The journey from the south-western plateaus to Amhrat Jen was long and dull. Not to mention that things had changed slightly between Alina and Qara, since they first slept together. He still insulted her as freely as ever, though now seemed to go out of his way to do uncharacteristically nice gestures such as pack her bags for her, or tend to her horse. It was unsettling, honestly. She just hoped this didn't mean that he was getting attached. She would rather not have to keep him at an arm's length for their remaining time together, for despite his numerous faults, she did enjoy his company. Not least when they slept together. 

This far away from anywhere, Alina had not expected anyone else to be within fifty miles of them. Thus, she did not seen the harm in fucking next to their campfire that night. Not her best decision, perhaps, as both of them were too distracted to hear the sounds of people approaching until it was too late. 

Qara stiffened, abruptly shoving her off of him. Alina let out a yelp, about to protest until she saw the look on his face. "Someone's coming," He said, and the easy atmosphere was gone in an instant. "Three heartbeats, far too close,"

Alina scrambled to her feet and readjusted her clothes, glad they'd had the sense not to undress, at least. Nonetheless, there was no doubt about what they'd been doing, as her hair was a mess, her lips swollen, and her shirt not buttoned correctly. Qara stood beside her, watching, waiting. For a second or two, nothing. Then a man stepped out of the darkness, two more following him. All three were hardened and rough-looking, one with a broken nose, all three carrying weapons. Bandits, runaways or mercenaries, not witchhunters at least. There weren't enough of them to take down a Grisha, and they had no Grisha shackles.

The one with the broken nose said something in Shu, smirking. Qara replied with a false smile, playing the naive, good-natured traveller. Alina watched the three strangers closely, wishing she knew what was being said. Then the man laughed harshly, gesturing to her, and the others joined in.

"What are they saying?" She hissed in Qara's ear.

"They say they're travelling soldiers, but they're definitely bandits. They'll supposedly leave us in peace, if they each get a turn on 'the whore'. I'm pretty sure that's you," He smirked. "Fancy taking one for the team, Alina?"

"Fuck you," She had to stifle a laugh, which caught the attention of the men. They seemed angrier now, especially at Qara's next response, one stepping forward aggressively. He held up his hands with his infuriating aristocrat manner, no doubt angering them more.

"They want to kill and rob us, now," 

"What in hells did you tell them?"

"It's nothing they weren't already planning! They're currently discussing which one of them will get my boots and pistol. Let me slow their hearts a little. It's not the same as Heartrending, but we don't need to kill them anyway. I can daze them long enough for us to get away,"

"That's a terrible plan," She said. "Do you want them running around telling tales of Grisha?"

"We'll be long gone by the time anyone gets round to coming after us," He argued. 

"Why are you sticking up for them? These people are scum! If we really were otkazat'sya, they'd rape me, beat you, rob us and leave us for dead. Why do you want to let them live?"

"They're nothing to us, Alina, you don't have to kill everyone who crosses you,"

"More evidence you're incredibly sheltered," She caught the flash of a gun in the firelight and without hesitation summoned a shield around her and Qara. The golden light illuminated the land around them infinitely brighter than their campfire. 

All eyes fell on her, and several curses came from the men. "Gerel-Khotlogch," They looked both awed and defensive, all of them pointing their guns at her. She recognised that, at least. The Shu word for Sun Summoner, directly translated as Light Bringer. Through the fear, their was also eagerness in their eyes. She didn't need Qara to translate to tell her they were wondering how much bounty she would bring.

"Can they get through that?" Qara asked with wide eyes. 

"It's hot enough to melt bullets, so no,"

"Then let's go! Keep that shield up and leave, what can they do to us?"

"Are you joking? So they can tell all of Shu Han that the Sun Summoner is here? Why are you so against murdering murderers?"

"I've been witness to enough death!" Qara said, angry. "I'm a Healer - I don't want to witness any more murders than I have to, let alone cause them!"

"Then look away," Alina said, cold.

With a wave of her hands, the shield condensed. Her hands closed with a sharp ringing noise, and the Cut was released. It was over before it even began. The six halves of the three men collapsed into a grisly, undignified heap on the ground, hot blood spraying across both Alina and Qara, whom she had unsuccessfully tried to shove behind her after summoning the white-hot blade.

"Ugh," She blinked in disgust, wiping gore out of her eyes with her sleeve. "I haven't done that at such close range in a while. Do you need - " She turned to Qara but broke off upon seeing the shellshocked look on his face. "I did warn you to not look - it's hardly pleasant to watch,"

He promptly turned away from the corpses and vomited on the ground. Alina winced, stepping back slightly; there was already enough mess on her boots. She then realised that was hideously insensitive, reaching out a tentative hand to pat Qara's back, only for him to flinch away from her touch. Alina withdrew her hand as though burned, an unexpected wave of hurt rushing through her.

"Wha - what was that?" Qara wiped his mouth, hands shaking as he straightened up. "Alina, what the fuck - "

"They were going to kill us," She stood her ground. "Or give away who I am to people who matter. I'd have thought you'd be more used to things like this, though I suppose labs are different to combat," Worse, she would argue, but perhaps he felt differently.

"How could I be used to something like this?" He snarled. "There was no chance whatsoever for them to fight back. What did you do to them?"

"It's called the Cut," She said, resorting to cold hard fact. "Powerful summoners can do it, with enough practice. Matter condensed tight enough can make a blade. You know, you're surprisingly sensitive for someone who talks so big about their dedication to the Taivshral. What do you think happens on their ambushes and rescues, rich boy? People die,"

Qara's features twisted in anger, but he had no reply. Then, after a short pause, "Perhaps we couldn't have let them go. But you didn't have to kill them like that,"

"The alternative was burning them into a charred husk," Alina said. "Or a bullet through the head, which is just as nasty to look at, harder to aim, and runs the risk of them shooting us first. You've never been in a situation where you've had to fight for your life, Qara. You don't want them to be able to fight back. You just want to survive,"

He shook his head, smiling somewhat bitterly. "I just- I've never seen you kill anyone before," His words held a slight accusing note. "Just turn invisible and make harmless golden light. I knew you'd been in battle, but - " He broke off. "Is it always like that?"

