Alina isn't really sure how this happened. She tries to go over the events in her head, drug-addled mind slow and clumsy, tripping over its own thoughts and memories.

1. I take Jurda Parem and go crazy then lose my power

2. I have a bunch of weird hallucinations because of said drug

3. I learn how to summon darkness instead of light

4. Sturmhond shows up

5. I am thrown over somebody's shoulder and carried down a hallway filled with Druskelle who are shooting at us

In Alina's defense, it was rather hard to think while bouncing against the shoulder of her rescuer (kidnapper? She didn't have a clue at this point) with every step. Also there was quite a bit of yelling and gunfire going on around her, and she was having trouble hearing herself think. Eventually they rounded a corner and were greeted by a wall of Ravkan soldiers of both the first and second armies.

Fire and wind swirled outward in a protective shield that forced the druskelle back while the soldiers of the first army took aim and the heartrenders clenched their hands into fists, stopping enemy hearts. A shouted command and a swirl of flame later they were through, safe behind the combined force of human guns and Grisha power.

Alina was gently lowered to the ground, huge hands gripping her shoulders and keeping her standing. Slanted, Shu-gold eyes stared down at her, filled with concern.

"Tolya?" A broad smile.

"Sankta Alina."

The white-haired girl threw her slender arms around her neck and sobbed into his shoulder. The giant hugged her back and let her cry, then led her quietly away from the battle. Behind them she heard the roar of artillery, the shouted commands, the swirl of Etherialki wind, the screams of the injured and the haunting howl of Druskelle wolves.

She wakes to the whisper of Etherealki winds against her face and the soft snores of the girl beside her. Alina pushes herself up onto her elbows with a soft groan that makes Genya jump as she wakes from her dozing.

"Alina, thank the saints you're awake! We were so worried..."

"Genya where are we? How long have I been out?"

"Almost three days. Here, drink this, it should help with the Parem a little."

"You found a cure?"

"No, not yet. David and all of the senior Etherealki have been working around the clock trying to find one, but so far they've been unsuccessful. This just helps to get it out of your system, it only helps with Grisha already recovering, unfortunately there aren't very many of those."

Alina carefully took the cup, looking down at the dull brown liquid before taking a tentative sip. Almost immediately she spat it out. Genya laughed softly, taking the cup before Alina could drop it, handing it back to her when her hands stopped shaking.

"Vile isn't it? But it really does help, drink as much as you can."

A few minutes later, when Alina had drunk half of the cup Genya spoke again, startling Alina almost into spilling the cup all over herself.

"As for where we are the answer is Nikolai's newest monstrosity: Albatross."

"It's not as bad as the Firebird," said Zoya as the raven-haired girl settled down beside them with a sardonic smile.

"Saints that was a disaster," Genya groaned, burying her face in her hands.

"What happened?" Alina looked at Zoya as she asked the question, a small smile lifting the corner of her lips.

"Nikolai and David decided that they should try to design a ship that would run on fire or... something. When they crashed it on its maiden flight they set half of the Little Palace grounds on fire. The only one who was remotely happy was Harshaw."

Genya looked up, grinning at Zoya, "You spent almost an hour screaming at them. I'm pretty sure David is scarred for life."

"He is scared of me isn't he?"

"Terrified."

"That makes me so happy!"

Zoya smirked as Genya and Alina fell against each other, bodies shaking with laughter. The little nook where they sat was sheltered enough that nobody had seen Alina wake, but as they laughed Tamar and Nadia appeared beside them and flung themselves at Alina. They both hugged her fiercely, their happy greetings jumbled together unintelligible.

When they finally arrive at Os Alta (in the dead of night and cloaked by a couple of the Sun Summoners Nikolai had brought along for the purpose), Alina is rushed off to a soft bed in the Little Palace by Genya and Zoya. It's not until almost two days later that she is finally able to speak to Nikolai.

It's late, and Alina sits on the reconstructed pier in the middle of the lake. The moonlight shimmers on the surface of the water and makes her white hair glow like starlit snow as she tests her new power. A skein of shadow swirls between her fingertips while a second dances over the surface of the lake. Soft footsteps sound behind her and the darkness vanishes in an instant.

