CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE.

The Little Palace was crowded with people. Each room was full and Liliya felt mildly suffocated. The only thing that was keeping her grounded was the hand on her back from Aleksander as he guided her through the crowds. Alina wouldn't be coming out for a little longer. They had to wait and time this perfectly. She would still converse but they had to be careful. Liliya knew this. She just hoped that nothing would go wrong.

As she walked around with Aleksander, they drank a glass of wine each before he was called away to King Pyotr. Liliya continued her circuit around the area, speaking to those who approached her while mainly observing the room. It was strange. There were so many people. Grisha and nobility. Soon enough, many of them would be dead.

The redhead jumped when a glass of wine was placed into her hands. She didn't recognise the guard who had given it to her but she took it gratefully.

"General Kirigan told me to give this to you," The guard said. There was something odd about the man. His hair seemed too long to be in the official royal guard and the way he held himself was different. It was almost as if he was struggling to stay upright. Liliya nodded her head and glanced down at the wine. It looked exactly like the one she had been drinking before so rather than question the poor guard that was likely overwhelmed, she walked away. The wine in hand.

As she strolled around the room, she spotted Lord Yanovich. She took a sip of wine for strength and then walked over to him. Her finger tapped against his shoulder and he whipped around. The man looked almost exactly like how she had last seen him. His military uniform was just as pristine and the childish sparkle in his eyes hadn't left.

"Lord Yanovich," She said with a smile. He returned that smile and explained to his companions that he would be back in a moment. With a quick gesture of his hand, Liliya knew that he meant for them to walk. So, she joined his side. The two walked in time, the guests parting for Liliya and gave Yanovich odd looks.

"Liliya, how are you?" He asked as he turned his head to look at her. The redhead didn't know what to say and simply shrugged. She took a sip of her wine.

"I am... well," She decided after a moment. He nodded in response, "How are you? How is Lisenka?" She added after a moment. It had been over a year since the two had spoken properly. It felt strange. They had once been acting as daughter and father and now everything felt odd. The unspoken truth lingered between them even if they didn't recognise it.

"Lisenka is coming out of her shell and I am apprehensive. This business with the Sun Summoner worries me," He explained. His eyes scanned over the room and he watched as everyone talked and chattered. The room was abuzz with it. Loud shrieking laughter and polite conversation with people that they truly despised suffocated everyone.

"How so?" Liliya asked after a moment, distracting the man from the crowds. She was aware of how many eyes were on them so she did her best to focus on Yanovich. Nobody else mattered. She just had to listen to his voice. It still sounded like honey and it made her feel safe even with the grim topic they were discussing.

"The last time you were on his tail, he was killed and you nearly were along with him. Are you safe?" Yanovich asked. He had precariously avoided mentioning who had killed Daish. He knew that Liliya wouldn't want to be reminded. She was glad that he hadn't said it but there was an understanding in his hesitant words. An understanding that they both knew what happened but would not judge. It made her feel lighter. The smile returning.

"Lord Yanovich, of course I am safe. General Kirigan has ensured it," Liliya reassured the older man. Yanovich nodded, glancing around again. His paranoia was showing but Liliya knew exactly why. Her own paranoia felt like it would return but she did her best to ignore it. It was unneccessary. Aleksander had taken every necessary precaution to ensure everyone's safety.

"I am thankful that General Zlatan is not here," Yanovich added, his voice lowering. Though Zlatan was not here, some of his associates were. Liliya had not been dragged into conversation with any of them yet but the night was still young.

"As am I," She said as she looked around. She took another sip of wine and the silence ebbed between them. They had stopped by a window and as Liliya felt the cool breeze on her cheeks, she realised how flushed she was. Her kefta felt as if it was suffocating her and then a wave of nausea hit her like a carriage. Her gaze scanned the room and she spotted Aleksander but suddenly he looked so far away, "I apologise Lord Yanovich. I need to check something..." Liliya trailed off. She sounded unsure of her own words but she knew that she needed to get to Aleksander.

Something was wrong, very wrong and as she tried to place her wine glass down, it seemed to topple of the table that she was sure was in front of her. Yanovich was startled by the noise but a servant was quick to clean it up while Liliya had already walked off. The redhead walked in a straight line to the best of her abilities but everything felt wrong.

Her hands felt so far away but it was impossible that they were across the room. At the same time, she couldn't be sure if she was even looking at her hands at all. Her vision was beginning to blur around the edges. Something felt wrong. She collided with Aleksander before she even intended to and he grabbed a hold of her arms.

"Is there a problem, milaya?" He asked, his voice low but concerned. King Pyotr was watching them and he knew he had to get this over with. The King was judging and they still had so much of the plan left to finish.

"Yes," Liliya responded rather bluntly. Aleksander's eyebrows briefly drew together before he lifted her face.

