CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE.

Finding Alina would be the hardest part of the journey. There had been a few sightings but nothing entirely conclusive so Liliya had spent her time trying to plot a course. They wanted to cross the Fold and they had come from West Ravka so there was only a certain number of destinations she could have assumed they went. It was a frustrating number but do-able.

She had spent most of the afternoon plotting out routes and talking to herself, mostly. Without Roma or Lev to confirm her suspicions, she found herself rather lonely. Her whole world had changed so quickly to the point where she had none of her best friends. Even Arina was gone with Fedyor to find Nina.

Without Roma or Lev or Arina, she found herself increasingly lonely. She didn't particularly mind but sometimes reassurance that her tracking paths were correct was nice. Now all she had was Aleksander who had become increasingly engrossed in material to do with Morozova's stag and connecting himself with Alina. She had Ivan too, in a way, but she didn't particularly enjoy speaking to him.

Ivan always had something to say and most of the time it was never something helpful or even remotely productive. He just liked to be annoying. Her fingers tapped against the table as she bit the inside of her cheek. The new route she had plotted made the most sense and based on the sightings that she had been told about, it seemed accurate. Her head tilted and then she nodded.

"This is the happiest you have looked all day," Aleksander commented as he walked in. This time, he didn't have any papers in his hand. Liliya's head shot up and a smile graced her lips at his appearance. She gestured for him to come over.

"Based on the sightings and the easiest but most hidden ways, I plotted out the probable route. I needed to know where they had been, if anywhere and I think this makes sense," Liliya nodded. Aleksander stared at the map before he shook his head. Liliya's eyebrows pulled together as she looked up at him, "What?" She asked.

"All the sightings were false but the First Army have spotted her in Ryevost," Aleksander said. Liliya's face dropped completely as she looked over everything that she had been given. She sighed and nodded her head. She grabbed the maps and scrunched them up, leaving them on the table.

"We best get ready. Sun down is approaching," Liliya said as she walked back over to the bedroom. A part of her wondered how long Aleksander knew that Alina was in Ryevost and if he had just lied to keep her occupied. She wouldn't be surprised and she was glad of it, if anything but she also wished she had been told the truth.

"Milaya," Aleksander said causing her to pause in the doorway of the bedroom. Liliya turned around to face him, forcing a smile onto her lips. Though the happy glint in her eye had been lost and suddenly she was feeling the crushing weight of what had happened over the past few weeks, months even.

"Yes?" She asked, forcing the façade of sureity onto her face. Aleksander stepped closer and lifted her chin up so that she was looking into his eyes.

"We will find the Summoner," He reassured. Liliya nodded and pulled away, walking the rest of the way inside. She wanted to find Alina, of course she did, but a part of her also didn't care anymore. She just wanted Isaak dead.

"I want to find Isaak and kill him," Liliya said as she looked through the cupboards, picking a new outfit for travelling. She needed her cloak and she needed to be warm but still mobile. They were probably going to run into the criminals that had took Alina and Liliya would not let them go easily. They had nearly killed her.

"And we will do that once we have Alina," Aleksander responded as he stood at the door, watching her move. He had already changed into his fresh outfit for the journey and had left his cloak on the bed to wear when they were leaving.

"Isaak might kill her before we even find her," Liliya commented as she began to unbutton her blouse. Aleksander stepped into the room and closed the door as she undressed. A slight smirk tugging on his lips, enjoying the sight.

"He will not," Aleksander said simply. Liliya rolled her eyes and toed her boots off before she pulled her pants off completely. Aleksander leant against the closed door, watching. He could see that she had something to say.

"You are underestimating him again. You do not understand what he is like Aleksander," She snapped. The annoyance from her pants not fully coming off and the irritation he was causing her culminating in it. It wasn't intentional and she instantly regretted it but Aleksander didn't even seem bothered, not that he ever was.

"I know plenty about him, milaya," Aleksander responded. Liliya looked over at the taller man before she shook her head. She grabbed her fresh set of pants and pulled them on.

