Shadows can heal too

The Second Hunt

After dinner, Bianca whisked away to Aleksander's quarters. She headed to a place only they knew about, Aleksander's secret library. It was filled with ancient books, presenting the real truth, without any propaganda.

"You are a child, Bianca Taylor" the man surrounded in shadows panted

"Compared to your age, I agree"

"This is a library and you're running around between the shelves?"

"Oh come on!"

Even though nobody used it, it brought peace to her. She chuckled at that memory, and remembered lots of others, some were funny, some increased the pit in her heart, and some were, according to heart and shadow, "recreating" the not so innocent scenes she read in her countless Fjerdan romance Novels.

'I wish men in books were real'

'They are the only definition of gentlemen' heart piped

'Real people should take notes' shadow yawned

'Shadow when are you not sleepy?'

'When Bianca is reading Fjerdan romance books about some weirdass hot rich man falling for his badass childhood best friend who is now his enemy and any form of plot that involves romance or dirty stuff

She was now slouching on the shelves, a book in her hands, like she always would do with Aleksander. Sometimes they both would fall asleep there, sometimes he would drop his head on her lap, and sometimes she'd pass out there as well. Memories are flowing in her head, and a voice joined them as well. Bianca didn't realize that her eyes were closed now, wrapped in Aleksander's cloak.

"You're doing so well my night sky" a velvet voice praised in Bianca's head. "So well, I'm proud of you sweetheart"

'Aleksander? Is that you?'

"I'm here, I never left, I will help you with everything I can"

'Stay,' she urged in her head, 'please Aleks, don't leave me alone'

"I'm here darling. You're a corpsewitch, you can still communicate with me"

'I miss you'

"I miss you more than you imagine love, we will meet again"

'Are you in a good place? Are you okay?'

"I'm alright, my love" he replied, appearing from the bubble of shadows she was trapped in, snaking his arms around her

'Where are you now? Are you in the fold?'

"No love, I'm not in Ravka, I'm in beautiful place, away from this world. I can see you're getting comfortable in the library"

'How do you know?'

"You think I don't know you after all this time sweetheart? This is certainly not the last time you're falling asleep in the library"

'It's too comfortable'

"More than my arms?" he raised an eyebrow

"Nope, but don't get too cocky, or I might rethink that' she replied

"Prove it then" he chuckled, and immediately stumbled backwards from the weight pushed onto him. Bianca jumped into his arms without a warning, tackling him to the floor.

"That was a new thing you did back there" he remarked

"I didn't like grisha separating because they think one is less than the other. They each have their uses, plus everyone could mix up now"