Chapter 5

Zoya felt the rapid fluttering of Nikolai's heart beneath her palm, and it clenched her stomach with worry. "He needs help," she said.

Tolya and Tamar exchanged grim looks.

"Going back to the village is too dangerous," Tamar argued.

"Vasily could assume we wouldn't risk it," Tolya countered.

"Or he knows we would."

Zoya ran her hand over the fox's coarse fur, indecision warring inside her.

"Once night falls, we won't be able to move him easily," Tolya pointed out.

"Once night falls, if Vasily does find us again, I'll rip him apart," Zoya said with cold resolve.

The twins shared another look, then nodded. Zoya carefully scooped Nikolai into her arms and they left the cave, moving cautiously through the woods back toward the village. They didn't run into anyone. Zoya didn't know how they would convince the village midwife to help them—to help a fox for that matter. They might have to wait for nightfall anyway and for Nikolai to turn back into human. Maybe then they could get him the help he needed.

And Zoya would take advantage of her time as a tiger to do some hunting of her own.

But when they reached the village, they pulled up short in horror. It had been utterly decimated. Roofs and walls had been torn off homes, and bodies lay scattered in pieces everywhere. The ground was slick with blood.

Zoya's gorge rose and she had to fight it back. All of this was because of them, because they'd led Vasily and the Darkling here.

Tolya and Tamar moved forward first, and Zoya numbly followed. They slowly picked their way over the carnage. Zoya could see bodies lying in open doorways, walls awash with crimson. They hadn't spared a single child.

She glanced down at Nikolai in her arms and was glad he was unconscious. This kind of slaughter on their account would kill him.

A horrible gurgling cough shattered the deathly silence, and they all quickened their pace to converge on a lone survivor, though he didn't look long for this world. Slumped against a fence post, he was drenched in blood from multiple jagged wounds yet somehow still alive. The black veins standing out under his skin might have had something to do with that…

His pupils were blown wide and unseeing as his body juddered with each labored breath. "Sun- Summoner," he stuttered. "Bring her. Bring the first two. Bring the fox. To Raven's Crossing. Or the boy dies."

Tamar knelt in front of him. "What boy?"

"Sun- Summoner," he repeated. "Bring her. Bring the first- two."

"Who did this?" Tamar asked.

"Bring the fox," the man kept rambling. "To Raven's Crossing. Or the boy dies. Sun Summoner. Bring her."

Tamar stood back up as the man continued to repeat the same words over and over. Zoya had no trouble recognizing the touch of the Darkling's black magic.

"Can you make him stop?" she quietly asked the twins.

Tamar looked grim as she drew her knife and knelt once more, this time to plunge it into the man's chest. He gave a guttural wheeze and then fell still. The black veins turned gray as the curse, mercifully, died with him.

"Who's the boy?" Tolya wondered aloud.

"Maybe they took a child," Tamar theorized.

A distant voice pierced the heavy air.

"Mal! Mal!"

Zoya straightened as she recognized Alina, and the three of them hurried toward the sound. They spotted her as she ran into a building labeled "Orphanage," still screaming for Mal. Zoya stopped at the door, unwilling to go inside. The twins did, however, only to return a few moments later, looking ashen. Zoya didn't need to see for herself to know what lay inside.

Alina stumbled out then, tears streaking down her face. "I can't find Mal," she said.

"The boy," Tolya repeated, casting a knowing look at Tamar and Zoya.

"What?" Alina said.

Zoya steeled herself. "Vasily might have him. The Darkling left a…message, in the village. To bring Nikolai and the three objects—you, to Raven's Crossing or 'the boy' dies."

Alina shook her head, distraught. "This can't be happening."

"I'm so sorry," Zoya said, knowing it was what Nikolai would want to say.

Alina wiped at her eyes and held out her hand. "Give me the crystal and mirror. I'll go."

"It's a trap," Tamar replied.

