A/N: Another chapter for you guys! I hope everyone is still enjoying this! Leave me a review if you are. :) Again, I haven't read the books so its going to look different if you have! This story is just based off the TV show.
Chapter 10
He sat at his desk feeling relief and anger warring within him. On the one hand, Alina was alive and he had a way to contact her, and on the other the Apparat had her and the tracker was with her. Anger started to win as he pictured them kissing. He stood from his desk, prepared to take his wrath out on the closest living creature that was unfortunate enough to cross his path, when he heard faint words in his head.
"I miss you Aleksander"
Had that been Alina? He reached out, but couldn't feel her presence. His anger faded, slightly pacified, as he left his rooms. Ivan fell into line with him as he walked towards the council hall. When he opened the large oak doors, he found his grisha were seated, waiting for him.
"The amplifier David installed is working. I have made contact with Alina. The Apparat has her, and since it worked we can assume she has the stag antlers. Do we have any news from our grisha abroad or the ones I sent out?" the general asked.
"We've heard back from all of our agents that were already in place, and they have seen nothing. Zoya should be in West Ravka soon. The others we sent out have found nothing suspicious so far in the countryside," Fedyor said.
"I want Danlin to find out what happened to the tracker Mal. I know the Apparat has him as well now. If we can trace the tracker's disappearance from the army, he might lead us to Alina. Danlin has been keeping an eye on the army and might have noticed something. Tell him to look into the matter," Kirigan said. Fedyor nodded, then Genya spoke up.
"The king's health is still poor. It looks more likely that the Apparat poisoned him before he left. The timing is too much of a coincidence for a normal illness."
"The Apparat wants the sun summoner to be his champion to bring down the fold, and then he'll move to take the throne," Kirigan said angrily.
"Surely Alina wouldn't support the Apparat," Genya protested. A concerned look passed among the grisha.
"The Apparat might use her tracker friend as leverage, and she does not know him as well as some of us do. He knows how to make a compelling argument. There is a reason the weasel has as much power as he does," Kirigan said disdainfully.
"At least she should be safe with him for now, if that is his plan," Genya said. Ivan snorted and Fedyor elbowed him.
"If she goes along with his plans, she might be safe until the fold goes down, but he won't hesitate to make her a martyr. He needs her alive for now, but that doesn't mean she's safe," Kirigan said.
He could tell they wanted to ask if Alina would tell him where she was, but none of them dared bring up the question.
"You will report to me immediately if there is news. And keep an eye out for the Apparat's spies. He wouldn't leave the palace without having eyes and ears on the king and possibly the grisha," Kirigan said. "You are dismissed."
Kirigan turned and left the room, never having sat down. He couldn't he sit when Alina was out there in the hands of the Apparat. Ivan trailed behind him at a respectful distance in case he needed anything.
He made his way down to the dungeons where some druskelle they had captured were waiting. The druskelle had made it as far as Ryevost, looking for grisha to torture. They would learn better. When he was done with them, he would send them back to Fjerdan, crawling on their hands and knees. And if they ever saw a grisha again, they would soil themselves. He smiled. He would find Alina and he would feed Mal to some volcra. His day was improving.
When Alina woke up, she glanced out the window and noted it should be around lunchtime. She ate more of the food the Apparat's fanatic left her, making sure she rationed it so she would have enough for dinner. Mal would be back soon, and she didn't know what to say to him. She didn't know how to feel towards him. He was her best friend, but he ignored the part of her that was grisha. She had daydreamed about kissing him for years, when all he seemed to do was notice women with fuller figures and pouty lips, like Zoya. He was here for her now though and wanted to help. Maybe she should give him a chance. Maybe the passion was missing because they had been so long apart.
There was a brief knock, then her door opened. Her tracker entered, and she smiled at him. Sweat poured off his brow, like he had run around the whole city while he was gone.
"Find out anything useful?" Alina asked.
"There is a small meat pie stand around the corner, and I brought you back one," Mal said, handing her the pie. She smelled the spices and taking a bite into the flaky crust she sighed happily. The food she was getting wasn't enough, and it was all bland. She tried to slowly savor the pie, but found herself licking her fingers before too long.
"Thanks Mal," Alina said with a blush. She should have thanked him first, but the pie was too irresistible.
"Don't get too attached to them. I don't have much money. I was due for another stipend, when the Apparat came and got me," Mal replied, but looked pleased at her reaction.
"Well, I can see how this would be the most important thing to tell me," she said with a grin, "but did you find anything else while you were out?"
"I avoided the military district and the wealthy areas. The area we are in is one of the poorest. No one pays too much attention to what goes on here, which is why the Apparat must have chosen it. He said tomorrow there will be another rally so I think he wants the people to rise up against Zlatan,"
"But the people here don't have anything. How are they going to fight the military? They'll get slaughtered," Alina said.
"I don't know what the Apparat has up his sleeve, but I'm guessing he has resources. He could supply weapons and extra fighting men. And with you on his side, he doesn't have to win, just make an impression and the rest of the people will give in. Then he'll take General Zlatan's head, put it on a stake, and march to the fold. You'll take the fold down, then we'll take back East Ravka from the Darkling," Mal said.
"Doesn't the king rule East Ravka, not the Darkling?" Alina asked in confusion.
