Mal stared at that guard, or Nikolai as the man introduced himself. He wasn't sure whether to trust him or not. The guard could be pretending to be someone else under Kirigan's orders to trick Mal.
"How do you know Alina?" Mal asked, narrowing his eyes and Nikolai laughed.
"Everyone knows who the sun summoner is, word travels around fast" he says and takes off the Oprichniki hat, ruffling his hair.
"How do I know you are not lying to me and your actually working for Kirigan" Mal warned and Nikolai laughed again.
"That manipulative power hungry man killed my parents and took over the throne that belongs to me, if I were working for him do you think I would have come in here and started talking to you, do you think I would have called him those names if I looked at him as a saviour instead of the heretic he is" Nikolai said.
It was true. No other guard had come into the cell and no one would dare call Kirigan those names if they truly looked at him as a hero instead of the villain he was.
"I've come to take back the throne and set Alina and you free. I've been keeping a disguise as a guard here; I used the help of a tailor to conceal my face so that Kirigan won't recognise me and I overhead that he was keeping you prisoner".
"And Alina, he's made Alina his slave and he's keeping me in here as punishment" Mal said with disgust.
"That's why I'm going to help you two escape" Nikolai said with confidence.
"How, you're going to need a full proof plan, we already tried to escape once and he caught us, getting me out will be alright but Alina is the tricky one".
"How so?" Nikolai asked. Nikolai had been pretending to be one of the guards for at least a week now. He managed to sneak in and knock one of the other guards unconscious, taking their place by having his face tailored by a Grisha on his ship that was following his crew. His plan was to get a sense of the ins and outs of the palace, Kirigan's schedule and the exits so he could help Alina and Mal escape. He heard snippets of conversations as he guarded Kirigan's war room of Mal being kept in the cells and also about Alina.
"Kirigan, he forced a bond between him and Alina, he said they can't be apart, it was when we were escaping, he used a Volcra to create a shadow army and had it bite Alina so they could become soulmates" Mal frowned, thinking of how Alina has been forced into this relationship and how Kirigan was probably manipulating her as he always has.
"Not to mention he has her heavily guarded" Mal added.
"I know, Kirigan doesn't let her go anywhere unless he's there, they went on a trip to Shu Han and since they've come back he's been bringing her out more" he said and Mal groaned angrily, fists clenched.
"I want to kill him" he said under his breath.
"You can try but you'll probably die" Nikolai said with a hint of sarcasms but Mal didn't take it as a joke and glared at him.
"Okay sorry, I think I have an idea of how to get you and Alina out of here but you have to trust me" Nikolai said sternly, gazing at Mal hard. Mal thought for a while before he answered. He was still uncertain about trusting this man but at the moment, it was his only chance of getting out with Alina and he seemed to be telling the truth.
"Okay, what's your plan?".
"Like you said, getting you out will be easy, the guards won't bat an eyelid because they think I'm one of them. Once I get you out, I'll get Kirigan to step away from Alina and have me guard her, then I can get her out and the two of you can make a run for it".
"Are you sure that will work, we tried running last time and he caught up with us" Mal was uncertain about his plan.
"I'm certain, I have some friends who will be waiting outside to take you two away" Nikolai seemed very confident in his plan but Mal did not.
"Look I know your trying to help us but I don't think you understand this man, he is very powerful, he can make his own army just by thinking. If Alina and I are going to get away we need to make sure he won't come after us" Mal urged. He didn't want a repeat of last time and he didn't want this time to be the last time he would ever see Alina.
"And I told you to trust me, this man has taken my family away from me, do you think I would come unprepared" Nikolai said back.
"I just don't want to lose Alina" Mal said seriously. He couldn't take another chance of losing Alina and winding up stuck in this cell for the rest of his life. He'd do anything to save Alina from Kirigan's hold but if he lost her, he'd be lost as well.
"You won't" Nikolai said sharply and Mal took a deep breath. At this point, Nikolai was the only hope he had of some escape. Mal took a moment to think hard and he sighed softly, nodding at Nikolai.