"I can't leave Mal there! He's everything to me." She snapped her gaze to Zoya. "You would do it for Nikolai, wouldn't you?"

Zoya nodded. "We'll all go. Vasily demanded Nikolai as well."

"We'll figure out something," Tolya added.

Zoya didn't know what they could possibly do at this point. This whole time they had been on the run, it had felt like they would never truly escape. And now everything was coming to a head. What hope was there? They'd found the three enchanted objects, but the Sun Summoner didn't know how to summon an eclipse to break the curse. And there was no time to practice or experiment, not with Mal's life hanging in the balance.

Zoya didn't blame Alina for putting him first.

So they headed away from the village massacre, but they were only halfway to the crossing when the sun began to set.

Zoya cursed and quickly but gently laid Nikolai on the ground, then went behind a tree to undress. Her bare skin shivered a moment before the transformation took hold, and thick fur burst from her skin to cover her in its bulky warmth. She landed on four paws and stepped back out. Nikolai now lay on the ground, naked, the bandages having ripped when he grew in size. They hadn't thought to remove them. And now the wound was bleeding again.

Zoya could only watch helplessly as Tolya tried to stem the flow and Tamar hastily snatched a blanket to cover Nikolai's lower half. She then dug out more bandages and a water canteen. Zoya lay down alongside his length, trying to shield at least one side of him from the night chill, but she noted he was already too warm. She chuffed to get attention, and Tamar turned back to them. Her brows furrowed.

"He has a fever."

"We should have looked for medicine in the village," Tolya said regretfully as he checked the bleeding; it had slowed.

"I know of some herbs that fight fever and infection," Alina spoke up. "I'll see if I can find them."

"I'll come with you," Tamar said, and the two headed off.

Tolya grabbed some linen and soaked it in water, then began to clean the wound. Nikolai didn't wake, just moaned and twitched in his febrile state. Zoya pressed her broad head to his face, silently begging him not to die.

Alina and Tamar returned a short while later and Tamar mashed up the herbs they'd found into a paste, when she then lathered on the wound. Finally, she and Tolya wrapped Nikolai's chest in bandages again. Now all they could do was wait. The twins set about making a campfire.

Alina kept fidgeting anxiously. "Maybe I should take the crystal and mirror and go ahead," she said.

"The Darkling knows the curse will hamper our travel," Tamar replied.

"But what will he do to Mal in the meantime?"

"Nothing," Tolya assured her. "The Darkling is goal-oriented. If he has Mal as leverage, that's all he'll use him for."

Neither of them pointed out that Vasily, on the other hand, was a sadistic bastard who liked to play with his toys. But since Mal had no connection to Nikolai, he'd probably be spared any torment from that corner.

"We'll get him back," Tolya promised.

Alina nodded. "It wasn't fair to blame you for this," she said quietly. "I was in hiding for a reason. I suppose it was only a matter of time."

"We still regret what happened," Tamar said. "We never wanted to endanger anyone."

Alina just nodded again.

"How long have you known what you are?" Tamar then asked.

"I never really knew," she answered. "I mean, I first discovered what I could do—summon light—when I was twelve. Mal was there. He's a year older than me, but we both knew that magic would make me a target. So I kept it hidden. I had never heard of the Sun Summoner, not until you came, though it's not hard to put that together with myself." She paused, mouth pursing. "It's hard," she then admitted. "I feel…sickly when I don't use it. That's why Mal built us that hut away from the village, so I could exercise my power sometimes. But I don't do it often, and I really don't know how to do much more than just summon a little light. I honestly don't know how to summon an eclipse to break the curse."

"We know," Tolya quickly replied. "We appreciate that you tried in spite of the dangers and not knowing how."

They fell silent after that. A few hours later, Nikolai's fever came down some, but he didn't wake. Zoya purred worriedly against him.

"I don't like having to carry him into battle tomorrow like this," Tamar said at one point.

"We can't stash him somewhere," Tolya countered. "A predator could find him."

