That night, Alina dreamed of Morozov's stag once again. It was always the same beast, in the same forest, looking at her in the same all-knowing way. One of the Darkling's favourite phrases, like calls to like, was fresh in her mind when she awoke the next morning. She wasn't going to tell him about these dreams. Despite what he had claimed about being unable to force an amplifier on her even if he wanted to, she didn't even want to get near enough to test his willpower. Alina did not want to fuse a living creature's bones to her body, anyway. It was too much like stealing a relic for her liking.

"Can I do your hair?" Lada bounded in, after Alina had changed out of the hateful nightgown and back into her kefta. "Oh please let me!"

"Go for it," She grinned, and the girl set to work. It turned out she did not mind having people touching her hair, when they weren't trying to cut bits of it off to keep.

They were not the best braids in the world. One on each side of her head, both rather wonky, but... functional. It was a rather ambitious style for a nine-year-old, though likely better than Alina could have done on herself. Despite this, and the fact that they made her look younger than she was, she kept them in all the same. After saying a heartfelt goodbye and thank-you to both Lada and Liliyana, she returned to the docks with Zoya. Thankfully the trade disagreement had been resolved and the skiffs were ready to go with the first shipment of the day.

Of course, the first thing she was faced with on the other side was one of her oprichniki, Grigori, waiting on the dock for her.

"The General's not happy, Alina," The man warned her, sympathetic. "He had one of us waiting out there for you all night,"

"Sorry," She grimaced. "None of the skiffs were running. Unless he wanted me to walk twenty miles through the Fold alone, I was stuck on the west side,"

"That makes sense to me," Grigori eyed her, the closest any oprichnik would get to speaking against the Darkling. "Just be prepared. I do worry for you, when you both start shouting. In my head you're still that tiny little girl in a too-big kefta,"

"You shouldn't worry," Alina said, startled but oddly touched. Saints, some of our rows over the years must have given you heart palpitations. She was friendly with all of her guards, as well as most of the oprichniki who weren't assigned to her, but she had always thought they were loyal to the Darkling first and foremost.

Grigori chuckled. "Perhaps. I know you can handle yourself. I've never seen anyone else get away with talking to him like that. Even without your Grisha powers, I've never seen a young girl shove a man over six feet tall in the chest quite as well as you do,"

"Do you think that's required today?" She grinned.

He grimaced. "I fear it might end up that way,"

The Darkling met her almost the moment they walked into the camp, his ominous figure clearing a path even without the oprichniki trailing behind. He was the kind of man whose fury was almost tangible, and the other Grisha hastily moved out of his way as he approached Alina.

"Where were you, Alina?" His tone was sharp, teeth gritted, but he didn't want to make a scene in public.

"There was a trade dispute that grounded all the skiffs. Unless you wanted me to cross the Fold on foot, I was stuck on the Novokribirsk side. I stayed with Zoya and her aunt," She lifted her chin, daring him to have an issue.

"Is that so?" His eyes flashed. He dismissed the oprichniki with a wave of his hand, and grabbed her arm none-too-gently. "For all I knew you had been kidnapped again. Come with me,"

She wrenched her arm out of his grip, glaring at him, though didn't raise her voice. "I'm not a child. Ask me with any amount of respect and I would come without you having to drag me,"

Alina knew he was angry when his expression did not even flicker, harsh words dropping from his tongue. "You are a soldier and I am your general. I do not owe you any respect, Alina. You do as I say without question,"

"When have I ever done that?" She scoffed. "But fine, have it your way. I will be your soldier and nothing else. I won't attend any of your meetings, I won't speak unless spoken to, and I'll sleep in my own bed every night," His stare was coldly furious, but she was angry enough herself and continued. "Or, you can show me a modicum of respect and accept that I am capable of spending a night outside your influence. It was not my fault I didn't come back last night, and I could have done far worse than spend a pleasant evening at my friend's aunt's house,"

"You forget yourself, Alina. You forget who I am," If they were alone, his shadows would have flared. As it was, he didn't want to draw any more attention to them. He had learned by now not to try and grab her wrist or jaw to prove a point, at least, but still loomed over her in a way that would have most people shaking in fear.

