✧ ♥ ✧

Another sandskiff was entering the Fold. From the roof of her temporary home, Katya watched it a bit wistfully, wondering if she knew anyone onboard. That was the downside of her new residence: it was a very lonely place.

In the distance, she heard volcra screeching. Though Katya had converted a huge number of them now, more than she could count, still the larger part remained.

The skiff was about midway through when something different happened. A tunnel of light extended from its prow, creating a safe passage for the vessel. The surrounding volcra screamed in terror and flapped far away.

Katya gasped. The Sun Summoner was here.

She felt her army draw closer to her. The shadow men were afraid, though they normally didn't fear light. But this was not ordinary sunlight.

Jumping down from her vantage point, Katya slowly followed the skiff at a safe distance. As it progressed, the light gradually disappeared behind it, leaving enough darkness for her to walk with her shadow army.

At the edge of the Fold it unexpectedly stopped. Through the tunnel, Katya saw the city they had been traveling to; Novokribirsk, and a huge crowd that had gathered to meet them.

A voice drifted down from the skiff, a very familiar one.

"One more demonstration," Aleksander said to the passengers. "You've seen what the Sun Summoner can do. Now bear witness to what I can do... with her power."

Katya's throat grew tight. So he was still with her, then, and somehow he must have managed what he intended to. He had found a way to harness the Sun Summoner.

Before she could do anything, the tunnel grew darker. Then the enormous wall of shadow began to expand, the border of the Fold creeping towards the gathered people. They fled in panic as it slowly consumed the ground, adding their city to the dark desert.

The Sun Summoner yelled something in protest and a brief sun appeared.

"No, you don't," growled Aleksander, easily snuffing the light. "They are traitors who tried to kill you. This is retribution." He turned to the passengers, explaining how he could now control the Fold completely, move it and its monsters to any border or city he wanted to destroy. Here were representatives of many countries, and he wanted them to take the news back home. From now on, all wars against Ravka were over. Forever.

At that, a tumult broke out among them and a gun was fired.

Katya tried to get closer but the sphere of light surrounding the skiff frightened her. She wasn't strong enough to beat it, not yet. Give her another hundred shadow men, then maybe... This was happening too soon.

Things were not going Aleksander's way either. The fighting grew intense, his own Grisha turning against him.

Katya thought she heard Mal's voice. Was he behind the revolt?

The light diminished as Aleksander regained control, and the volcra gathered, starting to attack some of the rebel Grisha.

Katya took the opportunity to come closer as well, bringing her army with her.

Again she heard Aleksander, sounding strained but triumphant. "It's just you and me now Alina. And we are all we need, anyway."

Katya saw them clearly now; they stood together near the prow. Aleksander stretched out his hand, and at first it seemed like the Sun Summoner would take it. But then her face distorted. "You may have needed me," she growled. "But I never needed you!" With a sudden movement she cut something from his hand.

Aleksander roared in pain.

Strong sunlight returned as Starkov began to summon, angrily telling him the power was hers. The stag had chosen her and he could no longer control it.

Furious, Katya tried to run to his aid. How dare the girl hurt him? But the light was still too sharp. She had to retreat, powerless to do anything but watch.

"You chose to betray our people," Aleksander accused, gripping his bleeding hand. "I was trying to save us."

Seemingly from nowhere, Mal jumped on him. "You betrayed us first!" he yelled. Both of them fell overboard, landing only yards away from Katya.

The two men resorted to their fists as the struggle continued.

Again Katya tried to come closer, as close as she dared with the sun sphere present.

Mal had found a gun. He fired it at Aleksander, who easily deflected it. "I've survived for centuries. Do you really think you could kill me?"

Someone must have stopped Starkov; darkness was resuming and with it came the volcra.

Katya hurried forward as well, with Laika and the shadow army on her heels, but before she could order them to kill Mal he glanced up at the circling volcra, grinning nastily.

