Darkness Unfold (#3)

Chapter 9: The Light Through the Shadow

Enough was enough.

The Darkling was tired of spending time in his chambers surrounded by the papers that he had stared at countless number of times over the centuries. He had every single word and every diagram memorised. It would surprise him if he had missed anything.

Running his fingers through his hair, he stepped out of his desk and walked out into the war room. He took a glance at the table with the map of Ravka open on it. He couldn't spend more time staring at it than he already did.

Letting out a sigh, he walked out of his room and into the dining room. He walked up the stairs and looked at the paintings of all the royals. Starting from King Alexander III, he looked at every King and Queen that had taken the throne.

He stopped in his steps when he looked at the one with Stefan. The Darkling crossed his arms across his chest. Stefan Lantsov was the only King that he had served who had been fair towards the Grisha despite what had happened between them and Adaline.

Stefan had been the good guy that Aleksander wasn't. 

He was the right choice.

Sometimes the Darkling wondered what would have happened if Adaline hadn't left. She could have married Stefan and both of them would have been happy with each other. At least she wouldn't be buried under the ground at that moment. 

But it wouldn't have worked out. Adaline would have lived longer than Stefan and both of them would have known that things couldn't have worked out. Unless she would have stopped using her powers, and knowing her, she would do anything for her loved ones. She would have done anything for her loved ones.

The Darkling continued walking up the stairs and took a sharp right into the upper library. He wanted to look at some theory books for once and maybe he could read fiction stories for a change.

There was a clutter of books accompanied by a voice. "Who's there?"

The Darkling stopped walking for a second. Of course it was her. "It's me." He said, walking behind a bookshelf into the reading area.

Alina stumbled over the stack of books that were piled up in front of her. "Oh." She went and caught the stack before they fell down.

The Darkling smiled. "Couldn't sleep?" He asked, walking towards her.

Both of them were wearing their night robes, but hers were a nice silver colour. He couldn't help but connect it to their yin-and-yang situation. They were opposites but he wasn't her mortal enemy like he had been hers.

Alina shook her head and closed the book that she was reading. "I wanted to get out for some time," She said, hugging herself. "And get some reading done." She scoffed at the number of books.

"May I join you?" She seemed surprised at that but nodded. He sat down in the seat next to her and looked at the book that she was reading. It was about the Ravkan Fairytales and he wondered if he should be worried.

What if she found out about Adaline?

"Anything interesting?" He tried instead.

She looked at the book and shrugged. "I don't know. These kept me company back in Keramzin. I just...." She sighed.

"You just wanted to feel at home."

She looked at him in disbelief. She hadn't expected him to understand and she forced herself to look away. The sleep was getting to her for sure.

"I know what it's like." He said. "To want someplace where you feel like you belong. It could be someone as well." He had only one person in his mind and she was all the home that he needed. "Loneliness is a sickly feeling. Being a Summoner makes it worse."

"I...."

"To have spent all these years alone is a great burden, Alina." He let himself get carried away for that one moment. But deep down, he knew that he was trying to get her to trust him. He was manipulating her into believing his lies, because that's all they were.

Alina touched his rested hand on the table and a bubble of light surrounded them, lightening up the room. The Darkling looked at her and he saw her for a quick second. Alina had tried to comfort him.

"You are not alone." She whispered.

The Darkling turned to her fully and cupped his right hand on her face. He pulled her closer and moved closer as well. He looked her back and forth between her eyes. They were alone at that moment and they were with each other.

Alina didn't hesitate when her eyes went to his lips just for a second. Adaline wouldn't have. She would have slapped him if he had tried this with her. He hadn't manipulated her but he had enough practice over the time to perfect his lies.

"I've been waiting a long time for you, Alina."

Alina's heart was beating out of her chest. She was very well aware that she was wearing her night clothes. She felt the pull in her powers because of the Darkling's hand at the nape of her neck.

The library was her home because it was the one place she could connect to Keramzin. She and Mal would stay awake for hours after bedtime if it meant getting to study more for the tests that Ana Kuya would deliberately make hard.

But the Darkling had invaded her privacy that night. She would have felt the same way if anyone else had entered at that time, but it being him, she knew that nothing could happen. "I....should go."

She took a few of the books in her hand and headed directly towards the double doors that would lead her closer to her room. She didn't look back, not once. Only after seeing her trail off around the corner did the Darkling realise just how much he had to deal with.

This was only the beginning.

The Darkling went back into his room. His head had been clear. He had an idea about what he had to do to get positive remarks from the trackers about finding the stag.

He wrote a letter to Alina's tracker friend's regiment.

He was going to need the otkazat'sya's help.

******
This is my favourite chapter.
I said what I said!
When I saw the library in the show, I was SO expecting for this to be the context for the face cupping scene. But hey! At least I got to write it and I love it 😭