Alina was more than capable of standing her ground. "Threats like that don't work on me. Not anymore. I'm not as strong as you are, but I'm getting there. I refuse to share your bed and be your equal by night, then let you walk all over me during the day. You can have one or the other, because a combination of the two makes me your dirty little secret. Another girl might be content with that, but you know I never will,"

The Darkling was silent for a moment or two. Alina knew she had angered him, likely considerably, but meant what she'd said. She wouldn't stand to be treated like a particularly stupid child by the man she slept with most nights, no matter if asking that of the General of the Second Army was presumptuous or not. Besides, provoking him, challenging him, pushing him as far as she dared, had never lost its appeal.

"No, you never will," He said scathingly, with the utmost irritation.

Alina knew she had him, then. She dared a smile. "You shouldn't have told me we were equals if you didn't mean it,"

His lips twitched, likely against his will. "I hardly expected you to hold me to it. To be capable of holding me to it. Not for a long time, at least,"

"Well, for what it's worth I'm sorry that I couldn't get word to you," She said. "But I wasn't crossing the Fold on foot, nor was I sending some poor sod through alone with a message. I remember our agreement - if someone took me, I'd find my way back, and I ever want to leave, I'll tell you first," Tell, not ask. Out of courtesy, not obligation.

"I believe you said that was hypothetical, not an agreement,"

Alina raised an eyebrow, speaking frankly. "If it wasn't for that agreement and the fact you said you were incapable of forcing an amplifier on me, I would never have slept with you. That hasn't changed," She smiled up at him, deliberately infuriating, taking his arm in her own. "And then what would you do? I know for a fact no one in your long life has dared treat you as I do," Her tone made it very obvious what she was referring to. Hand around his throat, Alina on top, yanking his head back with a fistful of hair, marks that a straight-faced Healer had to cover up in the morning.

She was under no doubt that she was one of the few partners he'd ever had who fought him for dominance. Certainly the only one who won, let alone won half the time. Two people with personalities as strong as theirs were always going to clash, but Alina enjoyed that intial struggle, and knew that he did too. For the first time, she learned that sometimes relinquishing control could be just as enjoyable. He was learning the same. She only had four years of habit to unlearn, however, whilst he had over four centuries.

The Darkling glared down at her for that suggestive comment as they walked through the camp. "If you were anyone else..."

Alina grinned, unapologetic. "If I was anyone but the Sun Summoner, or if the Sun Summoner was anyone but me?"

"If the Sun Summoner was anyone but you, my life would be considerably easier,"

"Ah, but would it? If I wasn't suicidally reckless, I would have fled with Baghra the moment she told me who you really are,"

His sharp exhale may have been a laugh. "What did you think, when she told you?"

She thought on that. "That it made sense. Explained a lot. It was a shock, but not a surprise. Mostly I was thinking that I was tired, hungry, and wanted to be back at the Little Palace in a soft bed. I didn't care enough about you being a villainous monster to turn that down. The Fold was such a far-off thing, then,"

"And now?"

"Now... I met a little girl yesterday, whose parents had died crossing the Fold. And I wondered how many other children over all these years have lost their mother or father to your ghastly creation,"

"That's unusually moral of you, Alina," He wasn't pleased by this, she could tell. "Need I remind you that I have been searching for a Sun Summoner ever since the Fold was created,"

"Not to destroy it, though," She looked up at him, glad they were on the edge of the camp, out of earshot. "My entire life, you've done nothing but put the king off sending me to Kribirsk. And now I'm here, you've got me ferrying skiffs back and forth. What are you stalling for?"

The Darkling stared at her, clearly considering telling her. "I will tell you. Soon," Strangely, she could believe him. "I know you won't agree to do what I need you to do unless you know why. But a few pieces need to fall into place yet, before I tell you what part you must play,"

That was hardly reassuring. She narrowed her eyes. "I'll hold you to that,"

They fell into silence, walking back through the camp.

"What on earth have you done to your hair?" The Darkling seemed to realise all of a sudden.

it was a fair question. Alina never normally wore braids, preferring to wear her long hair loose, or tied back in a knot when she was fighting. Ever unwise, she took the chance to needle him. "What, do I look too young even for you, now?"