"Yes," Alina said, tone flat. 

She turned from him and incinerated the bodies to ash, leaving little trace of the men at all. They then set off into darkness to find a better spot to camp, further away from any human remains. All this in a tense, uneasy atmosphere, and whenever they spoke, both were short with the other. They had reached an impasse.

This unpleasantness did not last, thank the saints. A day later, when they finally found an inn to stay at instead of sleeping rough, they had silently agreed not to speak of it again and things were more back to normal. Well, relative normal. Qara brought her dinner up from downstairs - another unnervingly nice gesture - which they ate together. When she returned from the bathhouse, he actually complimented her appearance, before relieving her of the clothes she had just put on and pulling her into bed. And even then he just kissed her.

"I understand why you killed them," He murmured against her lips, making Alina's eyes snap open. "You're used to a different world than I am. Who am I to judge?"

Well that was an unexpected admittance. "Quite right," She said, then smiled. "Though if you want me to leave you to try things your way next time, do let me know. I'll even help bury your corpse afterwards,"

He scoffed, and returned to kissing her, except now it was almost... reverent. Again, strange. Alina had to escalate things further to stop it feeling far too intimate.

"What's got into you?" She asked, amused, lying against his bare chest afterwards. "You being so... nice is making me nervous,"

"Why do you find a lover being nice to you strange?" Qara replied, in his usual infuriating tone.

She wrinkled her nose at the term 'lover'. "Because you're never nice to me. Or you weren't before you saw me naked, at least,"

"Perhaps I want to continue seeing you naked,"

"Pig. Anyway, I slept with you before you started acting odd - you don't have to pretend to care more than you do,"

"I never said I was pretending," He said, laughing at her. "Really, why do you think I have an ulterior motive?"

"Most people who are nice to me want something I don't want to give in return," She grumbled. "Lickspittles, worshippers... the Tsar of Ravka," 

All amusement left Qara's face. "Did he - " He broke off. "There are rumours say you were his... concubine from when you were a child,"

"Concubine," She scoffed. "There are always rumours. No, he did not have me sharing his bed as a child. He wanted me to love him, not be disgusted or terrified by the thought of him," 

"How old were you when you went to the Little Palace?" Qara asked her, frowning.

"Nine,"

"That's still twisted. Were your parents allowed to come with you?"

"Saints, no. The Darkling hoped I'd forget them,"

"Why?" He seemed startled by that.

"So that he was the biggest influence on my life," 

It was rather entertaining, watching the unease on Qara's face as she recounted what had been normal to her for so long. Validating, in a way, to have all her misgivings understood by a stranger. Her time away had given her a great deal of perspective. On herself, but also on Aleksander. She could not imagine what it would be like to finally meet someone who would live as long as you, after four and a half centuries alone apart from Baghra. It was for this reason that she had let some of her anger towards him go. Forgiveness did not mean forgetting, however.

"And was he?"

"I suppose so. He soon stopped trying to be charming - I always thought it was insincere, even when I was little, and he realised it got my back up. But other times he really was sincere, and looking back, I suppose that was worse. I secretly treasured his praise. His genuine respect and admiration, not the false smiles and gifts he'd have happily showered me with,"

"Was it genuine?" He sounded doubtful.

"Yes, a lot of the time it was," Alina said. "He'd expected a gullible, easily-plied child, not a vicious, cynical one. My temper amused him, when I wasn't pushing him too far. Even when I was, he respected I was brave enough to say what no one else would've. He always made it seem like it was us against the world. Or us against the church, the King and the court, at least,"

"Is that why you helped overthrow the Lantsovs? He groomed you into hating them?"

She snorted. "That didn't take much grooming. I grew up on the edge of poverty, knowing that raiders could steal from and kill us without the royals caring. I hated them the moment I saw the luxury they lived in, and hated them more as the years went on, seeing the parasites that people like them are on Ravka,"

"People like them?" He said, amused. "Aristocrats?"

"Which you are very much included in," She said without hesitation. "Your father is a much better man than most in his position, but he did not earn the majority of his wealth. A farmer in a field works ten times as hard, and will never have a fraction of what Lord Khulan has, yet still has to pay taxes,"

"That is just how things are. Unfair though it may be," From his tone, Qara clearly doubted the latter.

There was no point convincing him of her views, so she didn't even try. "He would say the same thing as you. The Darkling, I mean. He was never overly concerned with rich versus poor, except as something to wield against the last King. He only cares about Grisha versus otkazat'sya,"

A silence. Qara clearly did not care for the comparison. 

"So where do all the rumours come from if you never shared his bed?"

"Oh, I never said that," She drawled. "He waited until I was nearly eighteen, and by then I wanted it too,"

"You did?" He said, taken-aback.

She shrugged. "He's a handsome man. And, despite everything, I loved him. Conditionally, at least"

"Why?" He sounded genuinely baffled. "He sounds like everything you'd despise,"

"I wondered myself. He was intense, controlling and possessive. It drove me mad. He was getting better at not fighting my free will, but only because I left him no other choice. In the end, it was not enough. But... he was fiercely clever. I could talk about almost anything and he'd know something about it. We'd mock the idiots at court across the room. I loved getting a rise out of him, and he enjoyed it too, even if he pretended otherwise. He understood what it's like to have a power no one else does. He wanted someone else to understand, too. I was the most precious thing in the world, for him," 

Another silence, this one heavier than before.

"If you loved him," Qara started. "Then why did you leave? Because he married someone else?"

"I'd have left regardless," Alina said. "Though when he married Darya, it was... too much,"

"You stopped loving him, just like that?"

"In theory,"

"And in reality?"