"What?" He asked as he watched her face. He could see that she had become pale. Her skin was warmer than usual and sweat was beading at her hairline.

"Do you remember when I was poisoned last year?" Liliya asked. Aleksander nodded, knowing exactly where this conversation would go.

"By the Shu?" He asked. Liliya nodded but it only made her feel more nausea. Her eyes squeezed shut briefly as she swallowed thickly. She reopened her eyes and finally felt able to speak.

"Yes," Liliya said, "Well, I think someone has poisoned me again. Someone gave me this wine and I believe it has been laced with it." Aleksander stared at her for a moment before he looked around the room. There was nobody that had been permitted inside that had not been approved. It found it unlikely that anyone would have got in. Nobody who would have access to the Shu poison. As far as he had found, only that group even knew of it's existence and Isaak would not have found his way into the Little Palace, "You need to protect Alina while I need to leave and we need to find out who did this," Liliya added after a moment. Her words were still clear but it was obvious that the poison was taking an effect. Her fingers held him in a death grip just to keep herself stable and she continously swallowed to ensure that she didn't throw up.

"Take Lord Yanovich and go to the Healers. I will find them and ensure Alina is protected," Aleksander said as he looked around to see the man. It was only person that he could trust in this room that wasn't necessary. He would have requested a Grisha but they were integral and nobody could know she had been poisoned. There couldn't be a panic.

"Okay," Liliya said as she looked around. She could barely make out the room but then it seemed that Yanovich had approached. Aleksander was gone. Her head felt like it was spinning still and she didn't know entirely what to do.

"Is there a problem? General Kirigan called me over," Yanovich said as he took a hold of her arm. Liliya lifted her head but she felt so weak. Her whole body felt like it would cave in but she had to try and act the part. She straightened her back out and looked at Yanovich. He was blurry but she could make out his blonde hair.

"I have been poisoned. I need you to walk with me to the Healers," Liliya said as she gestured vaguely towards the door.

"Am I-?" Yanovich began but Liliya cut him off before he could even finish. Traditions or expectations didn't matter. She was going to die if they didn't go to the Healers.

"Formalities are not important in this moment," Liliya snapped. Yanovich was taken aback but he nodded.

"Of course. Let's go," He said as they walked away. The two managed to get out of the room and once they were clear of the party, Yanovich wrapped an arm around her waist to support her. The two passed Alina on the way but the black-haired girl didn't say anything. Liliya barely even realised it was her until they were too far gone.

The nausea only got worse as they continued to walk and Liliya felt the vomit burning her throat. Luckily they reached the Healers before she threw up all over the Palace floors. Her gaze flicked across the room and she recognised the Healer that attended to her when this had happened the first time. Yanovich stood back as she tried her best to explain.

He was then ordered to get a bucket for her and the Healer disappeared. Liliya lay down on the bed and Yanovich passed her the bucket. Her head resting against the edge. She felt so warm. It was suffocating.

"We should take your kefta off," Yanovich said. Liliya hummed in response and as he began to unbutton it, she just allowed him. The redhead was weak and exhaustion had taken over so she was glad he was there. Then when the Healer returned with the remedy, Yanovich urged her to drink it just like Aleksander had all the time ago.

The episode ending with Yanovich being ordered back to the party and Liliya being forced to sleep with her head pressed against the pillows.

***

Liliya's sleep never lasted long and it didn't after she had been poisoned either. It was early morning when she awoke but the Palace didn't seem to be as quiet as she had expected. There was movement and as she rolled over, she came face-to-face with Aleksander. The man had been sat in the chair. Her folded kefta in his lap.

"What time is it?" Liliya asked, "And where's Alina?" She added. If it was still in the night, she would have expected Aleksander to be with Alina. They should still be together but something was wrong. Something was very wrong. Aleksander leant over and pushed some hair behind her ear before Liliya pulled away.

Her arms still felt weak but she was able to push herself upright. Her back colliding with the headboard as she looked at him. Nothing made sense but Aleksander hadn't told her what was wrong. He seemed frustrated, his jaw set but he said nothing.

"We have a situation with our Summoner," Aleksander said. Liliya tilted her head, waiting. If Isaak had infiltrated the party like she had suspected, this wasn't good. Alina could be dead or worse working for Isaak. Neither of which would be good. Not for Liliya, not for Aleksander, not for their plan, "She has gone missing," He added. Liliya sighed and pushed her fingers through her hair, letting it fall back in front of her face.

"Was it Isaak?" She asked. Aleksander nodded. He moved closer and brushed some hair behind her ear so he could look properly into her eyes.

"It was my mother and Malyen Orestev, our tracker, has disappeared along with her," Aleksander explained. Liliya bit the inside of her cheek before she let out a long sigh. The plan had fallen apart just as it seemed to be coming together. Alina had been within grasp but like water, she had slipped between Liliya's fingers.

