Alina struggled in the binds she had been forced into. Metal shackles placed around her wrists with a bar in the middle separating them. She was unable to push her hands together or apart, meaning her powers were restrained as much as she was. She was knelt on the ground of a small tent, her knees pressing into the furs laid on the hard ground. A chill went down her spine as the top of her kefta had been pulled over her shoulders, her blouse unbuttoned enough to expose her collarbone. She felt violated just from the inch of skin showing.

Ivan stood behind her, hands clasped in front and his eyes lazily gazing at her as he kept watch. There was no use of Alina trying to get up and run, not with the most powerful Heartrender behind her who had his hands free to easily stop her with just a grip on her heart. The tension in the tent was thick and the silence was unnerving. Alina felt a tight knot in her stomach and her heart was beating so loud, she could hear it herself, no doubt that Ivan could hear it.

She was worried about Mal. Where had the guards taken him? Where they really going to heal him or just leave him for dead? Would she ever see him again? This had nothing to do with Mal so why did Kirigan want him so badly? He said in the clearing he wouldn't allow traitors in his country. He had dubbed Mal a traitor for going after the stag with Baghra.

Baghra

With the commotion of the clearing, Alina had completely forgotten about Baghra. Had Kirigan caught her after Alina had made a run for it? Would she be dubbed a traitor like Mal and be locked away in prison for the rest of her life? Surely Kirigan wouldn't do that to his own mother? Or would he?

With everything that's happened, Alina didn't eliminate the idea and if he was to become the next ruler… king of Ravka, he could imprison anyone he liked.

The flaps of the tent pulled away and Kirigan walked inside, his head held high, still dressed in his fur cloak, his eyes dark and hard as he gazed at Alina. Alina glared at him, a scowl on her face but it turned to a frown as David walked in behind him, his face down, trying to hide from Alina as he carried what was the stag's antlers. David shuffled to a small table and placed them down.

"Where's Mal?" she said and Kirigan narrowed his eyes down at her.

"I told you, he's being brought to Kirbrisk, and he will be imprisoned there until he can be brought to the little palace where he will serve the rest of his sentence" he said and Alina gripped her hands, clenching her fists against the shackles.

"Let him go, he's done nothing wrong?" Alina pleaded and Kirigan shook his head.

"The tracker is a traitor and I told you, I won't have traitors in my country".

"What, because he was helping me and not you. Because he was trying to not imprison me and make me your slave" she spat and Kirigan narrowed his eyes at her once again, his brows furrowing.

"You can deny your feelings all you want Alina but you and I both know the truth" he said.

"And what truth is that" she said.

"That you don't love him. You only see him as your friend still. I know exactly how you feel and what you want" Kirigan said with a smug look at the end and Alina shook her head.

"I'll never want you, not after everything you've done, the only person who's been true and honest to me is Mal".

"When are you going to stop lying to yourself Alina, he has been nothing but a manipulator, holding you back from your powers, treating you as less than him. You can say to yourself you can live a happy life with him all you want but you and I both know your lying to yourself". Alina wanted to snap back at him, telling him she loved Mal, and he was the only one for her… but was he? Yes, at first, she may have had those feelings but during her time at the little palace, the feelings disappeared over time, and she had forgotten about him, her mind only being on Kirigan. But if she had the letters, would her feelings have carried on or would she have taken the same journey she had with Kirigan.

"Lies, if we are going to talk about lying, you come out on top for that" she snapped and Kirigan shook his head.

"You know so little" he said softly this time.

"Oh, I know everything, I know all about your plan and what you intent to do. I know exactly who you really are… Aleksander" she spat his name with disgust and Kirigan took a hard breath, his mouth turning angrily at the sides.

"Careful with your words Alina, consider whose life is in your hands" he threatened, and Alina knew he was talking about Mal. She wanted to scream and shout back at him but held back. She didn't want to get Mal in anymore trouble. She glanced to David picked up a piece of the stag's antler, shape into a C shape to fit around her neck. Alina scrambled on her position, slinking back as David was about to step closer to her.

"What are you doing" she grumbled at him. David looked hesitantly and Kirigan spoke again, answering for him.

"You said you wanted this when we first met, to transfer you gift to someone who could use it" he said. Alina thought back to the first real conversations she had with Kirigan, just after he had saved her from being murdered by Druskella. In a haste, she had asked desperately to give this power to someone else, not wanting the responsibility of bringing down the fold and the fear of being a target for the rest of her life. She had wanted to just go back to her Otkazat'sya life with Mal, but she had learned to overcome her fear and embrace she was now Grisha. And now the fear was back and not because she had this power but because she was about to lose it.

"I can use it now" she demanded and Kirigan smirked, shaking his head once again.