"I wish I could," She didn't miss the look on his face at that. "He did ask me to be Queen, before her. I said no. I want to live a life, not just fester in court, and he wasn't good for me. I needed time away,"

"You could have been Queen of Ravka?" Qara gawped, sounding oddly discomforted, then shook his head. "I forget, sometimes, that you're somebody,"

She laughed at that. "What do you mean?"

"In your country, you're a saint, worshipped by thousands. The Sun Summoner moved the Fold, defeated a dynasty, won battles, shared the Tsar's bed. But here you're Alina, who makes me laugh, shows off, acts a fool, and is incredibly frustrating,"

"Why can't the Sun Summoner and Alina be the same person?" She frowned.

"It's just strange to think about," Qara brushed her off, seeming to sense the unease in the air and changing the subject. "How can you sleep with other people, when you still love someone else?"

She paused. "Quite easily," 

That broke the tension and they both laughed.

"Goodnight Alina,"

"Goodnight Qara,"

He fell asleep before she did, his arm slung over her waist. She realised too late that she hadn't crossed back over to her own bed, and then realised she did not have the energy to care.

In the darkness of their room, Alina spun her fingers and conjured a tiny image of Aleksander in the palm of her hand. The raw betrayal of him marrying Darya Glinskaya had eased somewhat, from sharp agony to a dull ache. When this was over, perhaps she should go home. Not to fall into his arms again - she had more self respect than that - but she missed his company. Whether she liked it or not, they were tied together by immortality, by knowing each other in ways no one else did. 

Not that she would forgive him for that so easily. Marrying another woman would be something to hold over his head and torment him for for years. Perhaps she would flirt with his wife. 

Alina fell asleep peacefully with such thoughts on her mind. 

*

The city of Amhrat Jen was beautiful. Like the rest of Shu Han, it was hot in the summer and warm in the winter, never reaching the freezing depths that Os Alta did, thus the entire city was rich in plant life, trees and flowers. The Shu considered the colour green to be lucky, reflected in the fact that the majority of roofs were painted varying shades of green and plants were encouraged to grow wherever there was space.

Alina was fascinated by it, however she was more excited to see her friends. They had made their way from Bhez Ju and were to meet Alina in a hotel room near the city centre. She was determined to make the most of the beautiful city they found themselves in before they broke into Saaral-Khana. That afternoon and evening were a whirlwind of different markets, shops, impressive sights to see and, later on, taverns. None of them drank excessively, well aware of the danger that awaited Grisha in Shu Han, but posing as Kerch tourists gave them a certain freedom beyond hiding in a rented apartment until they were ready to break in.

"Are you fucking him?" Zoya murmured to her, glancing over to where Qara had easily fallen in with Viktor, Mal and Kasper, all of them laughing together over some stupid man joke. 

"Why not? He's pretty, don't you think?"

"True. Your type does seem to be pretty and insufferable. You don't love him, do you?"

"No," She scoffed. "Of course not. He'd laugh himself silly at me even hinting at that," Hopefully. "Why?"

"I see the way he looks at you when he thinks you're not looking. His whole manner around you, really. Like a puppy showing off to try to impress its master," 

"Harsh," Alina grinned. "He finds me attractive, that's all,"

Zoya smirked. "Saints know why," 

She burst out laughing at that, earning the attention of the others, who waved them both back over.

Whilst her friends had rented a room at a hotel, Qara and Alina had paid for a room in an inn elsewhere, however. They had fallen into a familiar pattern, and the sex was much better now they both knew each other's bodies more. She spent half the night on top of him, head thrown back in ecstasy, though part of her wished he would... push back, somehow. She'd had many similar feelings in Kerch, when she was quite clearly the dominant one and few others contested her for it. It was always more fun when she had to fight for it. 

Those thoughts were swiftly pushed out of her head as they brought up images of grey eyes, strong hands, and a cruel mouth laughing at her. 

*

The Saaral-Khana laboratory was an impressive, relatively new building in the centre of Amhrat-Jen, built in the traditional Shu style but far larger and more modern. Apparently a whole area of slum houses had been destroyed to make way for its construction. Alina could believe it. Having snuck inside under invisibility, it was just as beautiful inside, with jade-painted walls, pillars and floors, hiding the horror that took place within.

"Found something," Qara said, eyes shining with triumph after some time rifling through records. "A reference to 'the project', and a man named Bo Yul-Bayur, who seems to have been taken into custody here in Amhrat-Jen. It talks about his work like it was the initial idea, and the government stole it?"

"Stole him to work on it for them, more like," Alina said. "Any mention of who he is apart from a name,"

"He's Grisha," He said. "A Fabrikator. He was arrested at his home here in the city, and was held here for a time. There's a transfer request to move him to Tomor-Uul, dated three months ago, and it was accepted so he can 'assist with the project there'. I'm assuming he's being held there, now,"

"Excellent," Alina pulled a face. "Anything else useful here?"

"Nothing I can see. It's just like Ulaan-Khad. Even the scientists who work here are on a need-to-know basis. No mention of what the project or Yul-Bayur's work is actually at all. We'd best get going if we want to investigate their water supply,"

On their way back through the corridors, Alina felt Qara freeze as they passed through the staircase area that functioned almost as a balcony, allowing them to see all the way down to the ground level entrance hall from the upper floors. 

"What?" She asked as sharply as she could while trying to keep her voice down. 

"That's him," His grip on her hand tightened, the disembodied voice barely more than a whisper. "Doctor Ulagan,"

She could hardly see him point, but somehow knew who he meant anyway. In the entrance hall, surrounded by half a dozen younger apprentices, was a man in his early sixties. He was balding, average height and slightly built, and wore a white coat with a pair of spectacles on his nose. His face was almost kind, like someone's favourite grandfather who snuck them pennies. The apprentices looked at him with clear admiration, hanging on to his every word. 

"You want to go and say hello?" She asked, voice thick with sarcasm even as her own stomach clenched unpleasantly. "Come on, we've got to go,"

For a moment, she worried that Qara would do something drastic. But her insistant tug on his arm seemed to snap him out of whatever the hells that was, and he followed without complaint. 