When she turns to look at the intruder of her privacy the first thing she sees is a pair of well-polished boots. As her gaze travels upward it takes in a man wearing clothes that looked far too put-together than any outfit had a right to be at this hour of the night. Above that a handsome face, golden hair and the most infuriating smirk she had ever seen.

"Hello sunshine."

"Nikolai," she turned away from him once more, letting the threads of darkness dissipate from between her fingers.

From the corner of her eye she sees him sit beside her, gloved hands gripping the edge of the pier, legs swinging over the water.

"Your scars-"

"Still there. The gloves have set a bit of a trend among the nobles though, however much they may gossip about why I wear them. I suppose it's just one more rumor, it seems my life is rather full of them. Several of the stories are actually quite entertaining; I've ever contributed a time or two."

"Do you take anything seriously?"

"Not if I can help it. Makes life very tedious."

"Your insufferable," Alina rolls her eyes dramatically, but she can't keep the smile off of her face. She's missed this she realizes, she didn't even notice how much until they started talking.

"You wound me."

"I think you'll survive."

They bantered on for nearly an hour before Nikolai stood, stretching like a cat. He grinned down at her and offered a gloved hand to help her up. Alina took it gratefully, hauling herself to her feet.

"Sorry sunshine, even kings have to sleep sometime. And I really do need the next three hours, so I'm afraid I can't have company this time. However much I might want to."

"Ass."

Alina glared at him. He smirked. She shoved him into the lake with a splash. She laughed as the ripples spread out across the smooth surface, but as they fade so does her grin. Nikolai hasn't surfaced. Alina creeps to the edge of the pier, leaning over to scan the dark water. She realizes her mistake too late to dodge the strong fingers that pull her in.

She surfaces with a great deal of splashing and sputtering beside a cackling king. As she flounders toward the shore he slips through the water around her like an otter, swift and playful in a way she hasn't seen since he was aboard the Volkvolny as Sturmhond. She stops, watching him splashing and laughing, feeling her own heart lighten, pulling her lips into a matching grin.

It's night, and the water is cold, so it isn't long before they pull themselves out of the water and say their goodbyes. Alina slips back into the Little Palace under a cloak of her new powers (she hasn't actually done it with darkness before but it isn't hard to alter the technique from doing it with light). Still, it's tricky to sneak past the guards with her soaked clothing.

When she finally does get to her room and change, she wraps a blanket around herself and curls in front of the fire like a great cat.

It becomes a routine. Slipping out of the palace around midnight and meeting on the pier. Sometimes they walk together through the palace grounds, sometimes one of them (usually Alina) shoves the other into the lake, sometimes they simply sit there and talk.

It's about two months later when it happens. They sit on the pier talking quietly of old battles and fallen friends, and Alina's fingers seek out his. They're cold, rough, not the rough of the gloves he usually wears but the rough of bare skin. She looks up at him, but he seems just as surprised as she that he does not wear his gloves. Alina traces the scars that run up his fingers, the black marks stark against his skin, and feels a shiver pass through him.

To both their surprise it's Alina who makes the first move. She leans up and kisses him quickly, pulling back an instant later and studying his face. He is frozen for a moment, then a self-satisfied smirk spreads slowly across his features.

"Well sunshine I was wondering how long it would take for you to succumb to my charms. What was it, my looks? My title? My charming personality? Or was it this wonderful smile?"

She glares at him, glad for the darkness as her cheeks turn hot, "I will hit you if you don't shut up Nikolai. You are the most egotistical, infuriating, incorrigible person I've ever-"

He kisses her. It's under the stars and the water sparkles and somewhere in the distance some night bird sings. It's perfect. And then all at once they are sneaking up the stairs toward Nikolai's room, laughing and kissing and they fall into his bed, still twined around each other.

When it's over she lies in his arms, warm and content. He lowers his mouth to her ear, and says something that makes her heart stop.

"Marry me."

And she says, "Yes."