"You don't. You have never faced him. You have never been near him or spoken to him. You have never been hurt by him, Aleksander. You don't seem to grasp the extent of his power. He could probably kill us if he tried," She explained as she buttoned up her pants and pulled the blouse over her head, pulling her hair from underneath the collar before she began to button up the front. Her eyes bounced to Aleksander briefly but his stature had remained unchanged.

"He could before but he has lost control of his powers," Aleksander said. His comments seemed so off-hand and normal but they made Liliya pause in her movements. Her head fully turning to look at Aleksander.

"You didn't know him before," She said but she sounded cautious, unsure. Her eyebrows pulling together as she looked at him. Aleksander met her gaze and there was that glint of smugness in his eyes.

"I did," Aleksander said and just those words made Liliya's angry return. He had known Isaak this entire time and never said a word, Isaak had never said a word. She didn't understand how neither of them had said anything. It didn't make sense. They had been lying to her this entire time, "I trained him as a boy before he ran. I saved you because I knew you were his daughter. I was surprised when you appeared to be only an Inferni," Aleksander added in a way of explanation but Liliya was still caught up in the fact that they knew each other.

"You knew him?" Liliya asked and Aleksander nodded. He walked over to the bed and picked up his cloak, putting it over his arm.

"I know what he is capable of," Aleksander added. Liliya turned her head away and slipped her undercoat on before she then grabbed her kefta, slipping it on.

"And you never told me," Liliya mumbled. It was more to herself than anyone but she wanted to scream it at him. Ask him why he hadn't said a word this entire time. Why he had held that from her. It didn't make sense. There was no reason for him to hide that from her. It would have changed nothing yet now it had changed everything.

"Isaak is not the priority, milaya. We have a plan," Aleksander reminded as he picked up her cloak from the side. He then held it out to her. Liliya nodded her head.

"Of course," She said as she pulled the cloak around her shoulders. It didn't make sense but there was no time to question it. For now she had to be by Aleksander's side, she needed to enact the plan. They could talk about his lies and deceptions later. His hypocrisy at another time. For now, it was unimportant. Finding Alina was important and killing Isaak was important.

***

The journey to Reyvost had been quiet. Night had long blanketed Ravka and Liliya didn't feel tired. Most of the day, she had been sleeping on and off. The nightmares still plagued her but she had learnt how to deal with them for now. She didn't know what the future held but she knew that she was okay, for now. They just had to find Alina.

The carriage came to a slow just outside the village and Liliya let out an apprehensive breath. Ivan, Polina and Zoya had been riding alongside on horseback while Liliya, Aleksander and David had been within the carriage. The whole journey had been relatively silent. The quiet that invaded the space felt suffocating to her but there was plenty of time for conversation when Alina was found, if she was ever found.

The doors were opened and Aleksander stepped out. Liliya followed closely behind, pushing the hair from her face as she walked to one side. Her gaze scanned over the area, searching for anything and anyone out of place. Everything was fine until she spotted the wagon. The one that had been stolen. They must still be here or they had abandoned it.

Liliya then crossed over to stand beside Ivan and Zoya. Aleksander moved silently to stand beside. A somber feeling passing over the group. Aleksander was frustrated that Alina had escaped but he looked calm as always.

"And?" Aleksander asked as he looked around the area. He was wary, paranoid and Liliya felt the same. All eyes were on the group of Grisha. The Grisha that were not expected in that town.

"The wagon matches the one that was reported stolen from the palace" Ivan said, his gaze firmly on the black wagon. Aleksander acknowledged Ivan with a short nod before Zoya decided to speak up.

"They may have continued on horseback, faster, harder to track," Zoya suggested. Liliya rolled her eyes, nothing was too hard to track for her. Horseback also made tracking easier. They would travel farther but they had to make more stops. Horses were strong but like everyone, they had to rest and eat. The criminals were also clearly not from Ravka so that would make them much easier to find. Liliya had confidence in herself.