"He's evil," He said with certainty, once they were back out in the shaded sunlight streets of Amhrat Jen, headed back to their room. "Pure evil,"

Alina did not doubt it. "Would he know anything about the project?"

"He's probably wetting himself over the project,"

"Hm," Kidnapping Ulagan Yul-Sukh and interrogating him would inevitably lead to having to kill him, which would draw too much attention onto them. A shame. "Well, if your friends with the Taivshral pull through, he'll have no Grisha to torment very soon,"

*

Having left Amhrat-Jen, Qara and Alina made their way towards the laboratory of Tsaagen-Oi, just north of the city of Koba. Alina had said it was a waste of time even bothering with this one, seeing as they knew that Bo Yul-Bayur was being held in Tomor-Uul, but Mila had insisted on their latest debrief, refusing to leave any stone unturned. Besides, the Taivshral needed more time to gather their members and prepare for that final strike.

Now more than ever, Alina wished she had ignored the spymaster. The swampy forest in north-east Shu Han that they had to trek through on the way was hot, sticky and miserable, full of biting insects and venomous snakes. Not to mention that Koba was notorious for its trade in Grisha, who were often captured by mercenaries and sold to laboratories. The forest was crawling with bands of them, often hauling captured Grisha along too, and more than once Qara had had to stop Alina from attacking there and then. Or vice verse. It was lucky that they seemed to alternate having self-restraint.

This avoidance did not hold, however, which was unfortunate. Frustrated with the fact their fire refused to light in the damp air, Alina had let out a curse and lit it herself with a ball of scorching light thrown right into the wood pile. She had been overzealous in her anger, however, and a whole tree went up instead in an unmistakable ball of golden light that would be visible from over a mile away.

"Shit," She said, as Qara nearly jumped out his skin.

"Alina!" He protested, though his lips twitched. 

Alina had the grace to look slightly sheepish. "Sorry. Lets find another spot to camp. There'll be swarming here like bees soon,"

He had frozen, however. "Too late. There's a lot of heartbeats coming our way," 

"Shit. We can't run through this," She gestured at the waterlogged ground. "They know these woods, and we don't. We're more likely to end up stuck in a bog,"

"Well let's hide, then!" Qara hissed. "Can you climb a tree?"

"Can you?" Alina raised an eyebrow, impressed. 

"Don't sound so surprised," He rolled his eyes, beginning to scramble up the nearest tree with his pack on one shoulder. Luckily the leaves were thick, and it was relatively easy for him to conceal himself in the canopy. "Alina, get up here!" He offered her a hand.

Alina did not move, hearing the sounds of a large group of men approaching loudly through the undergrowth. "Stay hidden," Was all she said to Qara, who caught on and started to spit curses at her, before she turned to face the newcomers.

There were around two dozen men filling the clearing, spreading out to surround her. She slowly turned in a circle, taking them all in. Bounty-hunters, all pointing pistols or rifles at her from all angles. She was not their first prey by a long shot. The burning tree was sputtering out due to the damp wood and leaves, but it was still smoking, and that burst of light couldn't have been more obvious. They were saying sharp words to her, and though Alina knew little Shu, she had picked up some in the time she had been here. Enough to know that they were intending on capturing her and selling her in a Koba slave market as a powerful Inferni. 

"Ravkan?" She called out in question.

"I speak Ravkan, fire-witch," One said in a poor accent. "Come quietly to these chains or we will cause great harm to you," He gestured to the Druskelle-inspired cuffs another man held.

Alina laughed. "Please, try your best," With a wave of her arms, she was surrounded by a glowing shield. That earned a round of gasps and several men stepped back sharply, though others cocked their weapons. One even fired, and her eyebrow raised at him as all of them watched the bullet melt into a spatter of molten metal drops before it neared her.

"You are the black Tsar's golden whore!" The Ravkan-speaker exclaimed, having backed off behind one of the others. You flatter me.

"And you," She smiled. "Are dead," 

A sharp ringing noise, her hands closed together, and the Cut sliced him (and the man he was hiding behind) in half. Most of the others, to their credit, were experienced in dangerous situations and immediately flung themselves into action, rushing her all at once. It may have worked on anyone else. They were good, but Alina was better.

She had not enjoyed such a fight for what seemed like forever, not since the forests of Fjerda. Her hands moved without any thought, death falling all around her. Cuts, bursts of scorching light, felling multiple opponents at once, their bullets and bayonets melting before piercing her burning shield. She was in her element, the thrill of the fight rushing through her as well as the wonderful vitality of such a large use of her power.

She was grinning like a maniac when the last of them dropped dead. The once-green clearing was now scorched and blackened, though she had been careful to extend her shield into the tree where Qara hid to prevent any stray bullets from hitting him. She withdrew that shield now.

"You can come out now," 

 He emerged from the tree, starting to climb down the trunk. 

"There you are!" Alina stepped over the corpses towards him - on some of them, she wasn't really looking where her feet were going - only for him to step back when she neared. Alina stopped, coming down off her rush as she remembered how he had first reacted when she'd seen her use the Cut. "Come on, let's not linger here. There may be more coming after that commotion,"

Qara let Alina lead him away, picking their way over thick moss, swamp and fallen trees, but there was a heavy silence in the air. 

Alina broke it. "You can't say I should've let them go," She said, refusing to back down. "They all saw us. They were trying to kill us,"

He was silent for a moment. "I know you couldn't let them go. I'm not that naive. But I don't like how easy it is for you. The first time I saw someone die, I could barely eat or sleep for days. Every time broke another piece of me away. But you... enjoy it,"

That made Alina angry. "There is a huge difference," She started. "Between being forced to watch the torture and murder of innocent Grisha held captive for being born, and defending yourself against a company of trained mercenaries. If I had to do the former, do you really think I'd find any joy in that?"

Qara bristled. "No, not at all. I can admit killing those men was necessary, but that doesn't mean you should have that grin on your face while you do it. How long have you been killing, Alina, to be so cold?"

