Ash and Dusk

Chapter 14

"Tell your guards to stop following me" I said.
The Darkling kept walking without looking at me.
I sighed. The oprichniki were already annoying. When someone wants to speak to me they stay with their hands on swords ready to defend me from some inexistent danger.
They are almost all the time with me. I can't even have a walk alone anymore.
"I'm not a little girl who can't defend herself."
He stopped to look at me. Inexpresive as always.
"I know" he said.
I inclined my head slightly. Some tricks Nikolai learned me are still useful. Nikolai... I felt a painful thorn in my heart.
"Then will you tell them to stop?"
I held his cold gaze for some moments. I don't need protection in the most safe place of Os Alta.
"Alright" he finally agreed.
I looked suspicious at him. Already agreeing?
We stopped near the lake. I already knew what we were going to do there.
"Summon a shield" he said.
I raised my hands. A shield of light was now around me.
I waited for the next command. The Darkling's hands were full of shadows.
"Try to block them."
First, he sent a single shadow towards me. The darkness broke into shining fragments.
More shadows were trying to crack my shield. I resisted.
Then he clapped his hands together. I heard a thunder somewhere in the darkness. A wave of shadows was making my shield fade.
"If you can't block the shadows, try to reflect them" I couldn't tell from where his voice was coming.
I tried to focus but all I could do was to lose my shield.
"Again" I heard him saying.
I raised my hands.

"Come on, Genya" I called her again.
"Just a moment."
"You keep telling that for five minutes."
I was in Genya's room waiting for her to come with me in the golden dome hall. After I used my power I was feeling energic, not wanting to go to sleep.
"I'm ready" she said.
I looked at her. She was wearing her white and golden kefta, her hair was caught in a bun, looking amazing as always.
"Let's go then."
Some Grisha were already there, standing in front of the fire and drinking tea.
We sat next to David. When he saw Genya his eyes lighted.
Nadia took a place near me. I haven't spoke to her very much since the battle on the fold.
I opened my mouth to start a conversation but she spoke first.
"Alina?" she asked hesitantly.
"Yes?"
"Are you feeling alright?"
I can't lie, I was surprised by that question. I was expecting more secret plans or requests.
"Yes, I'm good now" I replied with a half truth.
She nodded.
I looked around the room. The Grisha were chatting, standing together in front of the fire.
"I see they are feeling better now" I said to Nadia.
"Some of them will probably get used to it" she said nodding "but the others..."
I know what she was trying to say. Not everyone will bow so easily to the Darkling.
"From how much I know none of them will accept this" I said. "But when someone will ask about what are we going to do tell them to have patience." I gave her a confident look.
"Patience for what?" she said unconvinced.
I couldn't say my plan to her. It's better if they know almost nothing.
"Patience to trust me."

I remained there after the Grisha left. The hall was animated only by the sounds of fire.
A though was still in my mind.
I don't know how to earn his trust.
I told myself to stay calm, to keep doing what I was doing, that trust is earned in time.
I said to the others to trust me, to have patience, but in fact I had no idea what I was doing.
I sighed and looked up.
Why can't I just cut him in half?
I shivered at that idea.
It must have been really late because there weren't any lights or sounds. All the palace was asleep.
I was feeling something strange. Like the shadows were watching me. I looked around. The hall was illuminated by the fire, making the walls look darker than usual.
I finally decided to go back.
When I walked toward the doors I felt movement behind me.
I turned around with my hands prepared. But...
There wasn't anyone.
Maybe I am too tired.
I turned around again just to see a stranger right in front of me putting his hands under my nose.
Something dragged me to sleep imediately.

***

A weak light was coming from my left. I opened my eyes.
I was back into the Darkling's chambers.
I don't know what I was expecting but cleary not that.
He was standing on a chair near me, with his head resting on his palm, looking so young.
No, Alina, he has hundreds of years.
I don't know why I did it but I smiled anyway.
He was still sleeping.
I raised a little, but still remained on the bed. I touched his arm and he woke up.
"You were snoring" I lied trying to look as serious as possible.
On his face was a shadow of a smile and his eyes were still half asleep.
"I was not" he said observating me.
"For a person who looks perfect you wouldn't expect from it to snore."
He inclined his head, in his eyes an amused and a little dangerous look.
"Do I look perfect for you, Alina?" he said.
I shifted in my seat, realising what I just said.
"How am I here?" I asked trying to change the subject.
He looked undecided for a moment then spoke.
"I brought you here."
"Who attacked me?" I asked.
His expresion closed, leaving the cold mask everyone knew.
"I don't know, but I can put some Corporalki to investigate them."
I looked at him, not believing him fully.
Maybe because I was tired, I chose to leave that subject.
"I'm going back to sleep" I said to him.
After he closed the lights I felt the bed moving as he leaned on it.
Behind my closed eyelids I saw his cold grey eyes not leaving my dreames for the whole night.

It's finally done! I worked so hard on this chapter because I haven't had any ideas lately and I just forced my brain into thinking. (And I know this one is not that interesting as the others, but... writer's block)
Thank you for making already over 400 views! I appreciate it so much!

!!!
I wanted to say that I won't be posting so often anymore because school started yestarday and I need to focus on studying.
A chapter will come once a week. Or at two weeks. It depends. I will post mostly on saturdays and sundays.

While you're waiting for the next chapter remember this:
!I will not leave this story unfinished!

Thank you with all of my heart,
Annie