Predictably, he was unimpressed. "Don't push it. You are not nearly as funny as you think you are,"

"I find myself amusing, which is all that matters," She said. "As to your question, the girl you orphaned did my hair for me," She wasn't quite sure why she carried on - something Alina had accepted as a personality trait at this point - but she did regardless, for better or worse. "Zoya's cousin. She was nine - the same age as I was when we met,"

He raised an eyebrow at that, silently asking and what is your point, but did not voice it. "If I remember correctly, you were not interesting in braiding hair at that age. You liked hitting things and being impertinent,"

"Nothing's changed there, then,"

That wrung a brief smile out of him. "No, I don't believe it has,"


What with Alina's duties crossing the Fold, and Mal's oprichnik training, she had not been able to spend nearly as much time with her old friend as she would like. He fitted his new role like a glove; Mal had always been quick to make friends, and quick to pick up new things. She took advantage of a free afternoon to join him in the area set aside to train in physical combat.

"Mind if I join?" He looked up at her voice as she crossed the grass, the three young oprichniki he had been sparring with looking up too. "I promise I won't burn you,"

"You want to spar? Really?" Mal asked, amused. "I'm twice your size. Are you Grisha any good at hand-to-hand?"

"Careful, Mal," One of the others winced. "Grisha get trained to fight without the Small Science too, from the moment they arrive at the palace,"

"Some are terrbile," Another added with a grin. "They don't see it as a priority, whilst we're training in combat all the time,"

"But Alina is - " She raised a finger to her lips, silencing the young man who had been speaking. He broke off at once, grinning in understanding. Let it be a surprise.

"Alright then, Lina," Mal was full of bravado, getting into a fighting stance. "I promise not to hurt you too much," Because you're terrified of the Darkling.

She shrugged, mock-carelessly. "I beat you when we were children - I can do it now,"

The other guards laughed at Mal's expense, which her friend met with an easy smile. "Only because you pulled a knife on me,"

"No knives today," Alina smiled, then struck.

Mal was good, she'd give him that. He was tall, strong and she recognised many of his moves as ones the oprichniki were taught. But these moves, though effective, were new to him. Not yet ingrained in muscle memory. Alina was very quick on her feet, and had far more experience. Her friend put up a worthy fight, but it ended with his arm twisted awkwardly behind him in her grip.

He was gracious in defeat, at least. "Alright, I was wrong! Let me go,"

"And?" Alina twisted his arm further, as his friends laughed.

"I'm sorry for doubting you?"

"And?"

"Ow! Alina Starkova is the best hand-to-hand fighter in Ravka and I am a pitiful worm in comparison,"

She released him with a grin. "Better,"

"I'll beat you one day," He said, rising to the challenge. "Now show me that last move you did slowly, I want to learn it,"

It was as though they hadn't been apart for half their lives, the easy way they fell back into their friendship. Partners in crime, except this time they weren't weird little outcasts; Mal was handsome and sociable, whilst Alina was known by everyone who resided in the Little Palace. In each other's company, both of them were loud, usually laughing, and a little bit obnoxious. He got along immediately with Viktor too, to her delight; it felt like having two brothers. That thought brought her back to her actual brother, Misha, still in Temgora and nothing like these two. She would write to him that day, she decided.

Mal and Zoya were a different story, however. At first, they just seemed to get under each other's skin. Alina wasn't surprised; it was just like when Viktor and Zoya had first become friends. Then the dynamic seemed to shift slightly, but that week she had been very busy with shipments across the Fold so had not paid enough attention.

For this reason, it was a nasty shock to her when she walked into Mal's tent to find them both entwined in his bed.

"I don't believe it!" Alina had never before screeched quite like she did then.

She and Viktor had been drinking around one of the fires, but he had gone off with a handsome Heartrender, leaving her alone. She could have easily talked to anyone else, but Alina was rather tired for that and had gone to seek out her close friends. She went after Mal first, knowing he would in his tent if he wasn't outside. A decision that she now very much regretted.