"Alright… as long as you are certain this will work" Mal needed reassurance and Nikolai nodded.
"I want my kingdom back as much as you want Alina back" he said and silence pooled over them but soon ended when a bang of the door opened. Nikolai and Mal jumped back, wide eyes as they heard footsteps coming closer and Nikolai quickly shoved his Oprichniki hat on, ready to pretend he was one of them.
But to their relief, Genya came in front of the cell and stared between the two of them.
"It's okay, she's on our side" Mal said quickly, assuring Nikolai and Genya looked more confused now, stepping closer.
"What are you doing here?" Genya hissed at Nikolai, stepping into the cell. It was clear to Mal that these two already knew of each other but he didn't ask for details.
"I'm here to take back what is mine and help these two escape, I suppose your with us then?" Nikolai said wearily at Genya, uncertain of her trust.
"I actually came down to talk to you about that?" Genya said softly and glanced over her shoulder, checking it was just the three of them.
"What, what's happened?" Mal said worriedly, stepping closer. Was Alina hurt? Had Kirigan done something else to her?
Genya took a deep breath, looking intently at Mal before she spoke.
"I spoke to Alina, she's fine, nothing has happened to her but…" Genya stopped for a second and Mal pressed for her answer.
"But what?" Mal urged.
"I know you love Alina; I know you would do anything for her and I know that you want her and you to escape here but you need to also face the fact that Alina and Kirigan are soulmates and nothing can break that bond" Mal furrowed his brows with confusion and also anger.
"What are you saying?" he asked furiously.
"I'm saying that perhaps it's best if you let Alina decide what to do".
"And what's that… she and I need to leave here as soon as we can, she cannot be a slave to that murderer any longer" Mal was now shouting, his fists clenching and teeth gritting.
"Maybe that isn't what she wants" Genya argued.
"That's because he's manipulating her, he's clouding her mind… you said yourself you were going to help us and what now you've changed you mind, can we even trust you, you were the one who made her forget about me" Mal yelled.
"Do you think I wanted to do that, you think I had a choice, if I could put the scar back I would but I can't" Genya shouted back and stood closer to Mal so they were nearly chest to chest, heaving breathing and hard furious looks on their face.
"Alina is my best friend and I love her and I won't sit idly and let her be forced into a relationship she doesn't want".
"Well maybe she does want it" the words made the room silent and Mal looked shocked. Nikolay stood awkwardly between the door, unsure of what to say in this situation.
"No" Mal whispered, stepping back from Genya. He couldn't believe the words; he wouldn't believe them. There was no way that what Genya was saying could be true. Had Alina been blinded so much that she was actually happy with Kirigan, with the man who forced her into slavery with the stag's collar around her neck, who killed her parents, her friends, who killed his own people and threatened Mal on numerous occasions.
"Look, Alina has to decide what she wants, not me or you can decide for her. You don't even understand what if feels like for her. This bond she has with Kirigan is far powerful than anything else and she has to decide what to do. If she decides to escape, I will help you and if she decides to stay then I need to be there for her, either way you have to accept it" Genya said carefully and Mal shook his head.
"Alina isn't stupid, she will never fall for him" Mal was certain in his way but Genya shook her head.
"I wouldn't bet on it" she said and turned to Nikolai.
"You should get out of here before someone comes and spots you" she spat and then turned on her heel, storming out the cell.
Mal turned in anger, kicking the floor with his feet and Nikolai let out a huff.
"Well that was interesting" he said and Mal glared at him.
"Sorry… don't listen to her, I'm sure Alina will see sense and want to escape. I better go but I'll be back tomorrow" Nikolai exited the cell and locked, giving a final nod to Mal and quickly ran out, leaving Mal with his thoughts.
Hey, so I am so sorry for not updating soon enough, I've had a bit of writers block I think and couldn't decide where to take this story but I hope you are still enjoying it. Please leave a review and let me know what you think about it.