Alina found it hard to concentrate while training with Kirigan. She couldn't get the image of the empty hut out of her mind and she kept jumping to different conclusions. Had something terrible happened to Baghra and that's why Kirigan wasn't telling her anything? Had Baghra fallen so ill that she wasn't allowed to be on the grounds of the little palace at all?

The last one seemed possible but then if Baghra had been sent away surely Kirigan would have told Alina. But at this point Alina didn't know what to think. She didn't know what to believe and who to trust. She didn't even know if she believed herself. Maybe she did catch the conversation all wrong and had completely taken this out of context. But Kirigan seemed so adamant that Alina was not to go near the hut whereas he was able to. She needed more answers and she wasn't sure how she would obtain them.

Alina ventured out of her bedroom, making her way down to Kirigan's war room. It was evening and she knew he spent most of his time in there. She wouldn't be able to get this off her mind until she faced it. One of her guards followed closely behind her. Alina had a feeling they would be guarding her more closely since this morning after she ran off quickly. She hoped they hadn't gotten in trouble for her actions but they seemed to be okay. Kirigan could be scary at times to his guards when he was angry and she imagined him being furious if they let her get into harm for not being careful and doing their job properly.

Alina reached the war room, the door opened halfway and she peaked inside to see the room empty. Perhaps he wasn't here. Alina crept inside, looking all around the room for any signs of him but he was nowhere.

Maybe I can find some answers

Alina looked on the table, flicking through some loose papers scattered around but they were all to do with the second army and strategies. If Kirigan was keeping a secret about Baghra, he probably wouldn't keep the information splayed on his desk.

Silly girl, he's obviously keeping it in his office.

Alina glanced to the doors of the office and the conversation repeated back in her head. They were talking about a team of some sort; maybe he had information on that and also the location of Baghra seeing as she defiantly wasn't in the hut.

Alina slowly walked to the office, nearing it and she reached out to open the doors. Her heart was beating fast with nerves inside her stomach. Once again, she was snooping on the general's private quarters and if Kirigan were to walk in now and see her doing so, she didn't know how he would react.

Just as Alina was about to press on the handle, the sound of boots clicking on the floor turned her head and she rushed from the doors back to the table just in time for Kirigan to walk in. He looked up shocked to see Alina standing by the table.

"Alina… is everything alright" he asked concerned as he walked further inside. Alina gave a stiff smile, trying to look relaxed as if she hadn't nearly just got caught.

"Yes… I just…" Alina found herself stuck for words and she panicked, trying to think of something to say. Kirigan furrowed his brows as he came over.

"Is something troubling you, you didn't seem yourself when we were training" he had noticed she seemed a little off today and not as focused as she had been before. Alina looked at him with worry but she brushed it off quickly, trying to stay confident.

"Not so much troubling… just on my mind. Have you heard anything from Mal?" she asked and Kirigan shook his head.

"Unfortunately not, I sent word out to the first army to see on his whereabouts but I have yet to receive a reply" he said and Alina frowned a little. Why was he not replying? First Mal, then Baghra. Why were people going missing all of a sudden?

"I hope he's okay… maybe he's ignoring me" she said sadly. Kirigan came beside her, touching her shoulder softly. It was a complete lie about sending word to the first army. The only word he sent out was his team to search for him and Baghra.

"I'm sure he's fine but you can't blame yourself for his actions Alina, he has to realise this is who you are, nothing will change that and if he can't accept that's his fault" Kirigan said. He hoped Alina would soon forget about the tracker and move on from him. The longer Mal didn't reply and Kirigan kept the letters away, the sooner Alina would think Mal wanted nothing to do with her.

"I know, I just wish I had some reply from him, just so I know what he's thinking. We never argued before and we've always had each other's backs" she said, looking down at her hands. Everything was so confusing for Alina and all she wanted was her friend here. Yes, she had Genya but she wanted Mal.

Kirigan took her hands in his and turned her gaze up to meet his. His dark eyes looked at her sweetly and he held a soft smile on his lips.

"The second I get a reply, I will let you know" he reassured and Alina nodded, smiling back.

"Thank you" she whispered and for a second, she fell into his spell, staring at him and forgetting about the secret of Baghra. His touch was exhilarating, as if he was amplifying her senses inside and not just her power. His thumbs rubbed over her hands and he pulled her forward, leaning his head down to kiss her sweetly. Alina moaned in the kiss, pushing for more. She couldn't resist him. When he kissed her, tingles and shocks electrified her body and his warm musky scent dripped off his neck, pulling her deeper into his spell.

Kirigan pulled away, his forehead pressed to hers and he whispered softly.

"Stay with me tonight" he said and Alina looked up with wide eyes.

Should I stay with him… should I trust him?

Alina knew she should have said no and retreated back to her own bedroom but she was enticed and she knew deep down inside she did want to stay with him. she wanted to ever since the winter fete. Only after today had it changed her tune on him.

Alina nodded, smiling at him and Kirigan grabbed her again, kissing her deeply.

As promised, Alina stayed with Kirigan. He brought her to his bed, laying her softly and has kissed her gently, leaving pecks all across her skin. She had fallen completely into the temptation and didn't want to leave his touch. Alina was laid beside him, covered under the silk black sheets as Kirigan slept soundly beside her. She had only slept for a few hours before waking with the thought of Baghra running back to the front of her mind.

Her mission was to come and find information but it had led to this instead. Alina looked over her shoulder to see Kirigan fast asleep, his chest rising up and down softly and lightly breaths escaping his nose. She was going to have to be super quiet in order to not wake him if she was going to look through his office.

A feeling inside her told her she shouldn't be doing this. if it were the other way around, Alina would hate to find someone snooping through her personal belongings. But being the curious girl she was, she needed to get this off her mind. Once she found what she was looking for, then she'd be able to get on with her life. She hoped that Kirigan wasn't lying to her. She hoped that the reason Baghra wasn't in her hut was because she was too sick to be here and that she was a danger.

Alina slowly crept out the bed, making her way to the office, constantly looking back at the bedroom to make sure Kirigan didn't wake. She very gently opened the office door, sneaking inside and shut it but not all the way so that it didn't click.

Alina flicked through the papers scattered on the desk but again, they were all to do with war strategies and army duties. She crept around the desk and opened all the draws, looking through but nothing screamed at her that it was relating to Baghra. She was about to give up when she opened the bottom draw and the metal box, she found that night of the winter fete was there. She slowly picked it up, intrigued as to what was inside. Maybe this held information on Baghra.

Alina looked at the front, seeing the small lock and she sighed.

There must be a key somewhere

Alina searched for the key, being as quiet as she could while looking, rattling through the draws to look for a small key that would fit. Her heat leapt for joy when she found a small silver key at the back of one of the draws. It had to be this key as it was so tiny it wouldn't fit anything else. Alina took a deep breath, taking a minute to listen out for Kirigan to make sure he didn't wake.

The box had intrigued her the first time she saw it and she had wondered what was inside. Now she was going to know.

Alina pushed the key in and when a sharp snap was heard, she froze in place, hoping it didn't wake Kirigan. After a few seconds of no sound, Alina swallowed the lump in her throat and opened the metal box. Inside were lots of papers folded up and Alina took one out, opening it up.

Her eyes blinked in shock as she read the first line.

Dear Alina

It was a letter… from Mal.

Alina picked up another piece of paper and opened it, her mouth now dropping open.

Dear Mal

Another letter.

She opened all the papers up, reading the first line of everyone and her heart sunk. They were all her letters from Mal and all her letters to him.

Hey so I hope you like it, what do you think will happen next, let me know in the reviews