"I know."

Alina looked thoughtful, and after a moment she scooted closer. "May I try something?"

The twins gave her blank looks but no one objected. Zoya watched tensely as Alina summoned light from the palms of her hands. At first it just hovered over Nikolai for a bit, and Alina's brows knitted together tighter as her concentration deepened. Zoya didn't know what she was trying to do, but the lights were beautiful. Then the aura sank into Nikolai through the wound, irradiating it beneath the bandages. Zoya stiffened in alarm, but nothing else happened. After several more minutes, Alina drew back and the light went out.

Everyone, even Zoya in tiger form, had to adjust to the darkness again after such brilliant brightness. Nikolai's face scrunched up and he made a muffled sound. Then his eyes fluttered open. The twins exchanged wide grins, and Zoya head butted him. He reached up to stroke her head and groggily asked,

"What happened?"

"It's a long story," Tamar said. "But it looks like the Sun Summoner can heal wounds."

"I didn't know I could do that," Alina hedged. "I just wanted to try."

Nikolai moved his hand to his bandaged chest and winced. "Still hurts."

Tolya reached over to carefully peel back the bandages. The wound wasn't as red and inflamed as it had been. "It looks much better."

Alina looked disappointed. "I had hoped to do more."

"You brought him from deathbed to recovery," Tolya said. "That's more than enough."

Zoya opened her mouth to let out a garbled sound in agreement.

"Not dying is very much appreciated," Nikolai added. "Thank you."

"I'm glad it worked."

He tried to sit up then, but Zoya laid a massive paw over his stomach. He arched a brow at her.

Tamar smirked. "You need to rest while you can. Tomorrow we face the Darkling."

They all shared sober looks at that, knowing this might be their last. But as with all things these past several weeks, they would do it together.

The next morning, Alina was again fascinated by the transformation. Zoya was human again and Nikolai a fox. And while he was on his four feet, he was hobbling from his still healing wound.

"Let me carry you until we near the rendezvous," Tolya told him. "Then you need to stay out of sight. Vasily wants you dead now."

They set off. Fortunately, Raven's Crossing wasn't much further. Alina was on edge as they arrived. The Darkling and the prince's soldiers were already waiting, and she spotted Mal being held between two men. She had to hold herself back from rushing forward.

Zoya held both the crystal and mirror openly for them to see, thereby leaving the twins' hands free to draw their weapons if needed.

"Give them to the Sun Summoner," the Darkling commanded.

Zoya paused to hand over the enchanted objects to Alina.

"Where is my brother?" Vasily demanded testily.

"He's dead," Zoya snapped so angrily that it was rather convincing.

The prince, however, scoffed. "I want the body."

"I want your heart on a platter," she rejoined.

Alina fidgeted uncomfortably, worried for Mal who was still their hostage.

But the Darkling said, "Forget the fox." He then beckoned for Alina to come toward him.

She reluctantly did so.

"Alina, is it?" Kirigan said softly.

She gave a stiff nod and held out the objects, but he raised a hand for her to keep them.

"They told you about summoning an eclipse, did they not?" he went on.

"Yes, but I don't know how."

"I'll help you."

Alina blinked in confusion. "What?"

"What are you playing at, Kirigan?" Vasily interrupted. "I thought that will break the curse?"

"Just watch, moi tsarevich," the Darkling replied, gaze never leaving Alina's. "All will be made clear."

She shifted uneasily under his penetrating eyes and flicked hers to Mal. "Let him go," she said.

"In due time. Now, summon the light." He reached out and cupped his hands under hers, making her tense.

She shot a look at the others, but they also appeared dumbfounded by this turn of events. And since summoning an eclipse was the way to break their curse…

Alina clenched her jaw and focused on summoning the sun. When the light spilled forth around her hands, the crystal and mirror lit up too.

"Now, channel your power into the crystal and aim both it and the mirror at the sky," Kirigan coached.