Those words were unsettling, as she had certainly thought something similar about Aleksander in the past. "The first time I killed, I was nine years old. Druskelle attacked our carriage. They murdered our guards. A Heartrender named Alyona stepped in front of us and took a bullet to the head. I ran out of the carriage to face six or seven grown men. The only thought in my head was that I wanted to hurt them like they hurt her, never mind that I had no idea how. But the light came when called. The Darkling found me standing in the middle of their charred corpses, a terrified, angry child. That was the first time we met. I barely had time to think about what I'd done - he gave me no time to dwell on it. Just said that I'd done the right thing, and smiled at me, offering his hand. He told me I was worth more than anyone else in the world,"

"That's no way to talk to a child," 

Alina laughed without humour. "Yes, I suppose not. I could have turned out to be a little tyrant,"

"But that's exactly what I mean!" Qara said. "This isn't you. You aren't a tyrant. You aren't cruel or cold or selfish or spiteful. You don't delight in the suffering of others. You're Alina - you're brilliant, warm, and funny even if you are infuriating, always standing up for what you think is right,"

His uncharacteristic sincerity made her feel hollow. Almost like the Alina that Qara saw was not the Alina she really was. Almost like how most in Ravka saw her as virtuous, gentle and chaste; a saint.

"And if I told you that I think this is right?" She said. "That those men deserved to die and I'm allowed to enjoy causing their deaths if I wish?"

"Then you're not quite the person I thought you were," Came the damning words.

Alina had to rein herself in, then, anger rising inside her. Qara was not Aleksander. This was not a manipulation or a game to mess with her head. This was honest, with no scheme or strategy behind it. Qara was not Aleksander. Alina could not yell and scream like she would when he hurt her. It had been pointed out to her before that she went into every argument like she was facing the Darkling - far too much for every other situation - and she did not intend to let that continue. Qara was not Aleksander, and perhaps she found him lacking for it. 

Yet part of her did want to yell and scream, and wanted him to yell and scream back, both of them throwing hateful words at each other, knowing the other would be able to take it and give as good as they got. But she couldn't. Alina's full temper unleashed might just break him.

*

The next few days were spent in an uneasy forced civility, as they skirted the edges of Koba and headed north. Their disagreement had to be put aside as they neared the imposing grey walls of the Tsaagan-Oi laboratory. The land was less swampy here, more like the forests Alina knew. They could see the Sikurzoi in the distance, the Eastern Mountains towering even higher, and she was hit with a sharp pang of homesickness. Not for the miserable little village she had spent her first nine years in, but for the fact that the mountains reminded her of Ravka, of home, the Little Palace and the people there. Nearly three years, it had been.

They were well-practiced by now at sneaking into high-security buildings under Alina's invisibility. They simply waited until a worker was let in by the guards and slipped inside behind them. Qara knew the way to the records room, and led them there quickly. Whilst looking through the notes, it wasn't long before he found something.

"It's a drug," He was staring at a series of papers. "The project. It's a drug. They've taken all of the best pharmacists and chemists from Tsaagan-Oi to Tomor-Uul to work on it, as well as most skilled Fabrikators in their captivity,"

Alina frowned. "What does it do?"

"I don't know. It doesn't say. But it's called jurda parem. That's the most we've had to go on until now,"

"So Bo Yul-Bayur invented jurda parem, and it was of such value to the government that they took his research. He was moved from Saaral-Khana to Tomor-Uul, so they could carry on developing the drug. Anything else here?"

"Not that I can see,"

Having escaped the lab without detection, they met up with Alina's friends in a dingy tavern in Koba. They had travelled there by main road, unlike Alina who had gone cross country. The foreigners were eyed with wariness, less so once Alina and Qara joined them. They ate a meal together, keeping their voices low and largely speaking in Kerch, before retiring to one of the rooms Nina had arranged to rent for them all. There, once Qara had gone to bathe in the bathhouse, Alina filled them in on everything, secrecy be damned. 

"You should know," She said. "Because if all goes to plan and all the laboratories are struck in one day, we will have to get out of Shu Han, fast," 

"Where to?" Nina asked, perceptive. "Ravka?"

"It seems stupid not to, as we're so close," 

"I wouldn't mind going home for a while," Viktor said, to hums of agreement. 

"Oh," Katya realised suddenly. "These came for you, Alina. A note from Tarasova - she said she can't make it here to debrief you - and another from Os Alta that she passed on when we last met with her," 

The note from Mila concerned the logistics of their ambitious plan; the date they would strike Tomor-Uul, what to expect there, though nothing too specific in case the letter - or Alina - fell into enemy hands. The Taivshral were handling the majority of the operation, to give Ravka plausible deniability when it came to the treaty, though Mila's involvement, as well as intelligence from Qara and Alina, would be instrumental in pulling it off.

She then moved on to the letter from Os Alta. Everyone else in the room was watching the envelope before she even opened it. "Why are you all staring?" Alina grinned. "You're making this so much more ominous than it needs to be. I'm surprised you haven't opened it already,"

"Of course not we didn't open it," Nina scoffed, suggesting that Mal was well enough to afford a moment's distraction. "None of us wanted to hear what the Darkling was willing to write to get you back,"

Alina smirked, ripping open the envelope. Two sheets of paper fell out. One, she realised at once, was written in Genya's elegant hand. It was also a shade of delicate pink, and smelled faintly of roses.

Dear Alina,

I would love to invite you to (ie. demand you attend) my wedding to David Kostyk, which will be held in the Spring. I have sent this letter with three months to spare in the hope it will reach you. You're welcome to bring the bunch of fools you call friends. I will be most displeased if you are not there - I miss you! It's not the same talking in dots and dashes, I want to hear your obnoxious voice again.

With love,

Genya

A smile spread across her face. "It's an invitation to Genya's wedding," That settled any doubts of going home, at least. She wouldn't miss that for the world.

"Wedding?" Viktor exclaimed. "To who?"

"David Kostyk, you idiot," Zoya said. "Who else?"

