A/N: Another long chapter for you guys! This has some new POVs you haven't seen before. :)


Chapter 15

That foolish girl. She had tried to reach her in time to warn her, but the woman had been completely oblivious to her surroundings. The Apparat's men grabbed Alina before she could stop them. General Kirigan would not be happy about this. Zoya sighed.

The tracker, Alina's friend who Zoya had slept with once, to her regret, had guided the Apparat's men straight to her. That had surprised Zoya, but it was probably what the woman deserved. If you strung men along for too long, they eventually turned on you, and Alina wasn't pretty enough for any man to wait for her for long.

Now what to do. The Darkling would probably want her to follow Alina to see where they took her. She had sent her letter to the general, which he should be getting today.

Zoya hesitated though. What had Alina been doing crouched on the ground in that alleyway for nearly an hour. Had she been waiting for someone? Making her way to the spot Alina was crouching, she looked around.

Crouching down like Alina had been, the only thing she could see was the fold. Staring at it, she thought she saw something moving within it, but she knew Novokribirsk wasn't expecting a skiff. No one on the docks were paying the fold any mind. It was hard to see within the darkness; however the fold lightened slightly on its edges, and the volcra normally stayed in the center.

Suddenly Zoya realized something else was coming. Something or someone that Alina had been waiting for. Zoya needed to get to this thing or person before it left the fold or all of Novokribirsk would descend on the anomaly.

Good thing she was a Squaller and brilliant. She raised a sandstorm, trying to make it seem like it came from the fold so it would seem natural and not fabricated. There were shouts from the docks. As everyone rushed to latch things down and cover the skiff, she covertly made her way to the storm.

Donning goggles, that she kept on herself for such emergencies, and wrapping her head in her scarf, she entered the storm unnoticed. Once she reached the fold, she directed the wind so that the wall of sand continued blowing toward Novokribirsk, but left herself untouched. She unwound her scarf and removed her goggles, waiting for what was to come.

A man practically flew out of the fold, in a fight with a volcra. Zoya gasped! It was General Kirigan! Quickly, she helped to slash the injured creature to pieces, and ran to the Darkling's side.

"Are you alright?" Zoya asked with concern. She didn't care about many people, but the Darkling was one of the few. He also protected all of them.

"I'm fine. Where is Alina?" General Kirigan asked. Zoya looked at the man. He didn't look fine. He was bleeding from several places.

"She was recaptured by the Apparat. I tried to warn her, but she was so wrapped up in whatever she was doing that I couldn't get her attention before the tracker led them to her. She'll be fine though. Let me take you to a healer I know in the city," Zoya said apprehensively.

"I don't need a healer. The volcra were distracted by my horse and I was almost out of the fold before the light disappeared. It shouldn't have done that if they just captured Alina," the Darkling said.

'So that is what happened,' Zoya thought. It all finally made sense to her. That was how the Darkling had made it through and why Alina had been so distracted. Still, the Darkling needed a healer.

"They knocked her out. I'm guessing they didn't want a fight with her in the square. If she released her power against them it would have been a beacon for General Zlatan to follow. But she was fine. They don't want their precious saint injured." Zoya said.

"Zoya, you will take me to her," the Darkling said, standing unsteadily and pressing his hand to the largest cut. Zoya frowned. Defying the Darkling was deadly, but taking him to Alina in his condition was a bad idea.

"If it pleases the general," Zoya said in her most humble, polite voice, which wasn't that humble, "I can take you to the healer first. She isn't far from here. While she heals you, I can check on Alina. I know the Apparat's camp well. I've been keeping an eye on him and Alina since I discovered them yesterday.

"I would be in a better position to help her after seeing the healer," General Kirigan finally said, hesitating. Zoya was shocked he was considering her plan. The man was incredibly stubborn.

The Darkling stared hard at her, as if weighing her. Zoya proudly stared back. He frowned and looked down at his wounds.

"Zoya, if I go to this healer, you will go to the Apparat's camp and free Alina for me. You will bring Alina to me. If you fail me in this, you will regret being born. Do you understand?" General Kirigan asked.

"Of course. I will take you to the healer at once," Zoya said.

She extended the sand storm so it went farther to the south, and was able to sneak them into a side street leading into the city. Zoya took off her cloak and threw it over the Darkling to cover more of his wounds. No one would see that he was hurt, unless they looked closely. He had straightened and was keeping pace with Zoya once they entered the city.

Now to get the Darkling to Lena. Then rescue Alina. 'What could possibly go wrong?'


Her head hurt, she was laying down, and she couldn't move her hands very well. 'Where am I?'

"Alina, I see you are awake! Good. We need to talk. I'm very disappointed at you running off like you did this morning. I know fear of the Darkling can make people do stupid things, but you are Sankta Alina. You need to be above that. You don't want the people of West Ravka to die because you aren't there to help them win this fight do you?" the Apparat asked, honing in on her weakness.