"The Apparat didn't tell me much, but he let slip that the Darkling is planning on taking the throne of East Ravka. Who knows if the king even lives still," Mal replied.
Alina knew that Kirigan didn't trust the king. It wouldn't surprise her if he tried to take the throne. Was that his plan all along? Use her to wipe out West Ravka, then take the throne so the king wouldn't decide the grisha were too dangerous to keep around.
"Mal, I don't want a fight here. I don't want to cause a revolution. Why can't we just take out General Zlatan? No one here seems to like him, and if we take him out, then that buys us time for me to learn to control my new powers. Once we destroy the fold, Ravka will be united again and we can deal with the Darkling then."
"Don't be naive Alina. Zlatan has supporters. And after the world sees you wipe out West Ravka, and then destroy the fold, they won't stand with the Darkling," Mal said. He sounded disturbingly like the Darkling in that moment. She didn't want people to fear her. Fear wouldn't bring lasting peace.
"What if the Apparat is lying to us? What if he has some schemes that are just as bad as the Darkling's plans," Alina argued. Mal looked at her doubtfully.
"No one's plans can be worse than the Darklings. Like I said earlier Alina, you don't have to be on the Apparat's side. Just go along with him for now. We all want to see the Darkling destroyed, along with the fold, and the Apparat is our best bet. Surely you see that?" Mal said.
"The Apparat hasn't given me a choice Mal. I'm essentially his prisoner right now. Maybe he is our best hope of keeping the Darkling from using me, but I want to be away from here. Did you find somewhere else we could go? Somewhere we could hide from the Apparat for a while and come up with our own plan?" Alina asked. Mal sighed.
"The Apparat is keeping you safe Alina. He is feeding you, protecting you from the Darkling and Zlatan's spies. I can protect you too, but we can't beat the Darkling on our own. We need the Apparat," Mal said. Alina knew she couldn't argue with that, but she didn't trust the Apparat. Mal seemed to read her unspoken reservation.
"Alina, I know this is difficult and you don't trust the Apparat, but who do you trust more, the Apparat or the Darkling? You can't escape both of them." Mal paused but didn't seem to think it was a real question and continued, "Once we've defeated the Darkling, we can make our own way, just the two of us." Mal learned forward in the chair next to her and grabbed her hand in his own.
"I still don't like this Mal. If there is another way, lets find it, ok?" Alina whispered.
"Of course," he said giving her hand a squeeze. "You know, I don't have to stay in my room tonight. You've been so alone. Why don't I sleep in here," Mal said.
"Mal, there is only one small bed," Alina protested.
"We've squeezed together on smaller beds," Mal said with a smirk.
"When we were ten!"
"I don't mind if you don't," Mal said with another smirk, "and you'll sleep better with me here."
"Mal, I said I needed a little space with all that has happened, remember?" Alina said.
"I wasn't suggesting we sleep together Alina. Just in the same bed. It might be for the best in case the Apparat is as untrustworthy as you keep saying," Mal said. Alina hesitated. That was a fair point, but what if Kirigan spoke to her again when she was in bed with Mal? Kirigan would skin him alive when he found him. And she really wasn't ready to be in bed with Mal when she didn't know her own feelings towards him.
"Mal, not tonight ok? Maybe another time," Alina said, hoping he would drop it.
"Alright, if that's what you think is best," he said with a sigh. Clearly, he disagreed with her. "I'm going down to the common room for a couple hours, then I'll head to bed early I think. We were traveling for half the night, night before last and I still haven't caught up on sleep."
"I'll come to the common room with you," Alina said.
"No Alina, its not safe. Anyone who works for Zlatan or the Darkling could spot you," Mal said.
"I don't care! I'm not going to be a prisoner in this room forever Mal. You don't get to say whether I can leave or not," Alina said, starting to feel angry towards her friend. She stood up, intending to go to the door.
"Alina, the Apparat has a man now that stays in the common room. He would have a guard outside your door if it wouldn't bring suspicion, but the man in the common room and the man outside the inn watching it are enough. He told me that he doesn't want you to leave your rooms."
"I don't care what he wants. Unless he wants to cause a scene, he'll let me be," Alina said walking towards the door. Before she got two steps towards it, Mal grabbed her wrist.
"The Apparat is right about this Alina. You are taking a foolish risk for no good reason. I'll go down to the common room, and I'll tell you all I learn when I see you tomorrow. You need to stay here," Mal said, not letting go of her.
"Mal, let go of me, now," she said firmly, "I know you mean well, but I am going to make my own decision, and I refuse to be confined here. I am leaving," Alina said. Mal let go of her wrist, but took another step towards her.
"Alina, I completely understand how you feel. This isn't fair to you at all," Mal said softly, with compassion. Then he moved towards her and kissed her. While she was reeling from the unexpected action, she felt a prick on her neck, and blinked at Mal owlishly, not understanding what was happening.
"I'm sorry Alina," Mal said, holding a needle in his hand, "but I will keep you safe."
Alina started to sway on her feet, and Mal led her over to her bed, where he laid her down. She'd been in that bed way too often lately, she vaguely thought. Should she be concerned? The room swam and the bed beneath her seemed to sway so she closed her eyes. Soon her eyelids felt too heavy to open, and she found herself slowly drifting off to sleep.
