I can get the antlers and so what if he could control how far I could push the light father could just back me up. I thought

The trip wasn't long but it was boring as I looked out the window wondering if this was a good idea. Once we arrived at the tent David now had the two items and I looked at Aleksander knowing what he was offering. Power, joined power to show our union of what was going on.

"Will I still have control of my light?" I asked

"Of course Amira, I have no intention of taking that from you just showing we're doing this together." Aleksander said

No, I will absorb the antlers once you put them on me. We will be connected but they won't be showing outside of my body. I thought

I nod as we stood across from the other as David put the necklace around my neck and then I saw the other piece go on Aleksander's hand as He started. I'd never had something infused into me so it was weird but I waited till it was over. I saw him smirk but I knew that he had some claim on the amplifier for killing the stag yet I put my hands together as I felt it slowly go within my body as he looked shocked.

"How did you do that?" Aleksander asked, "I absorbed some of the power already Aleksander, besides I don't want to look like a freak." I said but didn't even try to remove his part as I put the cloak on and started to walk out freely. Aleksander took me for a naive girl when he offered this but I knew I was cunning like him.

Baghra taught me well but we are connected, the antlers though I may have absorbed it to not look like a captive he does have the other piece. I thought

We walked towards the skiff where I was ready, I could feel it more than I had before as we walked on the boat. I was a bit scared as I saw my family there too for support and Zoya was at the sails. I was scared of going into the fold for the first time.

Is this such a good idea? I thought