For Grisha, for Ravka (a Darkling prequel)

Chapter 5

Aleksander felt better when he unleashed his power.
His shadows blew off the torches, bringing the whole corridor into darkness.
He moved to a corner when he heard some approaching steps.
His narrowed eyes spotted Alyssa, slowing down in front of the dark way. She was wise enough to guess that something was wrong.
Aleksander used his shadows to approach her without being seen. He could scare her, but she wouldn't forgive him, and he didn't want her to be mad at him.
Her tension was palpable in the air.
She moved to the closest torch and raised her hand to grab the handle, to have a weapon to defend herself in case of danger.
Wise. He liked her even more.
Before she could wrap her fingers around the handle, he placed a hand on hers to stop her.
The fear made her jump and she bumped against his chest, but let out only a low sound from her mouth.
Strong self control. Another good virtue.
Aleksander wore Kiril's mask again.
"It's just me" Kiril said softly, finally visible to her.
She relaxed "The torches went off".
"I noticed that. Some strong wind must have crossed this corridor from some opened door or window" he grabbed the handle and moved to fire it from the lit torches around the corner.
"Why are you still up? Insomniac?".
"It's hard to fall asleep, without you next to me" he grinned and touched her hands, to enjoy once more her unusual effect.
She scoffed, but didn't reject his hands "If you were trying to sneak into my room, you failed".
"But I found you. I can drag you into my room" he tried to pull her closer, but she slipped away laughing softly.
"You can't, you fool. Now I'll walk you to your room and you go to sleep as a good boy, agreed?".
He rolled his eyes "I'm tired of fantasizing everything that could be between us. And not being allowed to live it with you".
Her smile vanished from her face and for a moment he feared he overstepped.
"You're being doing well" she said instead "Just don't make things harder. If someone finds out, we won't be allowed to see each other anymore. How bad would it be?".
Kiril nodded lowering his head "Too bad. You're right. I'll be a good boy then".
She leaned towards him for a quick kiss on his cheek "Knowing that you're here is comforting me. This is already so meaningful to me".
"Nobody can keep me away from you, as long as you want me" he promised.
"Good" she said simply and with a mischievous smirk she turned and walked away.

The void opened again when she was gone.
It was still a mystery why she made him feel that way, like she was an angel.
Locking himself in his room,  he laid on his bed, remembering how happy he felt when he finally had kissed her, how the sound of his real name seemed so different from her mouth.
He had helped her to climb on her horse and they rode back to the palace at sunset, the sky mirroring the warmth that he felt in his soul.
Pretending wasn't easy, but they promised to keep it secret and he was struggling to do that, to ignore her when she was around, to avoid crossing her eyes when they were in public.
If only she knew who he really was and his powers, they could kiss whenever they wanted, protected by his shadows. But would she still accept him if she knew he was not just a Grisha, but a Shadow Summoner?

He learned about how Grisha were seen at court on the following morning.
Colonel Hector had a crowd gathered around him in a high square of the city and was pointing at the black wall on the horizon.
He was making a loud speech against Grisha.
"If Grisha are not dangerous, then who created the Fold?".
The Black Heretic, the crowd replied.
"And what was the Black Heretic? A Grisha! He destroyed our country, creating the wall of darkness and monsters. He's the reason if our brothers are dying in this endless war. So if you have some reason, you will denounce every suspect activity of potential Grisha and let the Fjerdan do their job!".
Kiril felt a tug at his sleeve and realized that he was barely containing his fury.
Alyssa's touch healed him. Like a miracle.
"Let's go" she whispered, pulling his sleeve, with a disturbed expression.
At least she disagreed. That comforted Aleksander a bit.
"Grisha created it, so Grisha should destroy it. Instead it's still there, because they want our country to be torn and weak!" Hector kept shouting, but Kiril had turned his back at him and followed the young woman to the back of the palace.