Darkling POV

After sitting up holding Alina for awhile to make sure she wouldn't have any nightmares I finally laid down. Adjusting her as I went she ended up with her head on my chest I wrapped my arms around her and went to sleep. Waking at the first Ray's at sunlight as always know I had to get up I tried to try and get up without waking her. Of course it did not work she looked at me thru sleepy eyes "where are you going?" Smiling at her "I have to go get preparations for our hunt underway go back to sleep Genya will come get you after breakfast and bring you to me." Nodding she turned back over going back to sleep. I got dressed and walked out telling this guard the same as the last. Heading into my chambers I ran into Ivan "moi soverennyi I have been looking for you." Ugh "I was out Ivan what is it." Ivan looked scared "sir we heard someone is still here after her." I spun quickly looking at Ivan "what, what do you mean?" He looked down "well sir we cant find the three abductors and the walls have been sealed." "Prepare our stuff for the hunt we leave at lunch." "Yes sir I will prepare everything." A servant brought me my food I ate quickly going to bathe and change. Just as I finished changing someone was pounding on my door. "Yes what is it" I yell. In came running Ivan and Genya looking terrified as I pull on my kefta. "Well what is it I won't ask again." They both shrank back but Genya spoke up "moi soverennyi the sun summoner is gone." I spun March up to them and in a deadly voice said "what do you mean she is gone I just seen her over an hour ago." She shrank in on herself more "when I went to collect her she was not there, tho there are signs of a struggle she fought. There was no guard at the door when I got there either sir." My head was spinning "she fought? No guard Ivan what happened there? Were they seen fleeing and if so what direction?" Ivan raised his head "yes sir there was blood we don't know if it was hers or the attackers. A guard was killed and stripped of his uniform then then the kidnappers took the place outside her door waiting on her to be alone. Moi soverennyi they were seen head west out of the gates." Did I lock her door back this morning? I don't think I did this is my fault they got to her because of me. "Ivan fetch my guard, the leaders of the groups, and a few good of each grisha now. Genya go get as many horses settled as you can but bring my charger Midnight first. I will head out first y'all follow." I started walking away Ivan caused me to pause "sir it's not smart to ride by yourself we have no idea what we are up against. Please at least allow me to ride with you." Without turning "give the job to Fedyor but it had better be done or it on you. Genya also bring a horse for Ivan."

Alina POV

Ugh my head hurts I tried sitting up and realized I couldn't. I couldn't move at all I was bound. Hands bound with wood between them, feet bound together then tied to the wooden bar. There was no way I was getting myself out of whatever this was I couldn't summon thanks to the wood. Opening my eyes I could barely make out things thru the bag on my head. I wasn't moving but I wasn't hurt (much) either what was happening. Trying to think back what happened I was asleep Aleksander woke me when he left. Then it all gets foggy what did they do to me? Finally curiosity won out "is anyone there?" I got no verbal answer but I heard shuffling of feet being moved around and the firm grip on my arm. The mystery hand pulled me to sitting on my calves and yanked off the bag. "Welcome back to the land of the awake sorry we had to drug you. However we need you to be compliant and not fighting us anymore, your our one mil pay day." "Take me back please, or just release me." I plead as I really looked around I was in what looked to be the floor a coach with two men in front of me. The man with a crow cane spoke "I'm sorry miss Starkov we just can't do that. I'm sorry about your wounds but you fought. I'm am afraid you are worth quite a lot of money." Wounds I went to inventory of my body my head was busted open on the side and I have a few gashes in my arms and legs. now i know who had me from the meetings "your Mr. Berkker aren't you? I'm not worth anything let me go." He just shook his head "yes I am Mr. Berkker I'm flatter you have heard of me. My dear you have no idea how valuable you are but we do and we need to cash in on that value." "If you won't let me go tell me where you're taking me." He laughed it was creepy "you just don't give up fine we are taking you to ketterdamn now sit and shut up or we will knock you out again." Looking at the sky seeing the sun was high in the sky I didn't want to lose more time so I stayed quiet. At nightfall we stopped they made camp. They stayed in tents while I was locked in the carriage. I passed the time thinking of Aleksander cause saints knew I wasn't sleeping. I was wondering if he knew that I was missing yet? Was he looking for me would he come looking for me? I had been zoned out so I was startled when the door opened and a woman stood there. "I am so sorry that we have to do this but while you are with us no harm will come to you Sankta Alina forgive me." She shut the door locking it with the look of sorry and pity in her eyes. What she said did little to ease my nerves I lay against the bench seat wondering where my dark angel was. Sending a silent prayer he would come find me to save me from my fate. From my days as a cartographer I knew to get to ketterdamn we had to go thru the fold.

