Riya didn't talk much to me, i wonder what happened? She's usually more talkative, did the Darkling say something to her?

Riya grabbed her tailoring kit and helped me with my sleep hair, my curls messed up in the carriage. She sat me down at the dressing table and i looked at the entrance of the tent, worried if the Darkling would enter at any moment. "Riya, what's going on? Nobody is telling me anything and Ivan went off somewhere probably to tell the Darkling something and your not speaking." I looked down at my lap and felt the black embroidery of my dress. "Your to meet the General in his tent Sun Summoner!"

"I told you to call me Alina!"

Riya didn't speak after that. She took me to the General's black tent, i saw maps stuck around and some Corporalki nearby. No doubt awaiting my arrival to put me to sleep if i disagreed to whatever the Darkling wanted. I saw the Darkling's back faced towards me, he soon turned around and i felt nostalgia hit me. It was exactly the same as the first time i met him. "Alina!"

"Where are we? Why is nobody telling me anything?" The Darkling looked at me intensely for a second then dismissed the rest of the Grisha present in the tent. I smiled gently to them as they walked out. It was only me and Aleksander present in the tent right now. "Explain!" I demanded folding my arms. "I do not need to explain myself to you!" He stated. I rolled my eyes, he picked up my disrespect towards him and squinted his eyes a little. He sighed gently. "We are in Os Alta!" I straightened my posture. Os Alta.

I remember from my maps that the grand palace was central here. Is that why we've come, for him to take over the Grand Palace. It would made the most logical explanation and relates to the Darkling's ambitious nature. "Your here to take over the Grand Palace?" The Darkling simply nodded, his face showing no apparent emotion. "Why? and why do you need me here with you?" The Darkling leaned against the back of the table, his eyes darting down from my eyes to my lips. "I need to make sure that Ravka still has a prominent leader on the throne, ever since the fold incident the country went to hell in my supposed absence whilst i was lying low at the Little Palace." He started to explain. His tone changed when he mentioned the fold incident. He believes he would make a better ruler.

"So what are you going to do? Invade the palace and kill everyone in sight so you could ascend the throne and rule Ravka under a dark law?" I stepped forward a bit and the Darkling stood up straight, slightly offended. "I have my ways to take over the palace without spilling blood and as for your earlier question, you posses both summoning abilities. I'm going to need you as my weapon."

Both summoning abilities

What's he talking about?

I posses Sun summoning, nothing more.

My facial expression made the Darkling chuckle a little. I looked confused at him.

"Ay Alina, do you really not know?" The Darkling started coming towards me, curiously studying my reaction. I shied away, stepping back from him. "What?" I slightly whispered, on the verge of trembling. "You have my Shadow Summoning !"

"What!" I almost shouted. His tall figure looming over me, i was almost afraid he was going to push me on the ground and pin me down. Just to show me what he would and i would be obliged to agree with whatever he would do to me because he holds leverage against me. "Alina, last night in the Little Palace did i not attempt to put you to sleep? Did you see the shadows? Did you hear my voice?" His tone indicated the obviousness of the answers to his questions. I nodded slightly. "How?"

"We are connected Alina. My shadows appear around you when you want them to or when you think about me and i can communicate with you from long distances, do you know why?" His tone was very gentle and his pace was slow. Like he wanted me to remember each word he was saying to me. I didn't reply because of how close he was, his hand reached my ear and tucked in a couple of lose hair strands. "Because..." He came close to my ear, "Like Calls To Like"

I could feel his breath near my neck, i looked directly in his eyes, feeling a little shy i flattered them down and moved back. "I am nothing like you and i won't let you take over the Grand Palace, Ravka needs an honourable righteous ruler, not you!"

The Darkling's facial expression changed, slightly offended. I like how i'm offending him. "I'm returning to the Grand palace with you, do not do anything you will regret afterwards. Within a weeks time we'll be returning back to the Little Palace. Till then you do not rebel against me and you do not communicate with anyone who is unknown to you otherwise the tracker pays with his life. You are dismissed." Of course he brought Mal here, to use against me.

Ivan entered the tent as if on cue, of course he was listening to our conversation. Ivan pulled me out of the tent and practically threw me in mine. I landed on the floor, on my elbows. My hair tangled by my sides. I flicked my head back up and saw Ivan look down at me. He left saying nothing. The only noises i heard were of him instructing two Heartrenders to keep guard outside the tent.

When it was completely silent, i pulled myself off the floor and stood in front of the dressing table. My elbows had two grazes through my dress, I underestimated Ivan's strength against me. I need to be more careful. I cannot believe what the Darkling told me. That were connected, i have some of his summoning and that he can talk to me. Is it only a one way link? It probably is knowing him. But if Mal's here and in the camp i can find him. The Darkling would probably keep him close but not too close so that i would find him. I'll have to check tomorrow. He said return to the Grand Palace, makes sense he structured the Little Palace off the Grand Palace blue prints and now he is back. Trunks of my stuff came in a couple hours earlier with all my dresses, Kefta's and personal supplies. I pulled out a dark blue night dress. It was sleeveless and with thin noodle straps that showed some cleavage. I felt kind of uncomfortable in this nightdress but it had to do. I slipped under the covers of my silk bed and i slept anxiously waiting for tomorrow.

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PUBLISHED: 20:05PM 18/10/21