"I will find them if they have left," Liliya said as she stepped away from the group. She planned on heading through the town but a loud boom made her jump. Her head whipped to the side and the wagon had been blown up. The Grisha that had opened it was lying dead on the floor. She gritted her teeth and glanced back at Aleksander who was already ordering Zoya, Polina and Ivan to find the criminals.

"Milaya, come here," Aleksander said as he gestured towards himself. Liliya walked back over and stood by his side, looking up at him. Whatever was happening wasn't good. It would not go in their favour and something was bound to go wrong.

"She must be close by," Liliya said as she glanced around. Her eyes scanned over every corner and crevice. The explosion was likely a distraction while they ran in the opposite direction, the forest. Whether that meant horseback or otherwise, Liliya had no idea. What she did know is that she needed to find them. Standing around with Aleksander was of no use to anyone.

"Will you be able to track them?" Aleksander asked, lifting his chin as he surveyed the area. Grace and poise seemed to roll off him even in the moments of panic. The entire village was in panic but the two Grisha were unphased. They had both faced worse, together and apart. This was nothing and these criminals would be found. She knew that they would.

"The woods are close, if they have gone that way, I can find them," Liliya said as she stepped forward. Her head turned from side-to-side, trying to work out where anyone could have been. She needed to make sure that she missed nothing. It could be vital. But the criminals didn't seem to be around and Ivan, Zoya and Polina were still gone which meant that they were likely fighting the criminals.

"I do not think Alina is with the criminals," Aleksander said. Liliya's head snapped to the General, her eyebrow raising as she stared at him. It didn't make sense for Liliya to abandon the only people that were protecting her. It was a stupid mistake.

"Then where is she?" Liliya asked. She doubted that Aleksander had an answer but she wanted to see what he would say. There had to be something that he knew.

"I think she has abandoned us," Aleksander said as he narrowed his eyes. It seemed that he had spotted something. Liliya tried to see what but it disappeared before she had a chance.

"We cannot assume anything yet. I will check the woods," Liliya decided as she stepped away from him. It would be foolish to assume that Alina had left or that she was nowhere nearby. Liliya had faith in herself and lacked faith in Alina's survival skills.

"You have to be careful," He warned as he watched her begin to walk away. Liliya paused and turned to face him. She had never heard him say that before. It was slightly off-putting. It made her stomach twist but she knew better than to worry. She had faith in herself. In her abilities.

"I am always careful. I'm not your average Grisha and she may be the Sun Summoner but she trusts me. She loves me, Aleksander," Liliya brushed off his worry with a smile. Aleksander stared at her for a moment before he nodded simply. He did not see a reason to argue with her further so he simply let her leave.

Liliya trekked across the town and up through the scuffed pathways to the woods. She knew that it was dangerous and probably stupid to go alone in the middle of the night but she knew what she was doing. If she could track Alina, the danger would diminish. If she found the Summoner, nothing else mattered, not even her own safety.

As the redhead walked through the worn in path, it almost felt like the tree were watching her. Their eyes boring into the back of her skull. An uneasy feeling passing over her as she looked around, paranoid. The darkness didn't scare her but the unfamiliarity of the situation did. Tracking alone was something she hadn't done in so long.

She was used to Lev or Roma or Tomas or even Arina being by her side. Now there was no one and even Aleksander was back at the village. As she walked along, she spotted a footprint in the dirt and then there seemed to be a trail. That was promising at least. That could have been her going out on foot but it also meant that they had to move quickly if they were going to catch up with her.

But before she could finish her thoughts, she heard a sharp click of a gun. A soft sigh escaped her lips. Someone had a gun to her head and she wasn't sure why she was surprised anymore. She had spent most of her life in danger and her life constantly being threatened. She was used to it so she turned around.

Her movements were slow but she wanted to come face-to-face with her attempted killer. Her jaw nearly dropped when she saw Lev in front of her. His hair was messy. The blonde had grown out a little, brown from mud and his shirt was grubby. Blood smeared across it. He looked disgruntled and his hand was shaking. His eyes bloodshot. He reeked of alcohol.