Darkling POV

I couldn't help but think about how I let her down. Me and Ivan were charging on mounts in the direction the were seen going following fresh carriage tracks. Sun is setting I look at Ivan "do you need to stop do so I'll carry on." He shook his head "no moi soverennyi she trusted me to protect her and I failed her if you carry on i carry on." "Ivan you weren't there how could you have helped?" Ivan bowed his head "I was hunting for the guards killers when I was alerted to her missing I wasn't in time." We stopped only once to let's our horses drink other than that we road straight no stopping. When it was pitch black Ivan looked over "sir do you want to stop or push on? We have no clue if the are pushing on or camped for the night." "We push on I will find her" I bellowed. He kept nodding and we kept riding in the pitch black of the night. I wondered how much of a lead they possibly could have. What had I done since I left her me walking talking with Ivan, planning, breakfast, bathing, and changing. Then there is the matter of they couldn't leave right away they had to get mounts settled and orders issued. They had at least four of five hours lead from the description it was a grey coach pull by a team of for Arabian horses. However carriages were slower than just horses so if luck was on their side he would catch her captors and make them pay for any harm. It was well past midnight when Ivan spoke again "sir we must bed for the night to try again at first light. Plus hopefully by then the rest of the rescue party will be here." I sighed agreeing "fine but be ready at first light I ride with or without you. We must get her back I placed as Ivan tied our horses so the could eat and bed for the night. We set up only basic stuff so we could head out with minimal breakdown in the morning. That night I couldn't sleep for the fitful dreams of Alina screaming for help and screaming for me. We were awoken just before there was a hint of sunrise by the thundering of multiple horse hoofs thundering towards them. Jumping up "we must get out this ten and get ready to fight just in case those aren't our reinforcements." He nodded and we moved no more talking needed once outside I got an idea "Ivan hold still I'm going to use my shadows to hide us but leave our camp viable. To confuse whoever is coming and give us an advantage." Ivan simply nodded once more and began to stand completely still. I summoned my shadows and used them to shield and hide us. We had our backs against the trees watching the small clearing we set up out camp it took about ten minutes for the intruders to reach the clearing. Riding in first was Feyador, Irina, and Mila they cleared the tree line on the other side at the same time. Upon seeing our tent they stopped giving the rest a chance to catch up. "Someone go check the tent and see if our leader the Darkling is there his horse. If not half split up to look for him half continue for the sun summoner." Before anyone else could move I dropped my shadows "I am here and fine just wasn't sure who was approaching that fast." Irina dropped from her horse and all but ran to them and bowed "sir we have fresh horses and can move whenever. There is a second round of reinforcements the kings men's we hadn't explain why you and Ivan peeled out of there with a army of grisha on your heels sir." I just nodded my head while inside I'm screaming fuck I didn't need another meeting with the child when I got back. "We leave after we eat and pack up I won't give them more of a lead." Irina start to speak again after I had turned away "sir we will wait for you then as I have said we are all good." I turned around quickly to see the smug look on her face for all of three seconds before she seen me coming. I got within inches of her "Irina you maybe the head of the summoner's but make one more snark you will spend the next thirty something years of your life protecting the frozen northern boarders. This was the first time I had stopped since we left which you should have known since you all had to get fresh horses." She shank back as if I had physically hurt her so I started to walk away. "Moi soverennyi I am sorry let us have someone pack your things or pull rations for you." I didn't spare a glance "no unless you personally want to pack the tent." She didn't respond but from the comical look from Ivan whatever she did was funny. We were off within two hours once again following a trail that lead them closer to the fold. They had to reach her before then. I only hoped as I rode Midnight Alina didn't give up hope and knew that we were on the way to save her. "I'm coming Alina" I whispered as I kicked Midnight even harder and as if feeling his owners needs Midnight provided that speed.

Alina POV

I finally drifted off shortly before dawn only to be startled awake as the doors of the carriage were thrown open and Mr. . Berkker and the woman jumped in with startled cries and shot to go. While the carriage lurched toward at break neck speeds would have knocked her over had she been setting propped up. "What's going here?" The woman looked like she wanted to answer me but before she could Mr. Berkker said "shut up or we will knock you out." He then turn to the woman "how do you think that they are catching up this quickly. We should have had a better lead." "Are you sure it's them? As to why we don't have more of a lead you would have to ask Jasper or her." They both turned to look at me "hey don't look at me last thing I remember is being in my bed that morning. Plus why the hell should I help you I hope it's them I want to go home? Besides you didn't think you could get away with stealing the sun summoner did you?" Mr. Berkker grabbed my chin with force "you will answer our questions with or without force." The woman gasped she shushed her "how could they have known so quickly miss Starkov?" "I'm not telling you anything." I wouldn't say Aleksander was with me last night and it sounds like they got me shortly before Genya came in. Mr. Berkker let go of my chin to drew back and hit me. I grunted but showed no other signs the hit hurt. "How could they know so quickly?" When I didn't respond he hit again this went on for awhile I had no idea how long till the woman grabbed his hand "she isn't going to talk and we can't stop to have Jasper jump back here just deal with the fact they are here. We are still a days hard ride from the fold and we have to board a skiff with a now bloodier and bruised hostage. We need to focus on getting away not punching her in the face." They were coming, they were coming was the mantra I kept repeating in my head. Hopefully my dark angel will be there soon. The woman spoke again it took me a moment to realize that she was talking to me "why won't you talk this has to hurt? We didn't want to hurt you when we started out please sankta Alina. " I scoffed at this "if you hadn't wanted to hurt me you would not have come after me to begin with so no I will not answer no matter how many times I'm hit." That was the last thing that I remember other than the fist to the just below my temple. Later I awoke to fine to two deep in conversation about how they would get aboard skiff but quickly quieted when they seen I was awake. He started again "are you ready to talk yet miss Starkov." Just to buy time from being hit "I don't know anything again last thing I remember was laying in my bed that morning." He seem to think on this for a moment "maybe you hit your head harder than anyone knew."