"Oh. Hello," Mal started to laugh, not sounding guilty at all.

"Is that all you can say? I feel like I'm going to be sick! Saints, Zoya, it's like you fucked my brother. I didn't even think you liked each other,"

"Fuck off, Alina," Zoya grumbled without much bite, not bothering to cover her modesty with the blanket as Mal was doing to himself; they had seen each other naked too many times to count. "As if you sleep with people you like. At least I don't interrupt you when you're in bed with someone,"

Mal turned to her, incredulous. "No, because she shares her bed with a terrifying creature of the night and you'd die,"

"Creature of the night?" Alina raised an eyebrow. He shrugged. "You know what, I won't even ask. And I'd rather die than have the memory of you two - " She made a crude gesture. "- burnt into my mind,"

"Well you're currently looking at the two of us - " Zoya smirked, making the gesture herself. "So unless you want to stay and watch, which I'd rather you did not, please leave. Go and find your 'creature of the night',"

"I will. I'll tell him you both deserve a solo trip through the Fold. On foot," With a cry of disgust, she left.

Out of spite, she didn't go to the Darkling. Whether that spited Zoya or herself more remained to be seen.


Alina was walking through the camp with Mal later that week, both of them laughing uproariously at some story he was telling her. She was hanging off his arm to remain upright, when she heard an unfortunately familiar accusing tone call out to her.

"Having fun, Starkova?"

She sobered at once, straightening up and meeting the eyes of Yuri Vasiliev, screwing up her face in disdain. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

"What do you think I'm doing here? The same as every other Grisha here," He moved closer, glancing at Mal. She held up a hand to stop her guards intervening. "Who's that?"

"My fiance," She said in a flat tone, as her friend snorted with laughter. "We're deeply in love and going to get married next week. Will that get you to leave me alone?" She was very conscious of the number of people around, who were starting to look over with interest.

"You're hilarious," Yuri smiled coldly. "You don't have any qualms walking about openly with him, I see. An oprichnik, Alina, really?"

"Mal is as good as my brother. I've known him my whole life,"

"Are you fucking him?"

"Say that again," Mal moved forward angrily.

Alina put a hand on his chest to stop him without looking away from Yuri. "Even if I was, it's no concern of yours,"

"No, you've made that perfectly clear," Yuri sneered. "Though I suspect it would concern the Darkling. Don't think I haven't heard that you spend every night in his tent since you arrived here,"

"I can't be bothered with this," She said. "Piss off, Yuri. I truly can't think of anyone I'd like to speak to less than you,"

Yuri did not piss off. No, his voice just gained a desperate note. "He doesn't deserve you, Alina,"

"And who does? You?" She laughed derisively. "It's not about who deserves me. It's about what I want. When are you going to get it into your thick skull that I don't want you,"

"You did once," Did he have a death wish, saying that so loudly in front of so many people?

"Barely. Either way, I don't anymore,"

"He's using you. He won't ever respect you. You'll always be that little girl trotting along in his shadow,"

Whilst many of those were her own genuine fears - Yuri had always been irritatingly good at guessing what would hurt her most - Alina outwardly shrugged in the most infuriating way she could muster. "And I still chose him over you. Says a lot, doesn't it?"

His lip curled. "Well then you've shown your true colours, Alina. Not a saint at all. Nothing but a whore working her way through half the Second Army,"

She had to hold Mal back after that one, her friend unfortunately drawing even more attention to them as he tried to throw himself at Yuri shouting, "Shut your dirty mouth!" Thankfully Mal got the hint and reluctantly stopped, after one of her guards grabbed him, muttering something in his ear.

"Is this how it works then?" Alina rounded on Yuri herself, knowing she'd get away with threatening him where Mal would not, summoning a burning ball of light to her hand. "You say you love me, yet when I don't return your affection you call me a whore? You're still that same pathetic little boy who used to shout mongrel and Shu bitch my way. Get out of my sight before I melt your fucking face off,"

It wasn't one of her best threats, so she was surprised when Yuri blanched almost comically at her words. She then noticed the deathly silence that had fallen over the watching crowd, remembered the oprichniki muttering something to Mal to make him stand down. Alina nearly groaned, and didn't turn around at the sound of a familiar, cold glass voice came from somewhere behind her.

