When We Were Young

Eighty-three:

Eighty-three:

"Just what are we doing here exactly?" Mal asked as the two of them made their way to the building.

"I know what Vasily was referring to. My grandfather gave me the maps that my parents were working on. I need to find someone from Ravka to give the maps to, that will keep them safe."

"What about using them as a bargaining chip to get your freedom from the Fjerdians?" Mal said. "If that is what the prince wants, you give it to him and you get your freedom."

"If it were that easy, my grandfather could have just handed them over and ended this whole thing for me. But he didn't. He sent them to me, directly. I don't think he wants anyone to have them."

"Then, why not just destroy them?" Mal said.

Alina hesitated. "They were something my mother and father worked on together. I don't have anything of them Mal, except for that necklace that was given to me."

"Well, that's sweet," a voice said from behind them, "how sentimental. You know I don't think your parents would care, truly. Particularly your mother. She was a Princess of Fjerda after all. She would want what is best for her country, your country, Alina."

Alina froze. She turned, and saw a blond-haired, blue-eyed woman that she recognized as Tatiana Lantsov. Her aunt. "I've never been to Fjerda," Alina told her, "I was born here, in Ravka. I've lived in Ravka my whole life, and Ravka is my home. I appreciate the legacies of both my parents. But I know nothing of Fjerda and I've never stepped foot into the Shu Han. The only allegiance I have is to my friends."

"Like the boy that worked for Fjerda to spy on you?" Tatiana said. "Both of them? Including the one that is the father of your child?"

Alina glanced from Mal back to her aunt. "I already know everything, Tatiana. There's nothing that you could say that could surprise me."

"Isn't there?" Tatiana said. "What if I told you that I knew who was trying to have you ruined? Would you give the maps to me then?"

Alina shook her head. "I will never give anything to you, ever."

"You don't know what you're doing." Tatiana pulled something out from within the folds of her jacket, and Alina realized that it was a gun.

Mal jumped in front of her and pulled one out from his own pocket. "Don't even think about it!" Mal shouted.

"Mal!" Alina gasped. "A gun? When did you get a gun?"

"I've had one since I first started working for Baghra," he replied, "when I realized how twisted your family was."

"Alina!" a voice shouted.

She turned at the sound of it and saw that it was Aleksander, coming out of the apartment building with what she could only assume were the maps in boxes. "Aleks!" she glared. "What are you doing?"

"The necklace was a lie," he said, "someone else gave it to you, and that someone is working to ruin you. They want to make sure that an alliance doesn't happen with Fjerda. I was coming to come get you."

"You weren't going to give them to Tatiana?" Alina asked.

Tatiana laughed. "The boy is too much of a fool to be duplicitous," she said, "if that were the case, he would have kidnapped you the first night you arrived at college like he was supposed to and brought you to us. That was what the plan originally was, and then we were to give you to the prince. And your grandfather would have handed over the maps then. But he had to go and develop feelings for you."

Alina blinked. "What...what is she talking about?"

Aleksander groaned. "Don't listen to her, she's talking nonsense."

"CAN WE FOCUS ON THE GUN WAVING?" Mal said. "There are more important things at hand here, like running the fuck away."

"If you run, I'll shoot you, Mr. Oretsev." This came from another person that had joined the party, and Alina realized for the first time that Tamar was there with a gun pointed at Mal. "You have no idea the power contained in those maps, Miss Starkov. Give them over and you can live your pretty, simple little life."

Alina looked at Aleksander. "Aleks," she whispered, "what do I do?"

Aleksander looked from the maps to her. He took out something she didn't even know he kept on his person, a lighter. He pulled the maps out of the box in his hand and before she knew what was happening, he lit the maps on fire. Then he tossed her his car keys, and absolute, utter chaos broke out.

There was smoke. Flames. Shouting. The sound of guns. She found herself being dragged away by Mal, with no idea if Aleksander was even dead or alive. Only she knew he'd been shot because her face had been sprayed with his blood again. She was pulled away, and then she found herself in the drivers seat. "GO ALINA! FUCKING GO!" Mal shouted and so she did.