"Good job you still have me," Liliya said as she pushed herself towards the edge of the bed. The nausea hit her for a moment and she squeezed her eyes shut, taking a long slow deep breath. Her head quickly became clearer and the want to throw up disappeared. She was fine.

"I suppose it is," He said as he stood up. He then held his hand out to her and she took it. He pulled her to her feet and then stepped back, "We must begin the search immediately," He added. Liliya nodded but paused for a moment. Aleksander had already began to move towards the door but paused to see if she would follow.

"Would it not be wise to wait until she slips up?" Liliya asked as she caught up with the taller man. Aleksander turned his gaze down to her before he shook his head. He then began to walk, Liliya following close behind him.

"And if she finds the stag before us?" He questioned. The redhead scoffed. Alina did not have the ability to track the stag unless it attempted to find her first which also felt possible. Liliya didn't know what sort of connection that Alina was supposed to have with the stag.

"That is unlikely. She does not hold that sort of ability," Liliya retorted. Aleksander shook his head at her naivety, his gaze moving back to the corridor.

"But her tracker does," He said as he gestured for her to go down the corridor to their right. Liliya slipped down and he followed right behind. There was quiet for a moment and then it hit Liliya. The letters that Genya had held back from being sent were addressed to a Malyen Orestev. Liliya knew that there wouldn't be a second Malyen Orestev who just so happened to be First Army. It would be ridiculous to assume so which meant that they were in a lot more danger.

"Malyen is the one the letters were addressed to," Liliya vocalised. Aleksander nodded and held a door open for Liliya to slip through. It was a room that she was unfamiliar with but she paid no mind as Aleksander continued to lead her through the Palace.

"Indeed," He confirmed. Liliya sighed.

"Then we have a problem," She said. Aleksander glanced back and nodded his head solemnly before he focused back on walking. Liliya's fingers pushed through her hair, her mind running over every scenario. Only one person could make this worse, "Did Isaak appear?" She asked as they walked through another door.

"No but he sent his regards in the form of that poison and an assassin," Aleksander explained as he closed the door behind him. He then continued, "The Conductor. It seems he was being paid to kill Alina by General Zlatan but an unknown man had offered the group that he was with a large sum of money to poison you." Liliya let out a soft sigh

"So not only do we have to locate the Sun Summoner but ensure that Isaak does not kill me?" She questioned. Aleksander nodded.

"It seems that way," He said. Liliya sighed again before she got a hold of herself. The mystery man couldn't have been Isaak. She just knew it wasn't him. Isaak had so many opportunities to slit her throat or beat her to death but he had never taken them. It didn't make sense that he would use the poison but there was no way that the group could have accessed the poison otherwise. Well, Liliya had to trust their own knowledge and spies which she wasn't sure if she did. Everything felt wrong.

"He needs me," Liliya blurted as they stepped into Aleksander's study. He closed the door behind her and then just watched her for a moment, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Why is that?" Aleksander asked as he crossed over to his desk. He then began to flick through the various notes on his desk as Liliya grabbed the chair and pulled it out.

"I can track the Stag. He cannot," Liliya explained as she sunk down in the chair. Aleksander pulled his own chair out and sat down. He was antsy but he knew that they had to wait. A few Grisha had been alerted to her disappearance and were checking that she was not close by. Aleksander was waiting for those to return before he made any drastic move even if he wanted to.

"Perhaps he became impatient," Aleksander suggested. His elbows rested against the arms of his chair as he watched Liliya think. Her head tilted to the side as she stared off at the bookshelf. Every possible plan that Isaak could have running through her head. Then she realised.

"Or he realised that Malyen will lead him straight to the stag as well," Liliya said. Her words were quiet and she seemed to be hesitant but Aleksander's face told her that she was right. This was dangerous. A lot more dangerous than either of them had initially believed.

"We must locate her," Aleksander said quickly.

"I'll track her," Liliya said as she pushed herself out of the seat. She knew Alina and how she thought so she would be much easier to find. Liliya had gone after more elusive targets and found them within days.

"Is that wise?" Aleksander asked as he stood up. The chair scraping against the floor before he walked to her side, grabbing her wrist.

"Do we have any other choice?" She asked, looking up at him. He stared for a moment before he sighed and let go of her hand.

***

author's note! okay hello everyone! so, slight confession, i hate writing scenes based off tv shows and with the added english weather, my updates for this are going to get... wonky because i just cba to exist at the moment BUT HERE'S THIS CHAPTER and there will hopefully be another one soon, i'm just debating my entire existence and why england must be thIS WAY but it's fine, everything's fine, now this chapter was a fun one, we got some callbacks to act one and my bby yanovich popped back up and i adore him <3 also alinA'S GONEEEE hehhe, i hope you enjoyed! thank you for reading <3