Sun Queen

♛ Twenty-Eight ♛

Mal steers us into the forests surrounding the port village. His worry is almost palpable, radiating in every tense move he makes. It's as if the air has grown hot and tight as we can feel our time slipping away. Like the second s before the end of a race. I pray this doesn't end how I imagine it.

The mare must sense our troubled feelings because she doesn't even flinch to wade through a river. We sprint along the shore, keeping our tracks in the gritty sand where the river can wash them away.

"Mal?" I whisper harshly, my throat sticky and dry.

He doesn't turn back to me, but his back muscles ripple beneath his shirt. "Yes?"

"I just want you to know that no matter what happe-"

"Stop." He says curtly. "I don't want to imagine it."

"Shut up." I shoot him down in a frustrated tone, swaying from my constant headache. "I don't care if you don't want to imagine it. I just need you to know that...."

"That I love you."

He's quiet. I know it's not the best time to say this, but I was hoping he would at least answer.

"I love you too Alina."

I breath out and soak up his words. It's all I needed to says. Truly, no matter what happens now, I'm prepared.

It's less than an hour riding beside the river before it happens. We see the torches first, their angered flickering unnatural in the softly shadowed forest. I don't need to tell Mal, he sees them too. Mal jerks the mare off of the shore and we bolt without hesitation into the forest. Without a path to follow, it's hard for the mare to scramble over rocks and roots. But the undergrowth does hide us better.

The blazing, stifling feeling of being chased claws its ways down my throat. I gulp in the cool, my throat drying up further. Saints I feel like horse manure. Nothing can begin to describe the trapping feeling of helplessness I have right now. Trapped by the Darkling, trapped by my fever...

The torches are still in the corner of my eyes and now we can hear whispers of shouts zinging through the leaves. Whoever they are, they're getting closer. I squeeze my eyes as shadows swirl in my eyes. My breath is quickening and I can feel the kefta starting to burn.

I lick my lips as my mind moves towards the dreaded thought. This will be the hardest thing I have ever had to ask.

"Mal, stop." I speak so softly I'm not even sure he hears me.

But Mal does look back distractedly in surprise, "What?"

"Mal stop the horse." I order him in a numb tone.

Mal is beyond bewilderment but he actually pulls the mare to a complete, jerking stop. Before he can stop me, I push myself off and fall to the cold, grass-heavy ground. Mal leaps off and crouches beside me, his eyes never leaving the approaching torches. His arms wrap around me and start to tug.

"We have to go Alina." He urges me desperately.

"Please," I'm fighting against my fever for words now, "Go on without me."

"No!" Mal whispers loudly, trying haul me up. "Please, don't give up on me now." His begging voice breaks and my heart actually squeezes for a moment.

"Don't make this any harder." I cry. I can hear the search party more clearly now.

Mal looks at the trees, then puts me gently to the ground. He suddenly pats the mare on her  glossy side and an invisible boulder slams down on my chest as the mare sprints away. Mal sits in the grass beside my panting body, holding my hand tightly and staring at the coming search party.

"We do this together." He says and I hang on to his steady words.

"Mal, don't let them know I'm sick." I manage to push the words past my limp lips. The headache continues to burn and it's getting harder to talk now.

"Why?" He asks, watching the fires coming closer. They'll be here any second.

"Trust me." It's all I can say, my strength finally washed away. I can't bring myself to tell him the truth.

If by some miracle I can keep this fever secret for long enough, I can finally pass away in secret. I should have died a long time ago. My power has only brought about pain and destruction It's time the death of Sankta Alina becomes no longer a myth. I won't have another chance.

Before Mal can answer, a lanky man bursts through the trees. He stares down at us with an open mouth, showing all of his gleaming teeth in the torch light, before hollering back to the trees. "THEY'RE HERE!"

The rest of the party descend upon us in seconds. It made up of five Grisha men, all wearing Heartrender keftas. The lanky man grabs for my arm and drags me away, breaking Mal's fingers from mine. He directs orders to the others, telling them to bind us. I stay on the ground as my arms are yanked behind my back, my shoulders crying out. The lanky Grisha man binding my hands does it double, leaving my wrists with a burning rings where the rope cuts in.

My body protests as the man pull me up, slapping my back to push me forward. My eyelids droop and my body threatens to collapse. But I stumble through, over the forest ground and through the trees. I stare only at my feet, thinking about putting one foot in front of the other.

The night goes on in painful daze. The men assume I'm just exhausted and continue to force me to my feet after I fall, jeering at me as I trip through. Mal is kept at the back of the procession and I can't bring myself to look back, knowing the sight will be grim from the sounds of hand to skin. They obviously know who he is.

The fever at least warps my perception of time and I'm lost to the fiery pain throughout the whole walk. When the undergrowth thins to a path, I look up. There's a small cloth covered wagon, five horses of pure black glowing in the fire's light standing around it. The lanky man holding his fist in my hair drags me over to the wagon. As I'm pulled away, I manage to catch a glimpse of Mal being tied behind one of the horses.

They're going to force him to walk. I swallow the bitterness of the realization. My thoughts are jarred as the man throws me to the floor of the wagon and climbs in behind me. My body screams as it strikes against the wood.

Suddenly cold shackles press over the ropes, digging them further into my bone. The man backs away and I hear him leave. I close my eyes and breath through the pain as the wagon starts to move.

We will get through this.

Mal told me that in the Darkling's carriage not long ago. It's hard to even think of the words now but I have to believe them.

"We will get through this." I whisper, talking to Mal even though he can't hear me. The wagon hits a bump and the rope rips across my wrists again. I cry out softly and find the shadows of sleep prowling around me.

I fight against them, my head pressed against the floor as my body slumps down in exhaustion.

The night would not be over yet.