Darkling POV

Alina startled everyone in the room when she stood up yelling that the room be cleared of everyone but Mal glaring at the tracker. I wanted to kill him he was supposedly her friend, her family yet he treats her like she is nothing making her upset, I was fuming. No way I leaving so I continued sitting waiting to see if she would insist I leave. She didn't and she was yelling as soon as the doors were shut. She yelling I listening quietly neither of us realizing Genya had stayed behind hidden behind Alina's chair until she moved. I continued to ignore her to pay attention to Alina, watching her get even worse upset than she was. When I could tell that she was done I called my shadows and sent them out in a boom. I expected everyone to startle but Alina didn't I walked up behind her she stilled then. I wrapped my arms around her waist and whispers in her ear "are you ok my sun? We can end this part of the meeting and send the boy off if you would prefer. You can calm down and we can continue the meeting then." I was surprised when she agreed and told when I was back in place to summon her light. She hesitated so I told her to go ahead she summoned her light she looked beautiful as always when she is summoning. Ivan having must have been just outside the door now seeing the light came rushing back in I doubt Alina noticed. I released the meeting the tracker looked like he wanted to stay but I nodded to Ivan and he dragged him out. I need to be alone with my sun and see if she was ok. I knelt in front of her "are you ok my sun?" At first I wasn't sure she was going to answer then she started talking then got up and at first I thought she was walking away from me but it turns out she was just looking for sunshine in her time if need. Glad she had stood up for herself but horrible she was hurting I didn't know what I could do to help her at this point. She needed time but I couldn't give her too much time we still had much to do. So I hugged her to me and decided to try and comfort her with the truth "no one will hurt you my sun they have to get thru me." She lend her head back it lands in the curve of my neck. "You can only stop physical hurt my dark angel you can't stop emotional pain." I stopped she given me a nickname and didn't she know by now I would make time for her. I spun her around in my arms she locked her hands behind my head. "Alina, yes we still have more to do today but I'm here and we have now. Im sorry I can't stop the emotional pain if I could I would. Don't think I didn't notice you zoning out during the briefing but fine for now. However I will always make time for what you need if you decide to stay after today that is." I couldn't bare the thought of losing her. "My sun I must ask one thing of you. I need you to face down your would be attacker with me. I still need to question him and decide his fate. Can you do it my sun?" She looked completely shocked.

Alina POV

He is insane he has finally lost it I thought. He wants me to what? I'm speechless my mouth hung open for a second before I could speak "My dark angel are you insane to face the guy who tried to kill me who did kill Marie. After I just faced down Mal, who I'm not sure if i ever want to see again. Plus you said you would tell me your plans for me today." He hugged me closer "Alina I'm sorry I wouldn't ask if there was another way. I don't want to leave you alone and you are not leaving my sight. Plus he needs to see that he failed in his task it may get him to open up more. Give. Us the answers that we need to stop the attacks on your life they got to close this time. So no I am not insane I hate to ask it of you but I must my sun. I fear I must give you more bad news." I had to stop him there I broke out his grasp and walked to the other side of the balcony doors looking up at the sunshine. Looking to the sunshine for strength to keep going. "What else could you say I can't morn the death of one of my friends or the loss of another. We haven't talked about last night. I mean it may not have meant much for you but it was my first time and I need to talk about it. Also what happens next but that can't happen till I know your plans. I don't know if I can face my would be assassin, I see your point but I don't know if I can do it. What else could there possibly be Aleksander what?" He ran his hand through his hair if she wasn't upset she'd find it amusing. I was really starting to wish we could roll back time to last night. I didn't know half the stuff I knew and I was naked and in Aleksander's arms yeah last night sounds a lot better. "Alina please last night meant more to me than you know" he started but I cut him off. "Aleksander I will do as you ask but I will not be happy about it. We need to finish the meeting and do this so as you say can determine his fate or whatever. Please don't ask me to smile throughout this because I won't be able to." I turned once more to walk away until he spoke "we still need to speak Alina. When do you have plans for us to talk? Apparently there is alot more to talk about than I thought if you think last night meant nothing to me." Knowing tears were in my eyes I turned "after we finished this meeting, the assassin, and whatever else is on your schedule." Turning right back around heading to the war room and sitting my seat he was with me in the next few seconds.