"Yes, you can but not as much as you think" he said and then he stepped over, standing closer to Alina. She pulled back, her hands fighting against the shackles, and she glared up at him, her eyes following as he crouched in front of her.

"You and I are the most powerful thing together. There is no one like us and there never will be. Together we can end all wars and protect our own. Is that not what you want?" he said with a condescending tone, his brows furrowed over his dark eyes, guilty tripping Alina. Alina swallowed the hard lump in her throat, staring at Kirigan. Yes, she wanted to protect Grisha. As he said, they were her people, and she would hate for anymore to have to die because of who they are. But doing it like this, making others suffer so that they didn't have to just didn't seem right to Alina and she hoped there was another solution.

If Kirigan had come to her before and told her more about the stag, she may have been more willing to have its amplifier and could have discussed how to end this war. But with everything he has done to this point, lying and manipulating, having Mal arrested, potentially hurting his mother, could she trust him?

"Are we destroying the fold" she said carefully. Baghra had told Alina what he plans to do with the fold but there was a tiny squeaky voice inside her head telling her to listen to his side. Maybe Baghra had got it wrong. Maybe he never intended to make Alina his slave with the amplifier.

"We can do anything… together" he said softly and held his hands out for Alina. Alina glanced to them and back at him, swallowing hard again. She stole a peek at David who waited with her amplifier and then back at Kirigan.

What if he was intending to bring down the fold? Maybe she should have let him speak before she came to any conclusions. With the amplifier, her power would be as powerful as his and it would mean she could take down the fold one and for all, bringing peace to Ravka which is both what they wanted. Alina reluctantly slipped her hands into his and he smiled gently, pulling her from the floor. His smiled faded and he looked to David and gave a short nod.

David stepped forward, holding the antlers out and Alina cringed at the sight. The noise of sawing was still in her mind, and she closed her eyes as David placed the cold, hard bones of the stag around her neck, seating it on her collarbone. She shuddered at its feeling, and her eyes snapped open to look down at it. it was ugly, not as beautiful as she thought and the ends of the antlers poked upwards, the whole thing being very uncomfortable.

David turned back to the small table and retrieved another small piece of the stag's antlers. Alina watched in shock as Kirigan lifted his hand and David placed the small piece on top.

"Wait, what are you doing?" she said softer this time, with fear lacing her voice and Kirigan gazed at her, his dark eyes hard but they flickered quickly to Ivan standing behind her. suddenly, Alina was frozen in place and the world became a blur around her. her eyes drooped shut and she tried her best to keep herself awake fully but with Ivan holding her half asleep, she was unable to make out anything going on. Suddenly, hard pressure pressed onto Alina's collarbone and the stag's antler started to push into her skin, seeping underneath it. David stood between the two of them, hands on either piece as power surged from his hands into the amplifiers as they descended into their owners. Their skin crept over the antler pieces, sealing them away forever so they could not be removed unless they were ripped from the skin.

Alina was released from the hold Ivan had and she blinked as she came back to reality, her hands instantly lifting to touch her collarbone, fingers shaking with horror written on her face at the antler now trapped beneath her skin forever. Two pieces of either side of her collar bone pointed upwards and Alina stifled a sob in her throat as she ran her fingers over the bumps, the skin tender and sore. Kirigan had the same but on his hand and he flexed his fingers, feeling the weight of the amplifier underneath his skin.

"It's done, you should have full control of her powers now" David said with a frown and quickly turned away, not wanting to be a part of this anymore. He was guilty as it is, and he couldn't face to see Alina with the horror on her face at what had been done. Alina breathed heavily, keeping her cries inside as Kirigan slowly stepped to her, his hand with the amplifier reaching out to her.

She looked up with tearful eyes and as he placed his hand on her shoulder, she flinched. Suddenly, her power was coming to the surface without her even calling it and light spread amongst the tent, glowing and bathing them in a bubble of warm light. Alina fought against it, trying to push Kirigan's hand away from her but he was stronger, digging his fingers deeper into her shoulder and pulling more of her light out at his command. David was correct, he now had full access and control of her power. The stag's amplifier belonged to him and now with it being placed on Alina, he was allowed to call her light just by touching her.

"No, this is my power" she gasped as he pressed more for her light, expanding the bubble and a smirk creeped on his lips.

"But now I control it, your power is mine now, it belongs to me and so do you" he said, letting the light flow in the tent and Alina groaned, trying to stop it from obeying his command, pleading with herself to bring her light back to her. The one thing she had control over and now she had lost it to Kirigan. She was now his to do as he wished and there was nothing she could do.

Hey so I hope you like it, what do you think will happen next, please leave a review and let me know what you think