"Baghra, what are you doing here?" Alina said in a fluster, her eyes staring wide. Alina looked her up and down, taking in her dirty appearance. Her hair was slightly messy, and her clothes had mud marks on the bottom. She still had that dreaded cane in her wrinkly hand, her long fingers gripping it tightly, her knuckles turning a sickly white.

"I'm here to stop you from being a slave for the rest of your life" she gritted, and Alina held her hands up.

"Wait, what… shouldn't you be in Poliznaya, Aleksander said you were…". Baghra cut her off.

"Sick, of course he did" Baghra scoffed, shaking her head.

As Alina looked closer, Baghra didn't have any resemblance to being sick. She looked as healthy as she did the last time Alina saw her, despite her messy appearance. She was still the same old and grumpy Baghra she knew. What was Baghra saying? Was everything a lie? Had she really been sick? And what was she going on about Alina being a slave? Perhaps she was more sick in the head?

"What are you talking about?" Alina said quietly and Baghra huffed.

"I haven't been sick, whatever he told you was a lie. Now come on, we don't have much time" Baghra said before turning around and walking to the end of the room. She placed her hand on the wall and suddenly it opened like a door. Alina stared in shock as Baghra entered the small tunnel leading from the secret door and she turned to Alina.

"Come on now" she ordered, and Alina debated what to do?

She had no idea what Baghra was talking about, but she wanted to know. Was it true that Kirigan was lying to her? if she hadn't been in Poliznaya then where had she been?

Alina took a deep breath before following Baghra into the tunnel. The door slammed shut and Baghra led the way. It was dark but she ordered Alina to call her light and the tunnel lit up with a golden blaze, leading them down the dark route.

"What is going on Baghra, where have you been, I thought you were sick and what do you mean about being a slave?" Alina threw all the questions out there as she jogged after Baghra who stormed down the tunnel.

"I've been helping make sure you don't end up a slave to that monster"

Aleksander?

They reached another door and walked into a small room, still dark but there were a few lamps hanging on the walls. It was dusty and cold and Baghra finally stopped so Alina could catch her breath.

"You listen to me, and you listen carefully. Kirigan is not who he seems" she said seriously.

"He plans to use the fold as a weapon and take over Ravka for himself so he can rule the country. He has no intention of bringing it down and he's going to use you to do just that".

"Why would he do that, he's been trying to find a sun summoner for years".

"Because he wants it all for himself. He's built on power and greed. He doesn't care about the other countries. He wants everyone to suffer for what they've done to Grisha. He never intended to bring a united front and he never will" Baghra said, and Alina blinked, trying to piece the puzzle together.

Why would Kirigan do this?

He had spent so long waiting for the sun summoner, his one and only to help bring down the fold. He had stood by Alina ever since he met her, helping her train and learn her power to be able to bring down the fold and yet Baghra was now telling her that he wanted to weaponize it for his own gain. Alina now wondered whether Baghra really was sick. After training with Kirigan nearly every day and the conversations she had with him, Alina couldn't imagine him to want to bring more war to Ravka.

"Baghra, I think maybe you should just relax for a bit, let's get Kirigan, he'll know what to do- ".

"You stupid girl, don't you understand. Kirigan isn't even his real name. He made it up, he's been lying to you and manipulating you. You know what he plans to do to you?" she asked, and Alina shook her head not slowly, nerves creeping inside her.

"The only way for him to cross the fold and use it to his advantage is you and the only way your power will be powerful enough is by using an amplifier… the stag" Alina remembered Kirigan mentioning the stag to her and then reading about it in Mal's letters. He said he was searching for it. was he searching for it for Kirigan? Was it his orders that had sent Mal to look for the mythical creature and with Mal being the best tracker there is, he obviously found it?

"The stag's power belongs to whoever kills it. and when he puts its antlers on you as it's amplifier, he will be able to control your power and you won't be able to do a thing about it. You'll be his to control, to use… a slave".

No, surely not

"No… no he wouldn't" Alina denied but Baghra shook her head.

"What, you think because he kissed you, he won't do what needs to be done. He has spent years lying and manipulating naïve girls just waiting for you to come so he could take your power. He's had a whole team out there looking for it and he won't stop until he has it" Baghra said, and Alina felt her breathing become heavy and ragged, her chest huffing like she was hyperventilating. She couldn't let this happen. If what Baghra was saying was true, she wouldn't let this happen. She wasn't going to be a slave for someone to use, to have no control over their own power or mind.

"I don't understand… he said he's been trying to undo what the black heretic has- "Baghra cut her off once again.

"He is the black heretic, he created the fold, but it was a mistake and now he's going to use it to his full potential" she warned, and Alina took a step back, shaking her head to herself.

No, no, no. How could he do this?

"But it's alright, I've found a way where you won't have to be his slave. Your tracker friend and I have been finding the stag ourselves".

Mal

"Mal… you've seen him, he's been with you" Alina said, stepping forwards again. Mal had been finding the stag for Kirigan but now he was finding it for Alina.