"Eloquent as ever, Alina," There was no humour to the Darkling's words, and she couldn't help but wince.

She still did not turn around. "How much did you hear?"

His eyes narrowed. "Enough," The word was as good as Yuri's death sentence. Though at this point, Alina couldn't bring herself to feel too sorry about that. She supposed this was an ideal outcome for the whole situation, really. She wouldn't have to bend her pride and come crawling to the Darkling to deal with Yuri, at least. Still, she resented that he had interfered at all.

She glanced at Yuri, who looked stood frozen in the Darkling's stare. Coward. Alina wondered what he would do. He looked ready to use the Cut there and then. But he wouldn't. Probably wouldn't, at least. Yuri had not actually committed a crime, he had merely insulted another solider. Never mind that said soldier was someone... valued by the general. This was a very public place, too, and Yuri was Grisha, not some nameless otkazat'sya.

Alina caught the Darkling's eye, hoping her look conveyed that she wanted this dealt with in private. She had less shame than most, true, but that didn't mean she wanted to air her dirtiest laundry in front of so many people.

"Take him," Thankfully he caught on, and the oprichniki moved in, grabbing Yuri none too gently; all of them had known her for years, and she knew them all by name and made them laugh. Mal, she noted, was particularly vindictive.

The Darkling offered her his arm, a question not a command, and something in her celebrated at the gesture. She took his arm and she led her to his tent without another word. Alina couldn't help but glance over her shoulder to see Yuri being escorted behind them. He had the face of a man being dragged to the gallows, with a greyish pallor, though was clearly trying to remain stoic. She didn't smile.

They entered his tent, the Darkling moving to stand behind his desk. Alina lingered off to the side, slightly in shadow, whilst Yuri's knees were kicked out so he dropped to the ground in front of the desk.

He looked over to her with a resigned expression, smiling humourlessly. "Is this when you take your long-awaited revenge?"

"It's not up to me, now, is it?" She shrugged, and he did not look surprised. We're not children anymore - you should have thought before shooting your mouth off in front of all those people.

"Who is this boy?" The Darkling asked anyone but Yuri, voice cold and dripping with disdain.

"His name is Yuri Vasiliev," An oprichnik, Oktai, offered. "He arrived here from the Little Palace three days ago," The Darkling just raised an eyebrow, his meaning clear. With a brief apologetic look at Alina, who just shrugged again, Oktai continued. "As to who he is to Miss Starkova... they have disliked each other since they were children. We used to have to break up many fights between them. The fights stopped several years ago. That is all I know,"

Yuri still wore that tight, humourless smile, staring straight ahead. He wasn't acting as much of a coward as she thought he might. That almost made it worse.

"Fights. Yes, I remember," There was a short pause. "You are all dismissed," As the guards left, the Darkling narrowed his eyes at Alina. "I reprimanded you several times for putting this boy in the Healer's wing. I believe you informed me that the fights were your fault, that you started them,"

"I always threw the first punch," She granted, scowling at the accusation in his voice. "Well, at least half the time. Sometimes provoked, sometimes not. We were both as bad as each other,"

"And when you were provoked?"

"It doesn't matter,"

"I heard what you said earlier. 'Mongrel'? 'Shu bitch?'" It was very jarring hearing those insults come from him of all people, even in context. All the awful things the Darkling had said to her, and he had never once said anything like that. He might be a mass-murdering megalomaniac, but at least he's not a racist.

Yuri was not smiling anymore. The only person present was to defend him was the one he had tormented for years, and just insulted in front of a crowd. The vindictive side of Alina riled at his impassive expression.

"Fine. He did say that,"

"And why did he say he loved you?"

"He's a delusional fool," That wasn't entirely false. Alina did not want Yuri punished for sleeping with her. Though she did want to see him pay for years of torment and vicious insults, and for his hateful words that day, she would much rather get back at him herself than have the Darkling interfere. She was not the type of person to find satisfaction two people fighting over her; it was possessive, excessive and frankly irritating. And this sorry affair would be so one-sided it could not even be called a fight.

