Once Upon A Lie

Thirty-eight:

Thirty-eight:

When she stormed off from her father's office, she had no idea where to go. If she went to Aleksander's, there was no way that the Morozova's wouldn't make her go home. Nikolai was out of the question. And Mal...she wasn't sure if her parents would be bothered enough to contact him, but Mal was kind enough he would tell her to try to work things out with her parents. That was the last thing she wanted.

Instead, she called Wylan.

"Alina?" Wylan said. "Everything okay? Nik and Aleks said you disappeared after school because...."

"Because my parents are selling me off to the highest bidder," she said, "Wylan, do you have any idea of a place that I could stay? I can't go back home. If I go the Morozova's, their solution will just be for me to marry Aleksander again."

"Where are you?" Wylan asked.

"I was at The Fold, but I'm now at The Dregs Café in Little Ravka. I didn't know where else I could go. And please, don't tell Aleksander. He'll try to convince me to go home with him, and I'll listen."

Wylan was quiet for a moment, and she thought that maybe he had hung up on her. But finally, she heard him sigh. "I've got somewhere that you can stay. But you've got to promise you can't tell my family. No one knows about it."

"Wylan, I'm familiar with your father. I would never tell him anything."

"I know," he said, "but you can never be too careful. Stay at the café, and I'll come get you."

"Thanks, Wy."

"Any time, Lina."

The call ended, and Alina took a sip of the coffee that she'd gotten. She normally didn't carry cash on her, just the credit and debit cards that her parents gave her. But her grandmother had given her some money the last time she'd visited, so she'd used that to get a drink. She didn't want to risk using her cards because they would track her using them. That was, if they weren't shut off yet.

As Alina waited, she saw a black SUV on the other side of the street. The window was rolled down, and there was a man taking pictures of her. She'd had her pictures taken at events, but she wasn't exactly famous so it wasn't like there were photographers following her all of the time.

Could it be from her father? It wouldn't be the first time that he had hired a private detective to follow someone. Or maybe the Morozovas? The Lantsovs?

Alina didn't know, but she didn't like the idea of the man sitting out there watching her. She knew Wylan had wanted her to stay in the café but she got up and she left. As she walked away, she heard a deep voice say, "And where do you think you're going, Miss Starkov?"

Alina turned, and she saw a man behind her. He was tall, with jet black hair, brown eyes, and sharp cheekbones. "Who are you?" she asked.

"I'm a security guard for Petyr Lantsov. I was hired to follow you since you are his son's fiancé."

She stepped backward. "I don't need anyone to watch me. I'm perfectly fine. And I've given up my family's inheritance. I'm not marrying Nikolai."

"With all due respect, Miss Starkov, a contract has been signed. I was told by my employer that if you were to resist, I was to take you by force, if necessary."

"Right...right.... well that's...." she did the only thing that she could do, and she turned to run. She heard Fedyor swear, and he gave chase after her. The saddle shoes that she had on were not the most comfortable things to run in, and it was the beginning of winter. There was a light frost on the ground, light enough that she was slipping slightly.

"Alina!" Fedyor was calling from behind. "Alina, come back!"

"No!" she shouted. "No! I am done. I'm done having people control my life. That includes Lantsovs, Morozovas, and Starkovs. And that includes you."

"You are being foolish girl!" Fedyor shouted. "Do you know the kind of powerful men that are in your world? Men that could ruin your life if you don't do exactly what they want? Come with me, Alina, and do the reasonable thing for everyone."

Alina kept on running. She turned down a street, and didn't stop until she had reached The Starless Saint Cathedral. It was a big, imposing thing in the center of Ravka. Black, with many towers, and three, black bells that rang every hour on the hour. She ran up the steps, and pushed her way inside.

As she was running, she bumped into something hard.

"Well," said a familiar voice, "isn't this a surprise. Ravka's favorite daughter in my church on a day other than Sunday. What brings you here----"

"Alina Starkov!" Fedyor had followed her into the church. He bellowed so loud that the few parishioners that were in there looked up at him. "Alina Starkov, you do not know the wrath that you will have brought upon you."

The man that had spoken was The Apparat. The head of the church. "And who are you, good sir?"

"I'm Fedyor Kamisky. I work for Petyr Lantsov. She's in an arranged marriage with his son, Nikolai. I was told to bring her back at any cost."

Alina looked at The Apparat. "I didn't consent to the marriage. It was made for me. Before that my parents had me engaged to Aleksander Morozova, and I have been..."

The Apparat looked down at her. "You've been...intimate with your intended, Miss Starkov?"

She nodded, blushing fiercely.

The Apparat looked up at Fedyor. "Then, in the eyes of the Saints, this girl is already wed to Aleksander Morozova. I don't care who it is that you represent. She is under the protection of the church, and if you do not leave, I will have my guards forcibly remove you from the premises."

Fedyor laughed. "You don't have guards-----"

The Apparat looked towards the shadows of the church, and there were men in black cloaks that stepped out with daggers glinting from their hands.

Fedyor paled considerably. "I'm certain her parents will come for the girl, and the matter will be settled."

"Alina Starkov has laid with the Morozova boy. He is her husband. Only her husband will be able to remove her from this church. Until then, she has the protection of this cathedral."

She stiffened at his words. She wasn't sure she felt comfortable at him believing having sex with Aleksander meant that she was his. But if it got Fedyor to go away, she would take whatever protection she could get.

Fedyor glared at her. "You might have escaped for the time being, Miss Starkov, but you will submit eventually." He turned on his heel, and then he left.

When he was gone, Alina felt her knees give out. She hit the hard, stone-ground, and let out a sharp cry. One that didn't stop.