"I don't have to kill you, Darkling," he sneered, indicating the swarming creatures. "Your past will do it for me." He nonchalantly turned his back and walked towards the skiff.

Watching him go, Katya wondered what to do. Should she kill him? But then the Sun Summoner would retaliate, and Katya was not yet strong enough to best her.

Still hesitating, she looked for Aleksander and saw him running. The volcra screeched as they flocked in his wake.

They would kill him!

That settled it; she must let Mal escape this time. Seeing in the corner of her eye how the sandskiff sailed out of the Fold, taking Starkov and her sun with it, Katya hurried after the fleeing man.

✧ ♥ ✧

When she found him, following the sound of volcra and Laika's nose, he lay in a fetal position, his thick kefta pulled over his face as protection against the unrelenting volcra. There were so many she could hardly see him through the dense cloud of wings and teeth.

As Katya approached, her dark fire and shadow army easily chased off the winged creatures.

She kneeled beside him, carefully unfolding his kefta. He was bleeding from a multitude of deep cuts, and a long, ugly slash maimed his beautiful face. "Aleksander," she called softly, holding her breath, expecting the worst.

He blinked, unsteadily looking up at her. "Katya?"

At least he was alive, if barely. Stifling a sob, she patted his shoulder. "I will have you carried back to my home. Don't be afraid of my... servants."

She waved her hand at two shadow men who easily picked him up. He groaned with pain.

Back at the wrecked skiff where she lived, Katya put Aleksander on the only bed, a hard mattress covered with a threadbare blanket. All her furniture and other items had been scavenged from skiffwrecks during her time in the Fold.

Because she used blood from her wound to convert volcra, she had plenty of healing equipment handly, yet it took a long time to clean and bind his many injuries. He kept silent while she worked, apart from the odd low groan of pain.

"You're a right bastard," she mumbled, wrapping up a particularly deep gash. "I wonder why I'm helping you."

He didn't reply.

"Did you do it? Did you fuck Alina?"

She pressed a little too hard and he inhaled sharply. "No," he rasped, meeting her gaze for the first time. "No more than you fucked the cute boy scout." At her raised eyebrow, he added. "Zoya told me about the kiss."

"Guess we're even then." Katya shrugged. "But you're still a bastard."

"I know." He broke eye-contact.

A bit surprised at his admission, she continued her work.

A curious, circular wound on top of his hand drew her attention. "What happened there?" She touched it lightly. "I saw Starkov cut something from it."

"I wore a piece of the stag's horn; that was how I controlled her. She wears the rest of it as a collar around her neck."

"I'm glad she cut it off, then. You don't need her anymore. Soon her sun is no match for my army."

"Yes, about that..." He glanced at the two shadow guards who had carried him back. They had taken up positions on either side of the door. "What are they? And how do you control them?"

She smiled smugly. "Oh, just some hidden power I have... Guess you would have known all about it if you hadn't abandoned me for Miss Sunny Girl there."

"Jealousy doesn't suit you."

"Who cares? It's necessary to create my servants."

He raised an eyebrow. "Really? How so?"

At his genuine interest, Katya found it hard to resist the temptation to elaborate. She had been so lonely here and had nobody to share her success with.

"I summon black fire and fuel it with jealousy and other dark emotions. Like this." She put her fingers together, using her anger and amplifying it with power from Laika and the shadow army. A tiny, extremely hot flame appeared, so dark it was nearly invisible between her palms.

Aleksander flinched, drawing back from the heat while at the same time obviously mesmerized by it. "That's... beautiful," he breathed. Burgundy light reflected on his black eyes when he turned them up to meet hers. The look he gave her was one of pure, unchecked desire. "I knew you were special."

She ceased the fire. "Yes. I am. With this force and my own blood I have converted volcra into a shadow army."

"Then you've used merzost, as they call it... Just like my grandfather did. It's forbidden because it takes from the summoner without giving back."

"I don't mind using my blood," she said lightly. "I get more after a while."