"Very well," He straightened at her unsatisfactory response and turned to Yuri, on his knees on the ground. The young man tried not to flinch from the shadows building behind him, the light in the room dimming. "We'll do this another way," He stepped around the desk, until Yuri was at his feet. "Who do you think you are, boy, to insult the Sun Summoner? In front of a crowd no less?"

"This is unnecessary," Alina cut in. "I don't need you to defend my honour or any shit like that. I don't want bloody vengeance, I just want him gone. So long I don't have to see his face again, I'll be happy. Just send him somewhere else. Preferably somewhere miserable. Chernast, perhaps,"

The Darkling ignored her, still addressing Yuri. "I will ask one more time. Who are you to Alina?"

Alina fought the urge to roll her eyes, but then she saw the look on Yuri's face. He glanced at her wearing an expression she recognised from her own face; what have I got to lose? Her stomach dropped, as she realised that he had decided he was in deep enough trouble that he might as well bring her down with him.

"Someone who had her before any other man did," If Alina had thought that any of Yuri's prior words were enough to sign his death warrant, she was mistaken; this was undoubtedly what would seal his fate.

"You stupid fucking halfwit," She snapped at once before the silence could grow oppressive, shooting him a vicious glare. "You didn't have me," As it turned out, the Darkling's silence was oppressive enough on its own.

Yuri just laughed, shaking his head, though there was a definite note of gallows-humour to it. "I had you in every way imaginable,"

Oh, you're so fucking full of yourself, you pathetic excuse of a man.Alina felt the familiar pattern of vile words rise to her lips, ready to spill out as easily as they always did, but one look at the Darkling had her biting her tongue. She could not demand his respect one moment then act like the half-feral child she had been (and still was, really) the next.

Instead, she made her tone cold, kept her face impassive. " Was laughing in your face when you said you loved me not enough of a sign to leave me alone?"

"Maybe you shouldn't have spread your legs for me half a hundred times, and the matter would not be so confused,"

Confused? There's no confusion about it, you disgusting, hateful, entitled prick. I never promised you a fucking thing. I never stopped despising you, and made no secret of it.

Again, she bit her tongue, her words cruel but carefully controlled. "If we got caught, you were the only one I wouldn't care about being punished. You were the only one pathetic enough to fall in love,"

Yuri's smile twisted nastily. "And there lies the rotten heart of Sankta Alina - a parady, not a paragon, of grace, holiness, chastity and virtue,"

That was what got to her, of course. Alina's cold mask dropped, and she could hold back no longer, snarling, "I swear to all the saints, I'll kill you if you say another word,"

He did not stop talking, clearly smug at having got under her skin. "Yet there must be some truth to the claims of your sainthood, because even now, after your vile words, I still feel drawn to you. Love you. I - "

Alina's threat had not been idle. Furious, she threw herself at him like she was nine years old again, turning his next words into a strangled croak as she wrapped her hands tightly around his throat. But Yuri was not a small man, was stronger than she was, and could rival her in a physical fight. The pair of them quickly became engulfed in an all-out brawl on the floor of the Darkling's tent, both forgetting or not caring where they were and who stood watching them.

The fight could only have lasted ten seconds before they were interrupted. "Enough," The Darkling's tone was deathly cold.

Yuri froze at the sound, half a second after his fist had slammed into Alina's head hard enough to leave her dazed and flat on her back. She took advantage of his instinctive obedience and kicked him viciously in the stomach, satisfied with the yelp of pain that left him hunched over and groaning; that one probably cracked a rib. Knowing he would not try anything else, she closed her eyes for a moment, head throbbing, irritated that he had almost won. It was fine to stay here a while longer, wasn't it?

"Alina," A familiar, unsympathetic voice was calling her name. "Get up. Now,"

Was he talking to her? He sounded quite far away. Far enough for it to not matter at least. She let her head loll to one side, and it felt so much better. A little rest couldn't hurt, surely? She had an excuse, after all.

Time was moving slowly, or maybe it was moving fast. The Darkling was shouting at someone now. Oh yes, probably Yuri. She was glad she was on the edge of consciousness for that one. Best for everyone. Or was it?