Darkling POV

SHE WALKED AWAY FROM ME AGAIN AND BELIEVES LAST NIGHT MEANT NOTHING TO ME! Breathe she is grieving, she isn't sure if she still has a friend not that I minded if they never saw each other again other than hunting the stag. I realize how quiet it is in the other room and rush in finding her sitting hands folded in her lap as if waiting on me. Looking upon her face it was blank as she was masking her emotions. "Alina please talk to me." "We are needed for a meeting." Going without thought I knelt in front of her to try again "Alina last night meant more to me than you know. On our way and there I will be at your side at all times as well as Ivan will be there nothing will happen to you. If by some chance he were to break free Ivan would crush his heart and I would cut him to keep him from you. We just need to get Mal to reveal the location of where he seen the stag then turn around and get things in order to go hunt it for you. It will be you amplifier if you agree to it, it will be a step to help get you stronger. Then we can end the meeting and you can have a few moments before we head to the dungeons my sun." She sighed looking at me finally "fine Aleksander let's get this over with." I walk to the door opening it to find a servant who was about to knock. Startled she took a step back "Darkling we were wondering if you were going to eat this morning?" She asked looking blankly at her i said "one moment" and shut the door turning to look at Alina. "Are you hungry Alina we could eat before we begin the meeting again?" She having been watching me pops offs instantly "no thank you I do not know if I could face this on a full stomach." I simply nod and turn back to the door opening it "I have no wish of food I just wish you go tell Ivan it is time for the meeting to start and to round up the members." The servant bowed "yes moi soverennyi is there anything else sir?" Ugh "no" I shut the door and walked back to my chair and grabbed for Alina's hand. Within ten minutes everyone was back in the room unsurprisingly the tracker was the last in the room. Looking around this time around it was a smaller group me, Alina, Ivan, a guard, the tracker. "This meeting will be short everyone will cooperate or Ivan will use his power. Does everyone understand this?" Everyone but the tracker and Alina responded. (Had I expected her to?) "Boy do you understand or not?" "Yes I get it ok. What do you want of me you monster?" Oh I was so glad he was testing me I nodded to Ivan and Mal started clutching his heart. He went to his knees he was looking wide eyed at Alina but she had a face made of stone. Hell I had expected her to try to intervene but I felt glad she did cause I didn't want to have to restrain her if it come to it. We needed the boy to corporate to get the stag. When the boy fell over I nodded again and Ivan let go. "I don't like being called monster remember that. You have seen Alina now you will show me where the stag is exactly on the map. Then when Alina and I go out to hunt it you will lead us to it. Am I understood tracker?" He was glaring as he stood up "and if I say no to that and walk out of here?" "You could try but Ivan can keep doing that till you are put in a cell or you can do this and be put in a nice room and be pain free. You pick it's your choice." He looked at Alina once more but she still showed no emotion "fine I'll track your stag for you." Turning to look at Ivan "send him back to the meadow suite and post a guard outside the door make sure he had what he needs." Ivan lead a protesting Mal out of the room. Alina looked around "what's next in the schedul General?" I stood offering her my hand again she takes it and stands.

Alina POV

Watching Mal fall my childhood friend fall was awful but I still hadn't forgotten or forgiven what he said to me. I let Aleksander run the meeting till I noticed after Ivan dragged Mal out there was only one guard left. I was terrified of the answer to my question but I had to ask. "What now General Kirigan?" "We are going to the dungeons now if your ready we can take a second." I knew if I didn't go now I never would "let's go." The guard led the way with Aleksander and I walking side by side, hand in hand. I thought once we got out the safety of his room he would let go of my hand but he didn't. We walked halls I did not recognize that finally lead to a door that lead to a spiral stair case leading down. I paused scared even though I had Aleksander and the guard (Ivan had yet to catch up) for protection plus I could protect myself. Why am I so scared? Aleksander noticed the pull on his arm and turned around "Alina are you ok?" All I could manage was "I don't know" he let go of my hand and tucked me into his side wrapping his arms around me. "I am here my love, lean on me" he whispers in my ear. I look up into his eye and see his raw emotion for me "ok if you hold me like this" I whisper and quickly kiss his cheek. He chuckles "I will hold you anytime you need my sun you just have to ask or say so." He starts to walk and pull me along with him down the stairs. The door shuts behind us and the guard is out of sight so I take this moment to see how he will react to spur of the moment things I did. Reaching up cupping his face pulling his head down so our lips could meet. I meant for it to be a brief kiss but he deepened it I put my hands in his hair. Soon we were both gasping for breath before I knew it his lips were on my throat. As soon as I moaned I pulled back and realizing where we were blushing. Aleksander straightened up pulled me in close and said "what am I going to do with you? I can't seem to keep my hands off you." Afterwards we continued down in a peaceful quiet till we met the guards waiting on the ground floor. They had not led me to the cells like I thought but from the looks of it a interrogation/torture room. There was a door opposite the one we had entered two guards a chair in the middle of the room and two guards by this door. Aleksander pulled us in and the door shut behind us. The assassins head was down and Aleksander kefta shielded most of me from sight so he was not aware I was there. Aleksander didn't want me to cover my face but said it was up to me so starting out my face was also under his kefta.

