Her Balance | Nikolai x Reader x Darkling

~ Chapter 22 ~

Let's get into it!

First Person - Nikolai

"Y/n...come on, come on, please please, wake up," I said but I was shaking a lifeless body.

"Nikolai," said Mal grabbing my shoulder, "She's-"

"No, NO, she can't be. We just...she's supposed to..."

I couldn't breathe. I couldn't find it in myself to breathe. My throat was dry, my mind had shut down and my heart had simply stopped beating.

The love of my life. My wife. My Queen. Dead in my arms.

"Please sunbeam wake up," I screamed laying my head on her heart, "Please you can't do this to me...please."

"Nikolai," said Mal leaning besides me, "Come on."

He had to rip me from her body because I didn't want to let go. Letting go made it real and I still wanted to convince myself that she was still here. This was some sick illusion and that she would wake up any second.

"I'm sorry," said Mal and he pulled me into a hug turning me away from the scene.

I knew that he was trying his best not to cry too. She was the love of my life but she was his best friend. His sister. And she died because she wanted to give him the chance at being a father. I held onto him tighter and I saw Alina, Genya, David, and Misha running towards us with smiles on their face.

They had seen it come down but not the price it had cost.

"No," said Genya as she finally arrived and saw the body on the ground.

"This is some sick joke right," said Alina as Genya grabbed a horrified Misha and turned him away. "No, no, no, she...she can't be..."

Alina fell to the ground beside her and I pushed Mal off and sent him towards Alina to comfort her.

As he did, I finally got a look around at what Y/n had died for. There were hundreds of people staring down at their bodies, and then the sky.

She hadn't just brought down the fold, but she had managed to turn the people back from Volcra. Every single one. Gave them a second chance at life.

"She did it," I said looking around, "She won for Ravka."

"But she died," screamed Alina, "It wasn't supposed to end this way!"

However, one woman in particular stood out to me. She was walking towards me, glowing like a sunbeam. My knees almost gave out under me as I realized who it was.

It was Y/n but it couldn't be. I stared back down at her body and she was lifeless. I looked between the two and then around and everyone was now staring at the glowing woman walking towards me.

"Sunbeam?" I whispered and she smiled.

"No" said the woman and I stared at her confused, "I shouldn't be surprised that I have such a striking resemblance to my daughter."

"You're her mother?" I asked and she smiled.

"I am and as a mother it is my duty to watch out for my daughter."

She leaned down besides Y/n's body and held her hand over her head. Something glowed and her mother smiled.

I leaned back down beside Y/n, praying to the Saints.

Then very suddenly, Y/n sat up in shock breathing heavily and I nearly fell back from my own shock and surprise.

"Oh my saints," I whispered before I pulled her into a hug, "You're alive. You're breathing. You're..."