The Return (Darklina Fanfic)

Chapter 26. Decisions

Everyone stared at the Darkling who was smirking. I stood up, fuming with anger not able to speak.
Nikolai, for the first time ever, was speechless. He had no witty comeback for this.

"The Heartrender." Kaz broke the silence. "Ivan, is it? He is the ace up your sleeve. That is why he fled." The Darkling gave a single nod.
It all made sense. This was the Darkling's plan all along. Zoya was the weak link now. Although she would have hated it to admit that.

"You would dare hurt an innocent child?" My voice trembled as I spoke.
The Darkling shrugged.

"I won't have to if you surrender. I would imagine Ivan won't be gentle with Zoya at least. He really doesn't like traitors much." He looked at Nikolai, who stared back.

"Where are they?" Nikolai spoke softly. I didn't like the way he spoke at all. It sounded like defeat.

"Kneel, pledge your fealty to me, and I will take you to them." The Darkling answered. "I will then use Merzost to bind that pledge. This will guarantee your loyalty. If you defy me, you'll die." The Darkling's eyes trailed from Nikolai to the others. "This will be the fate of you all." Lastly his eyes landed on me. "No one has to die. They just have to obey."

"And how do we know you won't kill any of us!?" Mal spoke loudly, defiantly. "We're just supposed to trust you on your word?" He folded his arms in front of his chest and scoffed.

"Well usually, tracker..." The Darkling raised an eyebrow in faked surprise. "The one with the leverage doesn't really care if you trust him or not. He can make demands, where as you all... Well, you are the ones with something to lose. Or rather, someone..." The Darkling's eyes looked upon Nikolai's once more.
Mal was speechless. Everyone was. I was the one to break the silence.

"Stop." I told the Darkling. Who looked at me, cocking his head. "It's me you want. Let everyone else go."

The Darkling started to laugh humorlessly. "This feels like a déjà vu." He eventually says amused. "Only this time, my Alina, I won't bargain anymore." He walks towards me. I look up and meet his cool quartz eyes. "This time, I will give ultimatums."
He stared at me for a few seconds. I didn't respond but looked at him angrily.
"Now, I have left Ivan with instructions to wait until sunset. If I'm  not at our arranged meeting place by then, he will kill Zoya and the child. This leaves you with an hour to decide their fates. Tick, tock." With that, the Darkling sat in his chair with a wide grin.

This move was one no one could've foreseen. We all thought Zoya and the baby would be OUT of harms way, by keeping them clear of the Palace for the time being. Now it was them who the Darkling had targeted.

"Perhaps it is just a bluff." Nadia offered, glancing at the Darkling and then quickly looked away at the rest of us.

The Darkling chuckled. "I never bluff. You should know that by know, my dear Nadia."

"You did when you told Alina the children hiding out in Keramzin would be harmed if she did not meet you, back when the Fold was destroyed." Piped in Nina, who had been one of those children. "Yet you just sent us to the Little Palace and kept us under guard."

"Yes, you were Grisha. I do not hurt Grisha. Zoya, however is a traitor and the child could be an otkazat'sya like its father for all I know." The Darkling shrugged nonchalantly.

"I think the best course of action would be to try and find them." Tolya said. Tamar nodded at this.

"They can't be far." She added.

"But we don't know where they are." Nikolai said and he sighed, his eyes closed. "I have made my decision. Now you must make yours. Stay or flee."

"Yes. You all have a choice now." The Darkling spoke. "But should you choose to flee, know you'll have to flee far and keep fleeing. Nowhere will be safe from me." His threat was clear and a few shifted uncomfortably in their seats.