{BOOK 1/3 of The Triumvariate Trilogy}
Adaline was living a normal life moving from military camp to camp as she tried to help anyone in need. Everyone needed her medical advice for she was the best doctor in the country.
But when the Grisha of Rav...
Adaline spent the next morning saying goodbye to Freya, Carolyn and Irina. All of them became quite emotional but that was expected....and unexpected. Her plan about her vision was higher than any friendship that she could make, and she had to have a rock heart to get through that night.
They had a girls day where they talked about everything that they had been wanting to talk about. They grew closer in those few hours than they had done in the past few months.
They refused to actually say the words 'goodbye' because that would mean that they won't ever meet again. "Why do you think that?" Freya asked Carolyn.
"I agree with her." Irina said. "It's why I never use that word."
"Yeah okay, let's not say goodbye." They ended up hugging each other and silently crying to themselves about the big change.
Every time Adaline saw Stefan that day, both of them avoided the other. They didn't meet each other's eyes and did not talk. They had said their goodbyes and Adaline had informed him that she would be leaving as soon as the ball got over.
When Freya asked why she was staying till then, Adaline told her that word had gotten out about her existence. People were expecting to see her and she didn't want to disappoint the King and the Queen after everything that they had done for her.
"They've given me an out. I cannot let them down after everything that they have done for me. It wouldn't be fair."
Freya smiled softly. "You hated all this in the beginning."
Adaline laughed with the three of them for the last time. "I guess I needed three great Grisha to get me through this. I really put you all through a lot of trouble, didn't I?"
"You are worth it." Carolyn toasted her by raising her glass.
That was the day Adaline realised that she truly was more loved than she could have imagined to be.
Once the sun fell below the horizon, the ball was complete and ready. The Darkling was walking down the corridor of the Little Palace when he felt someone grab his arms and pin him against the wall with great force. He heard a nectar voice next to his ear. "Hiya."
The corner of his mouth twitched. "Adaline." She was strong. She was Sophie.
She made him turn around and face her. The second he saw her, his eyes melted and revealed his true emotions. Adaline was wearing a black dress with golden embroidery to match the Darkling's kefta. "So. Here we are."
"Here we are indeed." He was in full awe of her. She looked like his personal guardian that he was meant to love for the rest of his life.
She squinted her eyes at him. "The Annual Ball. What do you say? A walking trip down memory lane?" She cocked her head to one side.
The Darkling was impressed. "How the tables have turned." He nodded. "What do you want?" He snarled.
"Oh, you know exactly what I want. Aleksander." The rage was back in his eyes, but so was sorrow and most importantly, regret.
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She couldn't resist calling him by his real name.
It was about time that they came face to face with each other.
By the time he blinked, she was gone. He pulled his kefta closer to him and made his way to the Grand Palace. They were going to have a long night with each other's presence.
The guests had gathered in the Throne Hall of the Grand Palace and were curious about the stage that was set up in the middle of the room. Everyone was cheering when the Darkling entered the room. He was confused about what was happening but he saw Adaline making her way towards him.
She put her hand forward, making him curious about her intentions. "Come on. Take it."
The Darkling did what she wanted. He gave her his hand and let her lead him to the stage. "So this is your plan." They faced each other. "You want to show them our power."
"Oh, this is nothing related to what I'm planning." She had a smile on her face the entire time. She was taunting him. "But this is my way of disappointing you in ways you cannot even imagine."
He extended his arm out. "You wanna play, do you?" She put her hand in his. "Let's play."
There was a ball of darkness that surrounded them as thundering sounds surrounded the entire castle. Both of them were two proud to look away but their powers started to act with each other.
"We can't let go." Their energy sphere of facade would break if they did.
That was exactly what she had wanted him to say. "Well, too bad."
She let the fire in her take control of her. She opened her eyes and the Darkling saw the flames forming in her eyes. "Adaline-"
It was time.
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The flames left her body and formed a phoenix that everyone saw. She was the fierce bird in that moment. The phoenix worked its way around the room and they were lucky that nothing was burnt down. They were barely singed.
But the Darkling's darkness was destroyed.
The room burst into applause when the Darkling and Adaline fell to one knee. They broke hands and were gaining back their consciousness from the demonstration. The crowd had truly seen who was the most powerful.
The Darkling stood up and saw that Adaline was nowhere to be found. He circled the room in search of her but found her melting into the shadows right in front of his eyes at the end of the room near the pillars. She had a sly smile on her face and he knew what that meant.
It was a really impressive trick but that was all that it was - a trick. Adaline may be the Morana, but he was the Black Heretic. "Searching for me?" He heard the voice next to him.
The Darkling flinched. For the first time, someone had gotten the best of him and had given him the shock of the unexpected. He saw the determination in her eyes. There was only one explanation for it. "We could be together, Adaline. We don't have to let history repeat itself."
She nodded. "Sure. We could." She moved closer to them such that they were eye to eye, closer than anyone would have dared to be close to him, or her, for that matter.
The Darkling was stuck in his place. He was completely consumed by her fierceness. "Adaline...."
She looked back and forth between his eyes. "We will be ending this tomorrow." She moved towards his ear as if she were going to kiss his cheek. "Meet me where this all started, Aleksander."
The Darkling blinked once and Adaline had seemed to disappear once again. He looked around and found no trace of her ever having been there. He was to meet her where it all started. The place where he made his decision over the future that they had planned.
The Shadow Fold.
********* Tomorrow....we end this And I'm not ready
