Dark of the Tide [Shadow and Bones]

Chapter 3

I glanced at Alina and she nodded, so I smiled at turned back to Aleksander.

    "I'd be delighted." I put my hand in his and he led me out to the ballroom, twirling me around and putting a hand on my waist as I put mine around his shoulder. A waltz playing and we danced around in a slow circle, with him twirling me on occasion.

    "You look gorgeous." He murmured, his forehead resting against mine as we swayed to the music.

    "And you look as handsome as always." I replied softly so only he could hear.

He pulled me closer to him, the scent of fire and pine engulfing me. "Arabella,"

"Mmh?"

"I love you. I don't care who hears, because it's true. I love you with everything I am." He said softly.

"Then let's stop hiding it." I said

    He looked at me with a quirked eyebrow.

    "I'm tired of hiding in the shadows. Let's bring it to the light." I said, bringing my lips to his as shocked gasps came from the crowd.

    "I love you, Arabella."

"I love you, Aleksander." I said, my hands gliding up his chest as he wrapped his arms around my waist, kissing me back.

———

"What kind of disgraceful act was that?! I cannot begin to fathom what possessed you to do this!" The Queen shouted at me angrily.

    I just looked down and let her throw insult after insult at me.

    "I forbid you to see him again! If I catch you with him, I will not hesitate to strip you of your position and powers!" The Queen said. The King just looked at me silently, a stony expression etched onto his face.

    I closed my eyes. "Moya tsaritsa, with all due respect, you cannot keep us from each other. I know that."

    "You know nothing. You are but a child, incapable of loving another." The Queen hissed.

    "I know how to love, moya tsaritsa." I said.

    The King barked with laughter, startling me. "You are dismissed."

    I walked out of the throne room and ran into Genya in the halls. "Sorry, Genya."

    She moved in front of me and took my face in her hands, getting a better look at my slightly puffy eyes.

    "Is this about what happened at the ball?" She asked.

    "Yeah . . . the King and Queen didn't take well to it." I nodded.

    "I figured as much. Come." She led me to the end of the hall and knocked on the door.

    Aleksander answered and he immediately saw my slightly puffy eyes, sweeping me into a hug. Genya smiled and walked away.

    "What have they done to make you like this, lapushka?" He muttered softly.

"The usual. But add 'threats' to the list." I said.

He looked at me, pulling me into his office and shut the door securely behind us, blocking all the cameras out.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"The Queen threatened to strip me of my powers and position if I were to be caught with you again." I said.

"Saints. I didn't know she could do that. That either of them could do that." He said, pulling me into a hug and kissing the top of my head.

"So, I guess this is . . . goodbye?" I looked at him.

"No. No, I won't allow this. I'm not letting you out of my life." He said, "We'll find ways to see each other."

"We can't go anywhere without the cameras watching, Aleksander." I said.

"We'll meet by the fountain and woods. I'm not opposed to secret meetings." He said, brushing his thumb across my cheek and pulling me in for a passionate kiss.

    I grabbed at the front of his kefta and pulled myself against him, knocking into the side of a chair and falling forward as he caught me in his arms.

I looked at him for a second before I snickered and it turned into a laugh, having him join me seconds later.

"Who put that chair there?" Aleksander laughed.

"I think you did." I giggled, leaning my forehead against his chest.

"Want to try again?" He asked as he calmed down from laughing so much.

"Not here,"

"Definitely not." He picked me up and set me on the table before his lips found mine. "See? No distractions."

"This is a very big distraction, Alek." I said between kisses, my hands going into his hair.

A knock came from the door and we looked at each other before letting out small laughs.

"Go into my rooms." He whispered, letting me slide off the table.

"Already? I am appalled." I said with a little smile.

"Can't be too cautious, darling." He said, kissing me once more before going to the door to his office, looking back at me and nodding.

I went into his rooms and left the door open a crack, looking around and smiling a little. At least he had good color schemes. Unlike most of the other guys I've met. I thought, sitting on his bed and reaching for a thick brown leather book, a red bookmark marking the place he left off.

I opened to that page and saw the entry: Secondary Powers in Grisha. I settled back against the headboard and read about the history, and why it died off as the years went on.

The Grisha could have up to three powers, if lucky. Most only obtained two. One from the father, and the other from the mother, and one developed by the child. When the Shadow Fold was created, the children of the Grisha would try to tear down the fold, having all new abilities that were never recorded in any book besides this.

There was one section about a Healer and Tidemaker's combined powers. If learned, the possessed of the powers could bring death, vaporization, and even resurrection, if taught by a skilled Grisha or the possessor trained for years to acquire that amount of skill.

"I should have expected to come in here and see you with a book in your hands. So why am I so surprised?" Aleksander came into his rooms and sat next to me, looking over my shoulder to see what I was reading. "Healing and Tidemaking powers. I haven't gotten that far. What did you find out?"

"That we can vaporize and kill people." I replied, hesitating for a second. "And resurrect them."

He looked at me. "You can bring people back to life?"

"If trained properly. It takes years. And it says it is a very dangerous thing to do." I said, showing him the passage on the risks. "You could potentially risk losing your own life in trying to bring the person back to life, and you could end up pushing a random spirit into the person's body."

"It also says that you could lose your memories, as could the person being resurrected." Aleksander pointed just a line below.

"Yeah. There's that." I nodded, closing the book and setting it back on the stand and got up.

    "Why don't you keep it?"

    "Because it's yours. Isn't it?" I looked at him.

    "It is. But you have more need of it than I do. If I need it at a point, I'll find you, okay?" He got up and picked up the book, handing it to me.

    I smiled and took it from him. "Thanks,"

    He nodded and kissed my forehead. "Happy reading, Ara."

Hope you liked this chapter!