"Why couldn't she have just used the device?" Katya asked. "You speak with her often enough,"

Alina's eyes landed on the other sheet of paper and she picked it up off the floor. "This, no doubt," 

Alina,

I hope you are well, and that you are enjoying your travels. You will not believe me on the latter, I am sure, but to my surprise as much as yours, it is the truth. Since you were a child, you have always wanted to see the world, and whilst no small part of me regrets your absence, I am gladdened that you have had the chance to experience it. Your efforts in Ravka do not go unappreciated. The common people grow more content under our rule with every passing year since the death of the Lantsovs, and show less wariness and resentment towards the Grisha. Equally, Grisha are no longer forced to serving the Second Army, and many have found employment elsewhere, though the Little Palace remains a home for all. Whilst you are still unfortunately regarded as a saint by the uneducated masses, I believe you will view the changes in your image since your departure as an improvement.

Forgive me. I treated you poorly, both in marrying Darya and otherwise. I would very much like if, after almost three years, you returned to Os Alta. You will find the court much changed to the one you experienced under the last Tsar - changed for the better. You do not have to return, of course, and if you did, you would be free to leave whenever you wish. It would be more than my life's worth to make you stay, as you well know. I miss you at my side, miss your laughter, your boldness, your lack of shame and your willingness to shout at me where no one else would. Despite having all of Ravka at my disposal, it rings hollow without you, my equal and other half. I would see you again, as a friend if nothing else. However you would have me.

Yours,

A.M.

Her throat grew rather tight, reading that. His voice was clear throughout, even in the abrupt change of tone halfway through. Her thumb traced the word 'yours'. He had initialled the letter with his real name, which told her that he truly had written this himself. It was strange how careful he had been to not put anything in the letter that would anger her. He even apologised. Or admitted he was wrong and asked for forgiveness, at least. Was asked the right word? Demanded, more likely. Feelings of irritation rose up inside her, though it was familiar, almost fond, without the same angry vehemence they may have had before.

"What does it say?" Viktor asked, ever eager for gossip.

Alina folded up the letter, put it back in the envelope alongside Genya's, and tucked it safely into her pocket.

"He wants me to come home," She said, tone rather numb. 

"And?" 

She took a breath, fixing a smile on her face. "Well I'm not going home and falling into his arms because he asked nicely. I'm going because I want to,"

"I'm surprised you're not running in the opposite direction," Mal snorted. 

"Novyi Zem, perhaps," Viktor grinned.

"What about Qara?" Katya asked with a smirk. "Surely you can see the boy's in love with you, Alina,"

"He might love some of me," She pulled a face. "But he gets so strange whenever I kill anyone,"

"That might be reasonable enough, depending on who you're killing," Viktor pointed out.

"Shut up. All of them have been trying to kill me first,"

*

Alina and Qara left Koba the next morning with her friends for the first time and journeyed east into the towering mountains. The going was slow because of the terrain, however they had plenty of time before Mila's scheduled date. This worked in their favour when a storm hit and they were able to wait it out in a mountain cave rather than having to push through the miserable weather. 

Being stuck in a cave for a full day, however - their horses and supplies crammed in with them - inevitably brewed boredom, and thus foolishness.

"I bet," Viktor started with a lazy grin at Alina. "That you can't Cut off the top of that mountain," He gestured out of the mouth of the cave, through the pouring rain, to the next peak over.

Alina considered it, as thunder rumbled around them. "You know," She said. "I actually think I could,"

"No chance," Nina scoffed. Lightning struck somewhere in the distance.

"I don't know," Katya said. "You saw her take the second amplifier,"

"Go on, Lina," Mal grinned. "Call it practice for Tomor-Uul,"

"I thought you were meant to be being subtle?" Zoya raised an eyebrow. 

That did make her hesitate.

"There's no one around for miles," Nikolai said. "And it's a small mountain, compared to these other monsters. From the south, you wouldn't even be able to see it behind that bigger one, look. And we travel fast. By the time word spreads, we'll be long gone,"

"What about the sound?" Zoya contested. Sleeping together hadn't made the two of them any less combative. "Tomor-Ull is far from him, true, but the landslide it creates will be heard from there, if she succeeds. And if you think I'm able to muffle a noise like that from this far away - "

"Then we are very fortunate for this magnificent thunderstorm," Nikolai smiled, as another crash of thunder ricocheted through the mountains.

"More importantly, since when did Alina Starkova get scared of a bet?" Viktor leered. "Does the Sun Summoner think she's not strong enough?"

"You can't fall for that," Kasper said mildly. "You're not eight, Alina,"

"I haven't fallen for that," She said, seeing lightning strike again, closer this time. "I was already going to do it,"

Grinning at their catcalls of encouragement and heckles, Alina stood and faced the mountain. She took a breath, then drew on her power like she never really had before, drawing from the depths of her amplifiers. It was euphoric when her hands came together and she released the Cut, watching the golden blade hurtle towards the mountain.

For a moment, nothing. But then she saw it had sliced clean through. After a tremendous roar of falling rubble that blended in with the storm, the top of the mountain was no longer there. A silence echoed around her group, before they erupted in cheers. Alina laughed, stunned. I cut the top off a mountain. There was something ridiculous and surreal about it.

Qara, however, had been oddly quiet the whole time and now went to tend the horses without another word. Alina noticed, and whilst her friends were distracted seeing if a grudgingly participating Zoya could call lightning, she moved to speak to him. They had never come to any sort of conclusion after what happened before they reached Koba. Around her friends it had not seemed to matter much. Now, she might as well try to resolve things, before they had to trust each other in one of the most dangerous places for Grisha on earth, second only to the Ice Court.

"Are you alright?" 

"Yes," He replied, then hesitated, turning back to the horses. "I just - never mind,"

"No, what is it?" 

"You won't like it,"

"I'm sure I've heard worse,"

It all came out in a rush. "No one person should be powerful enough to cut a mountain in half. It's not funny or something to celebrate - it's terrifying and dangerous. Gods, Alina, you could destroy a city if you wanted to! All that power in the hands of - " He broke off, but it was too late.