"I'm impressed." He meant it.

"Good. I'm nearly strong enough to beat the Sun Summoner now; a few more weeks, perhaps, and then she won't be able to travel through the Fold anymore." She moved closer to him, piercing him with her gaze. "Not that you will benefit. You made your choice. The wrong one."

"I know." He swallowed, eyes widening further. Despite his injuries and pain he was more aroused than she had ever seen him.

She recalled words he had said a long time ago: Your power attracts me. You have no idea how hot you are when you summon.

"I did make the wrong choice," he said huskily. "I thought I could keep my feelings out of it and just use her, but... powerful women are my weakness." He raised his wounded hand unsteadily, cupping her cheek. "I looked for you when you disappeared. Alina was gone too, and I thought maybe you had left with her and the tracker. Then I found them alone, and I realized I had lost you. It... It hurt." His eyes glistened. "It was lonely."

Katya felt her resolve soften and fought to control her emotions. "Not that lonely. You kissed her."

"She kissed me."

"And you just let her?" She swatted his fingers away from her cheek. "You're a head taller and twice as strong."

"I responded," he admitted, looking away. "And I'm sorry about that." Then his eyes whipped back, becoming accusing. "But you kissed that tracker brat!"

"Well, I–"

"Don't tell me he initiated it; I saw the way you looked at him that time in the woods. You were attracted to him even then."

"It was thanks to the kiss I managed to summon black fire," Katya retorted. "Mal's an amplifier."

"Is he now?" Unexpectedly, he began to smile.

"What's funny?"

"It would seem I'm attracted to powerful women, and you to amplifying men." His smile widened. "But that doesn't matter anymore."

"No?" Katya had a hard time following his swift mood change.

"No. Because there are no women more powerful than you, and no amplifiers more powerful than I. We were meant to be together."

She stared at him as his words sank in. He was right. They were the most powerful couple in the world, and though she managed quite well on her own – as her shadow army was proof of – she liked the thought of a companion. Someone she could work with.

Besides, he was insanely hot when he looked at her like that.

"Can you forgive me?" he asked.

"Maybe."

"Must I beg?"

"Yes." Abandoning the last remnant of control she gave in to her desire. She bent down, slanting her lips across his, at last allowing his intoxicating power well into her. It made her tingle all over with excitement.

The kiss was untamed and passionate, filling her with exultant joy. This had never before felt so right.

When she pulled back to breathe, he looked at her with adoration. "I love you." He brought her fingers to his lips. "Will you be my queen?"

Too full of emotions and arousal to reply, she tried to rip his shirt open.

He shrugged out of it, his many scratches and wounds forgotten, and then helped her undress as well before pulling her down on top of him.

They began to summon at the same time, shadows and black flame melding together into a sphere of shimmering onyx that blew the roof off the wrecked skiff.

Naked under inky clouds, their bodies joined in a fiery, intense coupling, sending sparks of darkness in all directions like inverted lighting bolts.

Soon Katya became undone, nearly shattering under the most intense release she had ever experienced as wave after wave of exulting bliss cascaded through her body.

When Aleksander's gaze became glazed and he stiffened under her, she knew the same raptures went through him.

Slowly calming down, she looked deep into his black eyes. "I love you too. Yes, I will be your queen."

✧ ♥ ✧

The clouded wall of the Fold billowed and swirled, pulling apart enough to let out a man flanked by towering shadow figures.

Aleksander turned to look at his followers. Right behind them, still partly in the shadows, stood his beautiful wife and companion. Katya Morozova.

Together they would rule the Grisha and all of Ravka, as King and Queen of Shadow and Flame. The world would be safe and at peace.

He smiled.

All was as it should be. Everything was right again.

A/N:

This is the end, really, but I'm a sucker for epilogues. In the next chapter you'll see how this alternate ending changed the future for Ravka and the Grisha.

Thanks for reading. Please leave a comment if you liked the story. :)