Darkling POV

I hate to see Alina brought so low to hiding in my kefta, not that I minded her being this close. I've got to get this moving where is Ivan? Pavel the guard who lead us down here will know what is going on so I can go from there. "Pavel what have we learned" I ask rather loudly. He struggled to straighten "well sir we have gotten alot of lies. When Ivan got here we were able to ascertain he isn't alone and there were two different orders out on our sun summoner's head.(I felt the still hidden Alina tremble) as well as he is happy he was able to succeed in killing her. " Ivan chose just then to walk distracting me from my anger and the trembling girl in my arms. "Sorry moi soverennyi am I interrupting?" Shaking my head he continues in looking around no doubt looking for Alina. I step closer to the assassin I can feel Alina drag her heels. When I get to where I want I use the same tone of voice "who sent you to kill the sun summoner?" He spat at my shoes then noticed two pairs he looked confused this was my opening. "Why did you TRY and kill the sun summoner?" "That bitch is dead you will never see her again she can never destroy the fold now." I was hoping she was ready cause I pulled her out from under my kefta and my arms. The assassins face was red as he struggled against his bonds "that's impossible your supposed to be dead I fucking killed you." Alina stepped back but not hiding "who sent you to kill me" she asked timidly. The assassins the sneered at her till I nodded to Ivan. The man tried to grab at his heart but he was bound and could not. I nodded again to Ivan "you will answer the question given to you, you can see you failed in you mission it's time to give up and start talking." The assassin nodded "General Zlatan wants her dead he offered the one mil the other group was gonna split if I would kill her instead of bringing her back alive." "Who gave the other order? Who are the others?" I all but shouted at him "there are three of them two males one female. I'm not sure who gave the second order I was hired on by Mr. Brekker." I was fuming Alina had back up to the door looking ready to bolt. "Is there anything your not telling me before I decide your fate?" "There will be others I'm not the only one that bitch will die." "Ivan end this NOW" I boomed. Alina jumped I went to collect her and take her back upstairs.

Alina POV

What had I just witnessed, this man wanted to kill me. I let Aleksander lead me upstairs without a thought other than I'm alive and my friend is dead. Without noticing where I was being lead he lead me back to his chambers. "Where would you like to sit my sun?" I looked up startled realizing where we were "on the sofa near the fireplace please." He sat me down and went to get a bottle of kvas with two glasses. He hands one to me and the other he keeps and sits next to me. "Please tell me what you are thinking my sun." Looking at the flames of the fire I down the kvas without tasting it. "I'm ready for this day to end I wish we could turn back time to this morning with me in your arms in your bed not knowing what I know now. I have a dead friend two orders out on my head and more Aleksander. Plus I still need to know what your plans are so I know if you will hurt me or not." He looked taken back for a second "we can't turn back time but you can be in my bed and arms anytime you wish my sun. Yes you lost a friend but I am just glad it was not you. My plans are for you to be by my side every step of the way, I had once planned on collaring you to keep you at my side. However you awoke something in me I thought long dead and gone so now I am giving you the choice and I hope you stay by my side." I couldn't believe what I had just heard was he actually telling me. Didn't he know by now unless he hurt me or did something I couldn't forgive I would always choose him. "My dark angel I will always be with you unless you hurt me or do something I can't forgive." He looked down "Alina at some point in my plan we will take the throne they done care for the people and I would like for you to be my queen." I was shocked "Aleksander that is treason but your right they don't later will you lay your plan out for me every detail?" Looking at Aleksander I could see no hesitation "yes I will show you everything as long as you choose me." I got up put my empty glass down and sat straddling his lap. "You silly man don't you get it I've already chosen you. I am still here I haven't ran yet and I don't plan to. Ravka isn't ready for a queen like me nor do I think I am ready for it maybe when the time comes." He grabbed the back of my neck "they may not be ready but I've waited an eternity for you and am more than ready." Then he was kissing me his other hand was exploring my body over my kefta.