Say That You Are Mine - A Darklina Fanfic

Chapter 30

Alek's POV

I paced in my room, trying to convince myself to go out and search for Alina. She could handle herself, and if she was mad enough to leave the Little Palace, she wouldn't want me dragging her back.

The only problem with this was that people would wonder where the Sun Summoner had gone. Also, we were leaving to hunt down the sea whip soon, and we couldn't leave if Alina was not there. She was too stubborn to come back on her own, so the only thing I could do was get her back. But even if I got her back and we left for the ice, she would undoubtedly try and get away. Knowing Alina, she would get away, and I wouldn't even know until afterward.

I ran a hand through my hair and groaned. This was why I had never let myself love anyone. I always let them down.

Making a decision, I strode out of my room and through the halls. I couldn't get her, but I knew someone who could. I knew someone who could find her when no one else could. Mal.

I ignored the two guards stationed at the entrance to the dungeon as I stepped past. Walking purposefully through the rows of cells, I saw many people I hadn't seen in years. There was the Fjerdan who had made an attempt on my life. I smiled as I remembered the torture he had gone through. As I passed his cell, I glanced in, and once again saw the black veins on his wrists and his neck. I had put shadows in his blood.

Finally, I got to Mal's cell. He looked up and glared. "What do you want now?"

"Alina."

His glare turned even more ugly. It was amazing how everyone besides me looked ugly when they were mad. I looked dangerous when I was angry. Everyone else looked like a toddler who had gotten the wrong toy.

Actually, I take it back. Alina looked beautiful when she was angry. Or when she was happy. She always looked beautiful.

I continued. "To be more specific, I always want Alina. But now she's gone. And I want you to go with her."

He had the decency to look confused. "You're... letting me go?"

"I'm not happy about it. I'd much rather slowly tear off your limbs one by one and make you watch as I feed them to some very special panthers I have specifically for this type of occasion. But that doesn't help me in the long run. Alina left the Palace, and I need you to go find her."

Glaring at me, he spat, "I'm not bringing her back here to you. If she finally came to her senses and ran away from you, then good for her."

I rolled my eyes. He was clueless. Slowly, as if I was explaining it to a child, I said, "I don't want you to bring her back. I want you to go with her and make sure nothing happens to her. So yes, I'm letting you go." I opened the cell door. "Not only that, I'm providing you with a horse, money, and food, since I know that Alina took no food or money with her. She took the fastest horse in Os Alta with her, though."

As he walked out, I covered his eyes with shadows. The moment he became blind, he turned around and tried to hit me. The effort was pathetic. Not only did Mal completely miss me, but his momentum also carried him forward and he ran into the wall. It took a great deal of effort to keep myself from snorting in amusement.

I clucked in mocking disapproval. "Mal, you really shouldn't be doing that. Next time you might injure yourself. Besides, what do you expect? That I'm going to let you see the layout of the dungeons and palace?"

From on the floor, Mal said, "Keep your shadows away from me."

"What's wrong? Traumatized from your little encounter with Alina and her light? I would think a soldier would be a little tougher than that. Now get up off the floor and we'll go." I shouldn't be taunting him like this, but it was entertaining.

With a grunt, he got up off the floor. He followed the sound of my voice, running a hand along the wall to keep himself from tripping. That worked for him until I intentionally refrained from telling him that there were stairs. This time I did laugh quietly when he tripped and fell. He didn't say anything, just kept going.

By the time we reached the stables and I had taken away the shadows so he could see, Mal was thoroughly pissed off at me. He stomped when I strolled, and he avoided everyone's gaze and looked down as I walked confidently through the stables.

The stablehand had retrieved a horse for Mal. The horse I had requested was a stallion, mean-spirited and rebellious. I was letting Mal go, but I was not making it easy on him. I gave him good food and more than enough money, though, since those were also for Alina, not just Mal.

"I believe that Alina is going to head for Novyi Zem, so I suggest catching up to her before she reaches the Fold. Otherwise, you'll have to go around and into either Shu Han or Fjerda, and then you'll never catch up to her."

As he rode away, I felt a sudden pang of doubt. What if he couldn't find her? What if something happened to her? What if she was found by either the Shu or the Fjerdans? What if I didn't find her and convinced her to come back before the ship left to find Rsalye?

I walked back to the Palace to fill out some papers, but before I got there, I ran into Ivan. Ivan dropped into a small bow, and said, "General. We've begun trying to track the Sun Summoner, and we believe we have a way of tracking her. She brought no money with her, but she had those pins in her hair, remember? We think she is going to use those to make her way to the Fold, as you said. She'll buy food and use them to pay for lodging."

I thought. It might work. "Okay. Do that, and have a report on my desk every morning concerning your progress."

"Da, General."

Word count - 1076