Taking power

Part 4 - clearing

When Alina woke the first thing she noticed was the light. Strong, beautiful, brilliant light. Everywhere. It was familiar and filled her core with happiness. 

Only after she noticed the shackles on her hands and around her ankles. She felt a rough cotton gag drying her throat, restricting her breaths. She was bound in a clearing, surrounded by thick green topped trees. A single stump anchored her hands to the floor.

 Panic filled her heart quickly and ferociously as she remembered the days occurrences; the skiff, the Shu, the girl and then finally, the Darkling. Had it only been twenty-four hours since she had gone into the fold with her friends to defeat the darkness a final time? To Alina, now utterly alone, it felt like an age had passed. 

But by now Alina had had enough of being confused, she was the sun summoner after all. Wasn't she? She called the light to her as she had done countless times before. This time it felt different though. She felt the shadows cast by her light, saw the light disappear from where she called it. It was easier than it had ever been before but this time she felt the wrongness in it. With every strand of light she summoned she felt a small bit of heart slip way as if the light was no longer hers to call but something she now took. She tried not to think of how easy it had been to summon the shadows. 

She had barely blinked and her restraints were gone, melted in the beam. Then she was running, across the clearing, through the sparse trees and then into the thicker, darker growth beyond. Something like relief filled her as the tree's shadows clung to her body. 

Why did it feel so familiar? Alina could taste the freedom, she could practically see the safety of her friends arms. They would understand, she felt sure of it.

She was one hundred meters into the forest when he caught up with her.

'Where are you going Alina?' He was sneering, his eyes cold.

Alina stopped dead in her tracks, turning to see the face that she had hoped was not real.

'Away from you. Whatever you are. You died'

'Did I?' He took a step towards Alina. 'Don't you remember?'

'No. And I don't care' She quickly returned. She knew she sounded no better than a petulant child but she couldn't trust him or herself to be in his presence when she felt so vulnerable.

'But you would trust that collection of nobodies you call friends. Do you really think that they would welcome you back? After what you did? What you have become? We both know you won't be able to hide the shadows from them.'

Alina had faulted but the darkling could see it wasnt enough. She would keep running from him, from the truth. So he stepped closer, closing the gap between them in three strides.

The darkling leaned down, his lips brushing Alina's ear. 'The tracker's body is just bones by now, a feast for the Volcra. And for what?' He was so close that Alina could smell him, feel his hot breath.

His words shook Alina to her very core. How dare he speak of Mal. He couldn't know. Could he? The words still stung. But she hadn't hurt Mal. He had given himself to her, to the world, so that they could all be safe. It just hadn't been enough. And who was she now she wasn't his? Now the shadows called to her just as much as the light? She had no idea.All she knew is that she had to find her way back to her Genya and the others. If anyone could understand it was her. 

Alina, aware of the darkling's gaze fixed upon her, looked up. She stepped closer.

'I have already killed you once Alexander.' she said and for a second she could have sworn his eyes glazed over. 'You ask where my friends are but where are yours? You couldn't hold me. I won'