Alina felt her sympathy dry up. "Me?" She suggested, an edge to her tone. "Can I not be trusted?"

"No, that's not what I meant,"

"Then what did you mean?" 

"I meant all that power in the hands of one person! It's no wonder Ravka calls you a saint, so they can sleep at night knowing the bearer of the sun's power is responsible and good,"

"That was a low blow," Alina sneered, carelessly cruel in her anger. "Anything else from you, or can I go back to my friends, who see it for what it was - a meaningless, light-hearted joke,"

He gritted his teeth. "You don't understand. It's not meaningless at all. I care for you Alina, but when I realise how much power you have, it scares me, because then I feel like I don't know you at all,"

"Is that it, then?" Alina demanded. "All the times you were angry at me defending us, it wasn't about the lives lost, not really. You enjoy me when I'm laughing and fun, or in your bed, but cringe from me when I'm powerful?"

"It's not just the power - it's how you are with it," He said. "Angry, spiteful and cruel,"

"The people I've killed deserve it! Or have you forgotten what that sort did to thousands of Grisha? You saw it first hand, for saints sake,"

"Of course I haven't forgotten! But unlike you, I can't level cities with the wave of a hand," 

"So I am not allowed to feel human because of the power I possess?" She fought to keep her voice down. "You would have me live as a meditating monk, never to feel a strong emotion again?"

"I would have you, just you, not the Saint or Sun Summoner!"

"I am the Sun Summoner!" Alina said, furious. "I was before I met you, and I will be long after you're gone! I can't just put that aside - or would you rather I wither and sicken and die from blocking that part of myself?"

"Obviously not! But that part of you scares me - you of all people can understand, surely, the fear of someone else's ability to take any and all control from you at a whim? From everyone, in your case. You could rule the world if you wanted, Alina, even if you refuse to admit it to yourself,"

She laughed, low and cold, to distract from the horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach. "So you think that because I can, I would? You think that I would ever force you to do something against your will, or threaten to do so, just because it's in my power to? How little do you think of me, Qara?"

A sudden crash that made both of them jump. Cheers from her friends. So Zoya had indeed managed to summon lightning and there was a scorch mark to prove it outside the cave. 

"I think the world of you," He said, with frightening sincerity, and she tore her eyes away. Saints, perhaps the others were right. "I really, truly do. But the longer I spend with you, the more I realise that we are not equal and never will be. And that you will never be mine - part of you will always be his,"

No need to clarify who 'he' was. Despite everything he had done, every reason she had to hate him, her mind went back to the letter tucked into her pocket. Perhaps, if things were different, Alina would have invited him to Os Alta. If Aleksander could have someone else, then why couldn't she? She liked Qara, she truly did - even if that feeling did not even approach love - which made his words hurt as much as they did.

"I'll never be anyone's," Her voice was distant, muted and shut-off. "I suppose it doesn't matter what you think of me, anyway. After we're done with Tomor-Uul, I'm going home," 

Despite everything he had said, Qara's face crumpled in disbelief. "What do you mean?"

"Well I'm hardly going to stay here," Alina exclaimed, impatient now. "You're talking about me like you love me - we're not like that, we've never been like that. And we never will be, especially since you've just told me how afraid you are of me,"

He stepped back with a twisted expression. "I swear, at first it wasn't like that at all," He insisted. "But - then it changed. And I don't want you to just leave!"

"What did you want? Me to reject my powers and become your tame little pet?"

"I - I didn't - "

She'd had enough. "I want someone to be my equal in spirit, even if not in power. Someone I don't have to worry about breaking with a single action. Someone I don't have to worry about dying because I can't protect them. Someone who has seen me at my absolute worst and never flinched away. That isn't you,"

"No," Qara turned away. "It's him. You want him, despite everything he did to you,"

It may have been cruel, but Alina did not say another word. She did not have it in her. Just turned on her heel and returned to her friends, who were all talking loudly amongst themselves and pretending not to have heard any of that. Qara stayed with the horses.

*

Tomor-Uul was not a building; it was a mountain that happened to have a building carved into it. The laboratory was built into one of the largest mountains in the already towering Eastern Range, and loomed over them for days before they finally reached its base. In centuries past, it had been the magnificent stronghold of an ancient Shu king, however now it was a place of horrors.

"Saints," Alina swore, looking up at it from a short distance from the entrance, under the cover of invisibility of course. She had never seen a more imposing fortress. 

Qara was less bothered, his tone as distant as it had been since their final argument. "It looks imposing, but the inside is primitive. It's nowhere near as advanced as the newer buildings. Just lends itself well to secrecy,"

As usual, they made their way straight to the records room. This one was a veritable library of hundreds and hundreds of years of records, though thankfully sorted by date. Alina dropped their invisibility, only for someone to clear their throat behind them, the door clicking shut. She whirled around, alarmed to see none other than Ulagan Yul-Sukh stood behind them, a faint smile on his face. Qara swore beside her, frozen, all the colour draining from his face as he stared at his former mentor.

"Alina Starkova," The doctor said in good Ravkan, his voice practically kind. "An honour it is, to meet the Sun Summoner," His stare was keen and hungry, despite his mild expression. It made her skin crawl, knowing he was currently imagining what was inside of her and how he'd carve it out. "Are you here for jurda parem? Because I'm afraid you're a little too late,"

Alina composed herself. "Too late?"

"Too late to stop it, I mean," Ulagan said, almost apologetic. "Though Bo Yul-Bayur is no longer in our custody, the formula has been perfected,"

She frowned. "Then where is he?"