"No, I don't. I'm sorry. It was a moment of weakness," Alina said, trying to sound contrite. She managed to get in a sitting position, but standing with her hands tied behind her back and her dizziness seemed like a bad idea. She resigned herself to looking up at the Apparat.

"Now tell me. What did the Darkling say to you? You said that he knows where you are. How does he know and when will he be here?" the Apparat asked. Alina hesitated for a moment, thinking about what she should say. The Apparat's face hardened.

"Bring in the tracker," he called to the back of the room she was in.

A minute later Mal was brought in. He was bound and gagged. She forgot her anger at him from their earlier argument as soon as she saw him. How long had the Apparat had him held captive? He didn't look injured at least.

"Alina, your friend here told me how he almost led you astray yesterday so I had to punish him. He really deserved to be whipped, but I decided he deserved mercy for your sake. However, my men think I'm being too lenient. Can you show them we are on the same side? Answer my questions about the Darkling," the Apparat said. Alina looked at Mal apologetically, then turned to the Apparat.

"I honestly don't know much. The Darkling contacted me. He plans to come to West Ravka and take me back. I would do almost anything to escape that fate. He did not say when he would be here, and it might prove difficult for him getting through the fold. I would guess he would have agents in West Ravka in the next few days," Alina said.

"Thank you Alina. I hope you know I'm your ally in your fight against the Darkling. Is that all he said? He didn't say when, you are sure?" the Apparat asked, glancing at Mal. Alina got the message. If she lied to him, he would take it out on Mal. However, if she told him the truth he would most likely take his displeasure out on Mal as well. He also would not let her out of his sight.

"Yes, that is all I know. He may contact me again once he is closer. I think there was only so much he could communicate across the great distance between us," Alina said, trying to mostly say things that were true.

"Sankta Alina, I hate to see your hands bound. Will you agree to stay and fight General Zlatan with us?"

"I will stay and fight," Alina said meekly.

"Good," the Apparat said, and motioned for one of his men to free Alina's arms. "Your tracker friend will be released when we start our attack. We should be ready in about an hour. We'll send a spear of men in front, with you in the center, your light guiding us forward, to strike General Zlantan in the heart. Once the army sees who they are up against, they won't last long," the Apparat said with a manic grin as he smoothed his oily hair out of his face.

He got up and motioned for his men to join him. They all left, including Mal. Alina finally stood and stretched, getting her bearings. Her dizziness had faded, but she didn't feel quite herself. Hopefully she could summon still after all of that. She focused a tiny bit of her power into her hand and felt the ball form, if a bit sluggish like her brain, but it still appeared.

Walking over to the door, she tried it, but found it locked. That wasn't surprising. She wondered where they were, but even more pressing on her mind was her worry over whether the Darkling had made it through alive. Strange to be worried about him, but he was the one who would save them. That was the only reason she was worried.

Sitting down on a crate in the back of the room, she closed her eyes and focused on the Darkling. She reached out to him, but felt nothing. She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. Just because she couldn't feel him, did not mean he was dead.

Suddenly there were voices again outside her room. She heard moaning, then a bang, and then silence. 'What is going on?'

Her door opened and a beautiful woman walked in. She had black hair hanging down in a long braid, and wore a peasant dress that was a little snug and showed off her generous curves. It took Alina a moment to recognize her.

"Zoya!" Alina said in surprise. "Zoya, General Kirigan was coming through the fold when I was taken. He might be hurt, you must go…" Zoya interrupted her.

"Yes Alina, I know. It's been taken care of. Now let's go," Zoya said contemptuously.

"What do you mean it's been taken care of? Is he alive?" Alina asked.

"Really Alina. We can talk about this later. Like after I get you out of here. He's alive and I took him to a healer I know," Zoya said. Alina sighed in relief, and Zoya rolled her eyes. She was so happy to know that he was alive. She shouldn't feel that happy, especially since he might not be able to help them.

"I'm not going Zoya," Alina said firmly.

"Alina, I know you aren't the brightest, but there is about to be a battle here and you need to leave now, or you will be at the center of it," Zoya said.

"And why do you care Zoya?" she asked.

"Because General Kirigan will have my head if I don't get you out of here! I gave him my word so he wouldn't come himself. He lost too much blood and shouldn't be moving around right now, but that is really besides the point Alina. We need to leave now!" Zoya said, trying to grab Alina's hand.

"Zoya I will scream if you try to take me out of here by force. I'm staying and fighting so the people of West Ravka don't get slaughtered. General Kirigan was going to help me stop the Apparat. If you have a way to do that, I'd gladly keep everyone from having to fight, including me!" Alina said angrily. Zoya looked even angrier. She pressed her lips into a thin line and glared at Alina for a full minute.

