~☀️Sun and Shadow🌒~

Chapter 4: Plan

The unfamiliar setting had me on edge.

My circle of light was replaced by a cave of grey rock. At the mouth of the cave was a wide opening, providing a bland view of the endless sand and stone below. I was on a monolith mountain, in the middle of a foreign cave. Where am I? Where's Zoya? I could've sworn I heard her voice. Panicked, I looked around for a sign of her.

"Zoya, where are you?" I called out, gently creeping past the cool walls of the eerie cave.

Over here, the familiar voice said in my head. Slowly and steady, I made my way to the center of the cave, climbing up the bulky stairs to flat plateau. Sunlight protrude from a narrow hole from the ceiling above, igniting the treasure beneath.

My heart almost had a seizure at the sight before me.

A freaking dragon laid in a pile of sparkling gold and jewels. It's sharp ebony scales was worn like a protective armor, claws of a knife, and a tail that would make a scorpion seem like pet. Weighing my chances of survival, I decided I'm dead meat. It's crystal blue eyes laid on me, I swallowed hard, taking a step back from the deadly beast.

The dragon rolled it's eyes. Calm down Alina, it's me, the same voice boomed in my head.

Wait, was the dragon talking to me...through my mind?

"Zoya," I asked, inching closer, "is that you?"

The Dragon shifted his body, letting out a yawn as it started...morphing.

The razor-sharp scales melted into light brown skin. Hair as black as night sprouted from it's beautiful scalp. Blue lightning the same shade as her eyes cackled as the Dragon transformed. A few seconds later, standing ahead of me was not a wild beast. But my narcissistic friend.

Zoya stared at me up and down, taking in every detail.

"We don't have much time, the Darkling would notice you're gone," she says, hurrying over to her pile of treasure, plucking up a gold tourmaline ring.

"What do you mean, what's going on? Where am I? Where are we? How did the Darkling-"

Zoya swat away everyone one of my question, focusing on looking for a suitable place on me to hide the ring.

"Where's Nikolai?"

Her delicate fingers twitched at my last question, the ring fell with a single thud. Without meeting my gaze she hastily picked it up and shoved it into my hands, she turned around to composed herself. When she turned around again, her eyelashes were clumped together by tears.

"He's busy," her voice trembled, "Now lets face what we have before us. The Darkling took over the throne while we were...occupied. He wouldn't execute those who swear loyalty to him, lucky for us, I have a trustworthy grisha, governor's daughter and guard trained for these condition that you'll be able to contact: Marisha, Luda and Isaak. They have full knowledge of the underground pathways and will assist you to free the others without arousing suspicion."

So she had a plan figured out already. I hesitated, weighing my choices. If the Darkling caught, I might still have a stand after getting my summoning back. Worse case scenario is he throws me into a cage and have my friends killed. Yet, if I don't participate in her plot, all hope would be gone of ever defeating the Darkling.

"Alright," I said, "But you still haven't told me where we are, and you still haven't told me what really happened to-"

"I'm not sure," she cut me off with a cold glare, "I've been trapped here since...the obisbaya. As for where we are, we're trapped in the fold, almost like a different dimension; You could walk in the same way for hours yet still end up where you begun. My powers are limited to only to those in the fold, that was how I transported you here."

"Can't you transport yourself out if you could transport me?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Zoya shook her head, "I can't, there's limited power for me. Now listen carefully, after your free the rest, send them to the fold, David must have a way get me out. Then we'll regroup in Ketterdam."

"Why Ketterdam? If it's anywhere it should be Novyi Zem."

"I have a...companion who may help us stay in low profile for a while," she says, choosing her words carefully.

I nodded, "Alright, and this?" I asked, holding up the ring.

"For recognition of my loyalist, drop it into a cup of coffee or whatever when Luda or Marisha are serving. They'll understand what's going on, and hopefully start sending coded messages to cooperate." Zoya hurriedly explains. Grabbing both my arms and looking me dead in the eye, "Our fate depends on you, Sankta Alina," I almost cringe at the title, "don't disappoint us," her image blurred as the last words left her mouth.

My head started to spin, feeling the urge to vomit. I doubled over. As my vision cleared, I found myself standing back in my ring of light. It was flooded with light, definitely too bright for the Darkling or anyone else to spot my disappearance.

"Alina! Hurry, time is running out!" The Darkling roared. My eyes squinted as I looked for Mal under the light's strong influence. My hand found his chest, I thrust the Thorn wood into his too bright figure. A wave of power surged through my veins, I let out a cry as light escaped my body, blinding the sky white. When the light faded, I noted Mal's blood soaked through his clothes onto my hands. I felt even more sick. Too dazed to acknowledge his agonizing moans, I collapsed next to him. Too exhausted to even flick my hair from my face. The guilt stung me as I drift into unconsciousness.

☀️

"So what now?" Mal asked, his hand gripping onto mine. The Darkling's death was a miracle, for us and thousands.

I smiled, gazing into his sky blue eyes, "We heal the hearts of broken children, provide them a home, a haven. A place the Darkling could never give."

Mal grinned, "That's the kindhearted Alina I know," hugging me close, "no wonder people call you a saint."

"Not anymore, I am no one's saint but yours," I told him before bringing his face down for a kiss.