"Lev," Liliya said as she stared at him, "Here to finish the job?" She asked. The sarcasm laced her tone as she watched him. His hand was shaking more now. A clear sign of his drunken state. The sneer spread across his lips when he heard her speak. He was clearly not happy to see her but she felt the exact same way.

"You should have died a long time ago," He snarled. His words slurred together, losing their edge but he still tried to be intimidating, "Isaak should have killed you when Ivan abandoned you. You deserve to be dead," He snapped. His grip tightened on the gun and she rolled her eyes. Not many people would roll their eyes in the face of a gun but Lev was a coward. He would never kill one of his own and he knew he was outmatched.

"And you are a traitor to all Grisha. Want to add a bigger target on your head?" Liliya asked as she moved her hand slowly into the pocket of her pants. The flint and steel between her fingers. She just had to get it out before Lev decided to shoot then she could at least follow through on her promise to burn him alive.

"If it means killing you, definitely," Lev said as he pushed the gun closer to her head. The metal pressed against her forehead and Liliya squeezed her eyes shut. She took a long deep breath, centering herself. It was only a gun. A gun that could be taken away easily but it still made her heart thud.

"Where's Roma?" Liliya asked. The two were usually joined at the hip but not now. Not as Lev tried to drunkenly murder her. It was a precarious situation but then she snapped the flint and steel against each other by her side. Her other hand moving quickly to send the fire sprawling towards him. The burns spread across his face quickly and the gun dropped from his grip.

The redhead kicked it away and it skidded down the hill. It was just the two of them now and Lev was already injured.

"Come on, tell me. Where's Roma? I want to burn him alive too," Liliya snapped as she stepped closer. Her hand gripped the front of his shirt and pulled him closer. The welts had already began to spread across his melted skin. The fire had been hotter than she intended but it achieved what she wanted. He was going to die anyone. A little bit of pain beforehand was deserved.

"He stayed in Ketterdam like the good little dog you had trained him to be. He didn't want you dead," Lev sneered through gritted teeth. He looked angry but Liliya could barely tell. The left side of his face already too disfigured to know. He was disguising the pain he felt well or he was too drunk to feel it. Liliya wasn't sure.

"He's smart. You aren't. Though you never were. Always trying to beat those better than you," She said as she threw him to the ground. Lev's hand shot out but Liliya stamped on his fingers before he could get up again. She glanced around and saw nobody. Nobody to witness his death. It was sad. At the palace he had been well-loved and there would have been so many people to mourn him. But now, now he was alone. Not even Roma would know what happened.

"You will never be better than me," He bit back but he stopped before he could continue. The pain contorting his features as it finally seemed to hit him. The reactions were delayed but she watched as he curled up, his arms covering his face. Whimpers and screams of pain escaping his lips. Liliya wasn't entirely sure why the reaction had been so delayed but she didn't care. It meant this could last longer and he could now finally pay.

With one hand, she shrouded him in shadows and then with the other she brought fire down upon him. His clothes lit alight first and she watched as he engulfed in flames. Too in pain to be able to fight back, numb to it. A smirk spread across her face and she watched as the light drained away. His flesh charring before the last bit of life drained out of him.

The screams stopping and he fell limp, gone. Lev was dead but Liliya felt no better. She wanted to kill him again. Kill him with her bare hands. Do something more satisfying but she couldn't. Lev was dead and gone and all she could do was stare at him. He had tried to kill her, twice, but he ended up dead in the end.

The jealous Inferni that never seemed to understand that she was his superior. Lev was arrogant, idiotic. Liliya knew this was what he deserved. To be burnt by his own abilities.

***

author's note! hellooo, okay so i'm not IN LOVE with this chapter cause i'm pretty knackered while writing it but i wanted to get it done cause honestly i've been procrastinating and i need to stop, so i'm tired and it's a little bit messy so it's not PERFECT but we're getting there, liliya is going... full villain arc ig and I LOVE IT, like she is the loml i swear and aleksander caring for her safety makes my heart so HAPPY, but yes, here we are, another chapter and like 4 chapters from the end of the act now?? SCARYYYYYY