"Fine Alina. I can't go back to General Kirigan without you anyways so I'll stay here and keep an eye on you. If I can keep you from dying out there, he might forgive me. And no Alina, I might be the most powerful Squaller of my time, but I cannot stop the Apparat, all his men, and all of his weapons all on my own," Zoya said, then spun around and left the room. Alina heard the lock click back in place. She really hoped she was making the right decision.


"Why can't I be with Alina? That was our deal we made back at the first army camp! You would take me to Alina and let me stay with her as long as I provided you with information. And if I did what you said, both of us would be kept safe. I have kept my end of the bargain Apparat. I stabbed Alina with that needle you gave me to keep her in her room even! I don't know if she'll ever fully forgive me for that," Mal said, wiping sweat from his brow. The afternoon heat was irritating, and didn't make his mood any better.

"My dear tracker, have you truly kept your end of the bargain? You said you would tell me everything. Was this morning the first time she had talked to the Darkling? Because you never mentioned it before, but I have a feeling it wasn't the first," the Apparat said with dangerous calm.

When Mal joined the Apparat on his journey to West Ravka, the man had made sure Mal knew what lengths he would go to to get what he wanted, and how he wouldn't tolerate disobedience. Mal was honestly terrified of the Apparat, if he admitted it only to himself, but he hoped that the Apparat would be able to take down the Darkling. It seemed like if anyone had a chance of succeeding in that, it was this man.

"She whispered his name yesterday in her sleep, his real name that you told me of, but she was asleep. He couldn't have been talking to her in her dreams could he?" Mal asked.

"Do not underestimate the Darkling. Anything is possible with that creature. I will let you be with Alina shortly. You can be part of her bodyguard when we start the fight," the Apparat said. Mal signed in relief. He had hoped the Apparat would allow him to do that.

He had been tempted by Alina's proposition for the two of them to go off on their own, but she didn't understand. The Apparat was always watching them and demanding information. He was their best chance of destroying the Darkling, and there was no way to truly escape until they did.

"In fact, it is time," the Apparat said walking towards the door. "Come with me, tracker." Mal followed behind him.

'Don't worry Alina. I'll get us through this,' he thought to himself as they made their way to where their battle was to take place.


Alina followed her guard until he led her outside to a place where both the Apparat and Mal were standing, along with a good hundred men milling around them.

"Mal!" Alina said running to him. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine Alina. The Apparat is letting me fight by your side, as long as I behave," Mal said, with a sidelong glare at the Apparat.

The Apparat smiled and stepped closer to her, "Alina, there are some trained men in this group to keep everyone together, but most are the peasants of West Ravka. They know you will keep them safe, and volunteered at the front to ensure they would be next to you. I'm leaving my military commander in charge here. He will help you infiltrate the camp. We know where to find General Zlatan. You need to provide the light to give these people hope and protection. We are are relying on you Sankta Alina. I will be awaiting the good news here and will join you at the front, when it is safe. I am unfortunately not a warrior." The Apparat gave a small bow towards Alina as he left.

"Sankta Alina, I am Commander Yuri. The Apparat has briefed me on your abilities. Would you be able to create a shield of light that melted Zlatan's bullets before they hit our men? I assume you could only keep it focused on our core group and the people on the outskirts will not always be protected, especially as the battle spreads out, but would you be able to protect our core group for the couple miles we need to make it to General Zlatan?" the man asked.

"So you really want us to be the spear that rapidly drives through Zlatan's ranks. I have never done that, but I think I could," Alina responded. She knew the men and women least likely to keep in formation and to spread out were the poor people of West Ravka that had no military training.

"You must keep driving us forward Sankta Alina. The main force, the Apparat has gathered thousands, will fall in behind us. But if we stop and let the tanks and heavy artillery come into play, the battle will be much harder to win and General Zlatan might escape."

"I will do what I can Commander Yuri," Alina said, trying to sound confident and calm, when inside her stomach felt full of butterflies.

Mal squeezed her hand in sympathy, but before he could say anything Commander Yuri motioned for them to follow him. They walked into the crowd of people, making their way to the front.

"I'll give you the signal when to put up your shield. We are going to use bombs on the opposite side of the compound, then we'll run forward," Commander Yuri said. It sounded so simple, but Alina knew from her army training that things were never that simple in battle. Plans never went fully how they were meant to.

"Alina, I've got your back ok. I know we've fought some recently, but I'll look out for you, ok?" Mal said. Alina didn't know if she wanted to roll her eyes or hug him.

"Thanks Mal. Lets just try to protect as many people as possible," Alina said.

Commander Yuri gave some command and they all started to slowly advance towards another part of the city that was clearly marked as a military district. Then they heard the bombs. They were louder than Alina expected for being on the other side. They must be large bombs. They probably would have killed people. Now was not the time to think about that. She had to save as many people as she could.

'Curse the Apparat and General Zlatan.'