"Gone," The man shrugged, unconcerned. "He vanished somewhere between Amhrat Jen and Koba. It mattered little. His assistance was no longer necessary,"

Interesting. "What does this drug do?" She asked. "If I can't stop it, surely there's no harm in telling me,"

"I suppose you'll find out soon enough," He smiled, setting her on edge. "Jurda parem is a fascinating discovery. It took a brilliant mind to come up with it, but poor Yul-Bayur was so limited in ideas for its use. It rather got away from him, I think. He wanted it to be used to strengthen the Grisha, so it would be easier to resist lawful confinement," He chuckled slightly, setting her teeth on edge. "In the former, he was successful,"

"It's a man-made amplifier?" She frowned, wondering why this was such a bad thing. 

"Of sorts," He smiled indulgently, as though she was using some quaint, primitive terminology. "I'll give some examples. A Tidemaker - is that how you say it in Ravka? - upon being injected with parem will be able to take an incorporeal form, as though they have become what they summon. I have seen one walk through a wall as though it was not there, seen a bullet pass straight through another without any injury. Squallers and Inferni take on similar characteristics, more akin to their abilities. A Heartrender will find themselves able to control the minds of others. A Healer will be able to mutate the body, to the level of inducing the growth of excess limbs. Fabrikators can shake and shape the earth itself,"

"And this drug has been kept so secret because you don't want to know what happens when a Sun or Shadow Summoner is dosed with parem?" She fought to keep her tone steady, even as Qara gawped in shock. What in hells name would she or Aleksander be capable of under the influence of such a drug? "Did you just kill Yul-Bayur, to bury it forever?"

Ulagan's smile only grew. "Jurda parem is incredibly addictive. After one dose alone, the cravings for more are so overpowering that near seventy percent of Grisha die if they do not receive a second dose. After the second dose, none have yet survived withdrawal. They are dependent on the drug, and whoever is giving it to them. They will do anything for more. Chew off a finger. Kill a friend. Fight against potential rescuers,"

Having felt nauseous at his words and their implications, that last sentence made her blood ran cold. Alina opened her mouth, but he got there first.

"Yes, I am afraid we know about the Taivshral currently surrounding the mountain. They are not as subtle as they believe they are," 

"Just the mountain?" She dared to ask, the wheels in her head turning.

For the first time, doubt crossed his expression. "As opposed to?"

Alina smiled, knowing they were too far from anywhere else to send word before the day was out. "Ulaan-Khad. Altan-Chuluu. Saaral-Khana. Tsaagen-Oi,"

His eyes widened a fraction, any trace of a smile melting off his wrinkled face. "I suppose there is little to be done about that now," He said, lips a thin line, keeping his composure well. "There is no guarentee of success,"

"They poisoned the water supply," She said casually. "So there might be,"

"An ineffective poison," Ulagan said. "No one here has fallen ill,"

"We didn't use poison here. We didn't need to. I am here, and that is enough," She let the disgust she felt creep into her tone. "I'm going to kill every single one of you, and I'm going to enjoy it,"

To her surprise, he chuckled. "In that case, you will have to kill every single one of the Grisha held here first. As we speak, they have all been dosed with parem, ready to face your band of renegades,"

Fuck. Alina was silent at that, as Qara grabbed at her arm. 

"Alina, what the fuck do we do now? I can't let them walk into a slaughter,"

Ulagan cut in delicately. "I never suspected, Yul-Khulan. You did a good job. I was convinced you were nothing more than a sharp-minded but unfortunately weak-stomached young gentleman. Tell me, what are you?"

Qara was practically shaking in anger. "No. No, you revolting, sadistic monster, rot in hell," 

His hands were steady, however, as he drew them together in a movement Alina knew extremely well. He had mimicked her, she realised. It wasn't quite the Cut that powerful Summoners could create, which flew as a blade of condensed matter, but there was no doubt it was a Cut nonetheless. Ulagan's flesh simply opened up as though an invisible knife had drawn him from groin to throat. It did not slice all the way through, just the front, a mockery of a surgical incision. The sound it made was vile, and the sight of it too, if Alina was honest. The old man crumpled but did not die right away, though she was not sure the state he was in could be called living.

"Well," Alina said, pausing as he choked and rattled on the ground. "There's irony in that, at least,"

Her companion shook his head, likely having not even heard her. "I have to warn them," He said, almost pleading. "They'll be massacred if they go against without the element of surprise, never mind against drugged up, amplified Grisha as well,"

"Yes," She agreed. "Go and warn them to stay away. They're not meant to go in until noon anyway, we've got at least an hour," She hesitated.

"What?"

"These drugged Grisha. They are doomed to die regardless of what happens, aren't they? He said they don't survive unless they're given another dose, and that's no kind of life, is it, forever dependent on something like that?" She was aware she was rambling slightly, but her thoughts were going too fast for her mind to keep up with. "And all their work on parem is contained here, isn't it? Nowhere else was trusted,"

Qara looked concerned. "What are you suggesting?"

Alina made her decision there and then, meeting his eyes. "Tell the Taivshral to run as far as they can. They've got one hour,"

"Alina, what - "

"You too," She said. "Get as far away from me as you can. Make sure my friends go with you too. I'll meet them in the next valley later,"

"No, you're not going to - are you..?"

"What?" She smiled wanly. "Blow up the mountain? Of course I am,"

*

I think this is the best cliffhanger I've written, I can't lie haha. Like I said before, I could easily have written a whole story on this to deepen out the Shu Han plotline and add some more detail but this was as concise as I could get it. How many of you got that it was about jurda parem before it was revealed? I wasn't exactly subtle but if you've not read Six of Crows or King of Scars it might be hard to catch.

Alina and Qara's differences lie in their vastly different upbringings - Alina was raised as a soldier, in a country at war, whilst Qara (despite having to hide his powers and be scared for his life) was raised as a lord without the threat of a military draft. His only experience of suffering was in the last year spying in the labs which was of course traumatic but not the same as fighting for your life. I don't think Qara is a bad person, honestly, just naive, and not a match for Alina. 

Speaking of Alina, she's having to make some horrible decisions. Killing a load of innocent captive Grisha to destroy the secret of jurda parem is the kind of thing that would weigh on you. 

Next time is the Darklina reunion. Please comment your thoughts on this arc of the story, even if it is just a few words!