She forced her heavy eyelids to blink slowly open. More people were in the tent now, standing over her. Red keftas - Healers? What a big fuss over nothing. Alina was fine, she just wanted to lie down for a little while.

Then, as the Healers healed her head injury, she began to come back to herself. It was rather like being dragged back into sobriety by that tonic. Except this time there were even less pleasant consequences to come back to.

One look at the Darkling's face had Alina groaning and turning to the nearest Healer. "Can you give me back my concussion?" Nothing in her wanted to face this.

The woman chuckled, but she wasn't joking. Alina had behaved appallingly, she knew. On top of all the awful things the Darkling had heard from Yuri, she had ended up in a full-blown fistfight in front of him that had both her and Yuri badly injured. They weren't children anymore, and fighting had worse consequences now than it had when she was ten. She could see the other man being tended to by another Healer, wincing as the woman moved her hands over his ribs. A loud crack could be heard as what sounded like at least a fracture was repaired.

The Darkling sent the Healers away after they assured him that Alina would be fine, the oprichniki escorting Yuri to 'be contained'. The young man did look somewhat ashamed of himself to have almost knocked her out with a punch to the head, but she couldn't really blame him for that; she had attacked him first. His hateful words, on the other hand...

Alina got to her feet as soon as she was cleared to, folding her arms and facing the Darkling. "When I said this whole thing was unnecessary, I knew you wouldn't want to hear any of what would be said. I don't regret what happened, but I regret that you saw it,"

It was not an apology.

His eyes were dark. "I could have Cut that boy in half for what he said to you," You might do so still.

"That was particularly stupid of him to say with you stood right there. He knew he was done for, so wanted to bring me down with him. He's spiteful like that," Alina paused. "What are you going to do to him?"

"A punch to the head like that could have killed you in half a second. I will treat him like anyone else who did such a thing,"

That left a bad taste in her mouth. "That doesn't feel right. I threw the first punch, and damaged him just as badly as he damaged me. I hate the man but executing him seems... excessive,"

"There must be consequences for his actions," He said. "Which will serve as consequences for your own,"

"And what are my actions?" She raised an eyebrow, daring him, tone deliberately light. "Brawling on the floor of your tent, I'll give you - I shouldn't have done that. But if you mean anything like the last time you got all possessive, you can fuck off,"

The Darkling glared at her, but instead of arguing back, he changed tactics. He moved closer, hand reaching out to the back of her neck. She let him. "Can you blame me, for hating the idea of anyone else's hands on you?"

"You'll just have to live with it. It's not like I enjoy thinking about all those countless women you took to bed over the years," She smiled faintly, then hesitated, for some reason feeling the foolish need to clarify. "It was never like this with them - never like it is between us. Not with any of them. You are the only one to hold my interest so fiercely. The only one to challenge me. The only one who feels like a worthy opponent,"

"Opponent?" He raised an eyebrow.

She shook her head, frustrated at her lack of skill at getting things like this across. "That's how it feels. Part of me wants to push you away, keep up more distance, not let you drag me down. I can't do that, though, because a much bigger part of me doesn't mind. There has never been anything in me that was willing to accept another chain, until now. I know that's not a compliment, but it means a great deal. And scares me to death,"

He was silent for a long moment.

"You are first thing in this world I know I cannot control. I want you close, at my side, happy to do whatever I wish. But then that would not be you," That may have sounded sweet from another man. It did not from him, though it was said in a similar tone to her own declaration.

Alina laughed regardless. "What a pair. A woman who refuses to be shackled and a man who would rule the world if he could. Must we forever be a compromise? I give up some of myself, and so do you?"

The Darkling's lips twitched. "That is not unlike merzost,"

She snorted. "Fitting,"


I know this update took ages! I had this chapter written before but then took it in a vastly different direction, and it was a bitch to finish. There are a few more half-written chapters after this one, then only a rough outline so the time of daily updates may be behind us - sorry about that but I would rather take longer to write high quality chapters than churn out a mediocre one quicker. Anyway, what did you think?