Sun Queen

♛ Fifty ♛

It's no shock when I wake to ropes round my wrists, pushing them up against the bars of the cage I'm now sitting in. The Darkling was careful with his knots, securing my body to the cage rather than to myself.

How did this all change in one night? I was supposed to bring him triumphantly back to the Second Army. Now I have no idea where I'm going or what the Darkling's intentions are.

It doesn't even faze me at this point how I always manage tied up and at his mercy. Perhaps the world just likes to play this cruel joke with me.

We're still on the same road as far as I can tell, but the place where last night's events took place was gone when I woke up. The Darkling hasn't spoken at all, but I do notice his carefully hidden gray-eyed glances my direction, emotions too stifled to read.

I rest my head against the cage wall and crane it to the sky. I move my mouth, swallowing away the dryness before I take the breath to speak. "And here I thought we were done with the whole ropes and tying up thing."

It's an awful joke and my voice sounds sucked of emotion, but the Darkling's blood colored lips do twinge in a laugh.

"Oh I'll never grow tired of it with you Alina."

I blink boredly, "So, where to then? I assume you have some master plan?"

"Careful with that tongue, I might have to gag you." But he's only teasing.

The Darkling starts to explain, his voice a little prideful at his plan. "I've gotten a tip on some information with someone in a village down this road. After I check it out, you and I will go back to the Little Palace to gather the rest of my nichevo'ya and finish of the rebels of the Second Army."

Grand plans, I glare. I think for a moment. "Wait-what kind of information?"

He almost looks like he won't tell, then the Darkling leans his head over to me. "On who saved me out on the Fold. After you killed me."

"Damn, you're still mad about that?" I mutter.

"Are you still mad about the collar?" The Darkling shoots back.

I dead pan back. "I killed you once and now I've held you captive once. You've held me captive countless times, threatened my loved ones, physically hurt me, and tormented me. Not the same thing."

The Darkling snorts, "You barely held me captive, it doesn't count."

I grin from under my rows of dark lashes, batting them. "The burn down your leg says otherwise."

"Oh don't worry, I'll be sure to punish you for that." He coos.

I take a breath and check my ropes boreldy. "How'd you get out of these anyways?"

The Darkling pauses too quietly and the shadows dance wildly for a moment, like puppets being jerked up. "When I heard you scream....... I don't know what can over me."

It's like he's wrapped me in a freezing cloak of awkwardness and dread.

"I never want to hear you scream like that again Alina." His words are choked. "Never."

I flick my eyes down and a blush creeps up my neck. We both stay silent for the rest of the ride. Luckily for the Darkling, it doesn't take long to reach the village.

It's much larger than the other village, yet deadly quiet. Children play soundlessly in the street, hunger and war muzzling their sounds of joy. Dirt covers everything with a dry, dusty color. Men are grizzled, women have strict, hard features. It's as if you can see the war in their bodies like a disease.