She concentrated on trying to do that. The light swirled into the crystal, which blazed brighter. Kirigan tilted her hand holding the mirror, angling it up at the sun. Alina followed his gaze, and to her shock, the sun and moon were both traveling across the sky toward each other, as though being pulled by the enchanted objects' magic—by Alina's magic. They gradually crossed into an eclipse, and the day darkened into a reddish kind of twilight.

Zoya gasped loudly, and Alina twisted to look. She was clutching her chest, though nothing else was visibly happening. Until a yelp-turned-human-cry drew their attention several yards away to where a very naked human Nikolai was now crouched low to the ground. Zoya looked up, her eyes widening, and then she was bolting across the field to reach him. Tolya followed.

Alina looked back up at the eclipse she had summoned, mouth parted in amazement.

"Why did you do that?" Vasily practically shrieked like a spoiled child, not even addressing the fact his brother was right there after all.

Kirigan shot a hand out, and shadows went surging up from nowhere, forming into nebulous monsters that descended on the prince and his soldiers. Their screams rent the air as they were ripped to pieces.

"Mal!" Alina screamed as his guards were torn away, but he managed to scramble backwards out of the onslaught.

The Darkling seized her wrist again, his grip on both tightening painfully. Shadows coursed around their arms and across the mirror into the crystal, then shot up into the sky.

"What are you doing?" Alina yelled. She could feel the power cascading up and outward. The eclipse pulsed black, and then everything seemed to stop. Kirigan finally released her, and Alina staggered back. She gaped up at the eclipse, then back at him. "What did you do?"

He inhaled deeply in satisfaction. "Let Darkness reign." He held out a hand. "My Alina, come with me, and we shall rule the world together."

She sputtered incredulously. "What?"

"We belong together," he went on. "You are my only equal—and I am yours."

She glanced at Mal in shared horror.

Kirigan snorted derisively. "He will never be your match, never know you wholly and completely, not like I can."

Alina shook her head and took a step backward. "You're insane." She looked at the crystal and mirror in her hands and tried to summon light into them again in order to undo the eclipse. But before she could, the Darkling shot a stream of shadow at her, knocking both out of her hands and sending them crashing to the ground where they shattered.

"This is the new world order," he intoned. "A world of Shadow. Come, be my queen, Alina."

She gawked at him in sheer disbelief. "Never!"

His expression hardened, and the air around him practically crackled with menace. Alina felt a shiver go down her spine, and she backed up again. But the Darkling didn't move. After a moment, his demeanor shifted, turning aloof once more, but there was a cruel gleam in his eyes.

"Perhaps I will take a play from Vasily's book," he said. He thrust his hand out, but not toward Alina. Instead, the shadows went shooting toward Mal and plunging into his mouth and nose.

"No!" she screamed and ran to him as he fell to his knees.

"A-lina," he choked out before he doubled over with a pained cry. Darkness branched through the veins under his skin and up into his eyes, turning them into black marbles.

"No, no, no." Alina rocked back on her heels as shadows erupted from his back into amorphous wings. Mal screamed as his fingers sprouted talons, and the next sound that came from him was an animalistic screech. With a gust of wings, he sprang back from her, a snarl dripping from newly formed fangs.

Alina spun back toward the Darkling. "You bastard!"

"I'll give you the same offer Vasily did his brother—join me, and the boy will be spared. I'll give you some time to consider it." He waved at Mal. "Follow."

A cascade of shadows whooshed up, catching Kirigan under his feet and propelling him away on a wave of inky darkness. Mal took wing after him.

"Mal!" Alina screamed, sinking to her knees in devastation.

Tamar came to stand beside her, while Zoya and Tolya helped a restored Nikolai get dressed. The curse had been broken, but the eclipse was radiating darkness across the land, only a faint halo around the edge of the penumbra. Alina knew in her bones that the Darkling had done something to lock it in place, plunging the world into eternal shadow. She closed her eyes against the tears.

What had she done?