Element [The Darkling]

Chapter Thirty-Nine

I have to admit, after the Hummingbird landed and we made our way across the field, I dragged my feet a little bit from exhaustion.

I was desperate to see if our friends survived.

If Tolya survived.

But I was bloody tired.

I clung to Mal's hand tightly as we trailed in the back of our group, heading down the hill into the front walk, where bodies were already being laid out in rows.

Nina dropped where she stood, letting her ass hit the grass and stay there, sighing with exhaustion. Across the gravel, I first saw Kaz. He stood with his cane, seemingly uninjured, taking in the sight of Inej alive and well. I could see the relief on his face, even though he covered it well.

The bodies piling up made me saddened.

Mal turned and walked away without a glance back, making Alina and I share a look. I grabbed her hand, squeezing it comfortingly.

I saw Jesper leaning against a barrel, Wylan sitting next to him, and then...

The twins sat on either side of a busted up Nikolai.

"Tolya!" I shouted, a relieved gasp leaving me as I let go of Alina's hand and ran past the others, still limping slightly from the wound in my thigh.

"Nhaban!" Tolya shot to his feet and rushed across the dirt, meeting me in the middle. We collided in a big hug, and I sighed, immediately feeling all my troubles float away for the few precious moments I could bask in the fact that he was alive.

We pulled apart, and I stared into his relieved hazel eyes before observing his face. I grabbed his chin gently, tilting his face to the side, seeing a cut above his eyebrow that had bled down the side of his face.

"You're okay." I breathed.

"You're alright?" He checked, and I nodded. "Thank the Saints." He whispered with relief.

Inej offered Alina the sword once the two came closer to us. "You should have this." Inej said.

"It doesn't belong to me." Alina declined.

"It belongs to a Saint in Shu Han who wanted you to wield it." Inej told her. "You can keep it safe until you can return it."

"A very temperamental and aggressive Saint, I might add." I grumbled jokingly, making Tolya chuckle. He was still holding me in his arms, as if he was afraid to let me go.

"Thank you for saving my life again." Alina said to Inej gratefully.

"I told you, my hand is yours whenever you need it, Sankta Alina." Inej replied.

"Please, just Alina." The two hugged.

"Thank you, Sankta..." Alina sent her a look. "Alina." She corrected.