"Yes, we've caught the stag and now we just need you. You need to kill it before Kirigan does and reclaim its power, so you have its amplifier. He won't be able to use your power if you kill it".

Mal had done this for her, to stop her from being a slave for Kirigan. He was out there risking finding the stag behind Kirigan's back to save Alina. Everything he said to Alina, everything he had done was a complete lie. Baghra wasn't sick at all. She knew all about this and that was where she was this whole time. She had fled with Mal to find the stag to stop Kirigan from taking over as a tyrant. He had created the fold and divined Ravka up all these years. It was all him and now he plans to use Alina for evil.

Alina felt like an idiot. How could she ever forgive him now knowing what he truly was doing. She took back everything she felt for him when she forgave him for the letters. He probably never even sent them after she asked him to. He wanted her to have no contact with Mal at all and especially now knowing they were looking for the stag.

And then it hit Alina. The conversation in his office she had overhead. They were talking about Mal and Baghra. His team had been searching for them to stop them finding the stag and when Alina saw that she wasn't in her hut, it was clear where Baghra was.

"I… I can't believe-, that's why he told me you were sick because he didn't want to know you were finding the stag with Mal" Alina whispered to herself.

"He's been trying to find it himself. He sent a team out to arrest Mal and stop us from finding it. A warrant has been put out for his arrest" Alina looked at Baghra with wide eyes and her mouth dropped open slightly.

Kirigan wanted him arrested

"He wants to arrest Mal" Alina gasped. So not only did he keep the letters from her but now he wanted him arrested. Alina felt guilt flooding through her. Kirigan had manipulated her to think her best friend didn't want to speak to her anymore and thought it would do her justice to have him arrested.

"We don't have much time; we need to get you out of here quickly so we can get you to the stag".

"Kirigan, he'll be expecting me tonight though" she said. she had only just remembered she was going to meet him later tonight. The last thing she wanted to do now was do something she'd regret and after learning the truth about Kirigan, Alina knew she needed to get out her for goof. Baghra rolled her eyes at Alina, shaking her in a disapproving manner.

"Stupid girl" she hissed under her breath and Alina shrunk down a little. Yes, she felt like an idiot, but she didn't need Baghra telling her. Later she would let her but right now she needed to focus on escaping the little palace again. No doubt there would be more security.

"Come, I can get you into the forest. Follow my lead and don't make yourself seen" Baghra said in a threatening voice and Alina felt like she was back at her training days with Baghra. As Baghra led her through the tunnel more, Alina couldn't stop thinking about it all. The lies, the deception, the evil. Alina had wished she hadn't been found that day in the permafrost and she realised now if Kirigan hadn't of found her, she could have found Mal and she wouldn't be where she is right now.

Baghra and Alina emerged outside at the back of the palace. Baghra peaked around the corner, checking the guards and their positions before looking back to Alina.

"Right, as quick as you can you run to the forest, do not look back, do not stop, do NOT call your light otherwise we will be caught. If the guards come after us don't stop, I'll deal with them" she said seriously, and Alina nodded anxiously. Baghra pulled her hands together, summoning her shadows and Alina gasped.

But how?

Alina didn't have time to ask as Baghra hurried her along. The shadows were keeping the darkness around her pitch black so Alina could run without being seen. As it was getting darker, it was harder to see her through the black mist. Alina ran, her feet pounding and for a second, she thought the guards might hear her footsteps, but she carried on anyway. Baghra said no stopping and she wasn't in the mood for a beat from her dreaded cane and a scolding. Alina ran and didn't look back or over to the guards. The black mist was like a sea of death, the black shadows swirling as Alina pushed through them, the cold hitting her face like ice. Her foot crunched on something, and Alina knew she had made it to the forest.

Alina took a moment to catch her breath and leant forward, resting on her knees as she waited for Baghra. A snap behind her made her jump but when she saw it was only Baghra, she calmed herself down, her heart pounding on her chest.

"Quickly now, we don't want to be seen" Alina turned to rush thought the forest when a voice yelled.

"Stop there" Alina looked in panic as two guards ran up to the forest.

"GO NOW, I'll hold them back" Baghra hissed.

"But…".

"GO!" Baghra ordered again before turning her back to Alina to stop the guards. Alina felt bad for leaving Baghra, but she couldn't disobey now. if the guards catch her, she'd be taken back to Kirigan, and things would be worse. Alina took of flying through the woods, ducking and diving the branches and trying to not trip over vines and sticks. The voices behind her got quieter but she didn't stop and even though the forest was dark, she could still navigate her way through Alina didn't dare summon her light at the fear of being caught. What if Kirigan was just around the corner.

Alina powered on through the dark night and didn't stop until she was certain she was safe.

…

Baghra threw her shadows at the guards, the darkness swallowing them whole as they choked and cried out as they couldn't see. She defended them long enough for Alina to get away quickly and when the shadows disappeared into the air, the guards were left lying on the ground unconscious. Baghra was about to turn and head for the forest herself when a voice behind her made her freeze.

"Hello mother".

She turned slowly, her eyes hard and mouth set in a firm line as Kirigan stood behind her, tall and dark.

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