A/N: Follow-up to No. 3

No. 6: "Do or die, you'll never make me; Because the world will never take my heart." | Made to Watch

The demon sat perched in the trees, watching the road as an unassuming carriage with a handful of guards meandered up it. Beneath him, Kirigan also stood concealed in the shadows, lying in wait for the trap he'd set to spring. He'd let word leak through suspected spies that Nikolai was being moved to a new location. And as expected, the rebels couldn't pass up the chance to rescue their imprisoned king.

The figures launched from the cover of the woodland to descend on the carriage. The demon shifted in anticipation, but Kirigan hadn't ordered it to attack. Not yet. Nikolai, fully conscious inside the trappings of the monster the Darkling had turned him into, could only watch helplessly.

His friends took out the guards and threw open the door of the carriage, only to discover it was empty. Only then did Kirigan step forward to reveal himself. Everyone tensed, the Grisha bringing up their hands in preparation to fight, not that they were any match for the Darkling's power.

"Where is Nikolai?" Alina demanded.

Kirigan smirked. "Right here." He raised an arm, and the demon snapped its shadow wings to take flight, gliding through the air to land beside its master.

Alina's eyes widened in horror. "No," she breathed.

"Saints," Mal murmured.

The demon bared its fangs, its insatiable bloodlust rising to the surface and beginning to drive it mad with thirst. But the Darkling held it within his sway. Until he spoke the words to unleash it:

"Kill them."

The demon let out an inhuman screech and flapped its wings, launching itself across the road to attack.

Zoya reacted first, thrusting her hands out to batter the monster with a gust of wind. It banked into the current and came around, razor talons splayed as it took a swipe at another Grisha. The young man cried out and jerked back, red blood spraying the air.

The twins leaped forward and moved their arms in tandem, and the demon could feel their heartrending attempt to seize his lungs and heart, but the Darkling's power was too strong, and the demon barreled right into them with such force that they both went flying several feet through the air. Inside, Nikolai's heart cried out for them as they hit the ground hard and rolled and didn't immediately get up.

A sharp report cracked the air, and Nikolai felt the sting of a bullet hitting his shoulder. The demon spun with a snarl toward Mal, the young man's pistol raised and smoking. The soldier fired again as the demon surged forward.

"Nikolai, no!" Alina screamed.

But he had no control. He couldn't stop the demon from slicing its claws across Mal's chest. He was going to slaughter his friends and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

A flare of light from Alina's sun summoning made the demon rear back and shield its eyes. But unlike the Volcra in the Fold, he was immune to sunlight. He twisted toward her and leaped, tackling her to the ground. The demon opened its mouth, prepared to rip Alina's throat out. Ravka's last hope of defeating Kirigan. Of saving the world.

Nikolai screamed inside his mind, and somehow in that moment, he managed to wrest enough control from the demon to cease the killing blow. Alina gaped up at him.

"Nikolai?"

The demon thrashed inside him, and Nikolai flinched from the mental assault. He'd never be able to hold the demon in check fully, but if he could just get away from Kirigan, away from his friends, he could save their lives right here and now.

And so Nikolai poured everything he had into this one act of defiance. The demon shrieked with his mouth, but he wrenched it away and launched himself into the sky, flapping his wings to take them higher and higher.

"No!" Kirigan bellowed, and Nikolai felt the Darkling's power try to drag him back.

But he was careening too fast and was soon out of range. The demon roared again, now untethered but no less feral and savage. Nikolai held on with the last ounce of strength he had as he barreled them toward the Fold where monsters dwelled.

Kirigan had made a mistake, leaving Nikolai with his mind. The Darkling had wanted to make him suffer by being aware, but he'd underestimated the young king. The demon would take his body, take his life, but the darkness would never have his heart.

A/N: To be continued in No. 11