Tidal --- Nikolai Lantsov

6

When I woke up again I was relieved to find that I was in my own bed back at the little palace. My body was heavy as I pulled myself up from the pillow. It felt like I had slept for days. Maybe I had. 

The room was dark and I stumbled out of bed across the room to the door. When the cold metal of the door handle found my palm, I tugged on it only to find it was locked.

"you've got to be kidding me" I mumbled. I closed my eyes and felt for my brother. He was here somewhere. I dug a little deeper into my powers and tried to find Alina. Nothing. Either she was dead or somewhere far away and safe from the Darkling. 

I sigh, hoping that it is the second option, and reach up to start banging on the door. 

"HEY!! Let me out!!!" I continued to bang and scream at the top of my lungs hoping someone would hear. 

I finally heard hurried steps coming from the hallway and the click of the lock being turned. I stepped back for them to open the door. 

My face softened when I saw the flaming hair illuminated by the hallway light.

"Genya," I sighed stepping forward to hug her, " you don't know how happy I am to see your beautiful face." I truly meant it.  After who know how long of being stuck in the woods with Alina and Mal, a familiar face was all it took to make me feel home again.

"Oh I know darling, most people are," she chuckles and pulls back. But when she gets a proper look at me in the light her eyes widen in shock, " Oh Saints, what has happened to you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You have scratches and bruises all over you and, oh Saints help me, your hair is a mess" She grabbed my wrist and pulled me back into the room and left to turn on some light. 

I hadn't gotten a chance to look at myself in a mirror but I could feel the slight stinging on my cheeks from tiny scrapes. I couldn't remember where or when I had gotten them. 

Someone had taken off my kefta, but I was left in my same under clothes from when I had left, meaning I could not even remember the last time I was clean. 

She ushered me off into the washroom and left me alone to get clean. Once I emerged into the room again she pulled me down onto the bed and begun healing my minor scrapes. I felt the familiar itch but I was able to ignore it. 

I didn't want to talk about my time in the woods or my brother so I brought up something I knew she could talk forever about. 

"Have you talked to David since we got back?" Her head perked up an her cheeks were flushed red. 

"I went to go see him as soon as he got back, but he just pretended I didn't exist like usual. I've decided not to be sad about it though, because he was acting really upset. Like he was ashamed of something." I thought back to that night in the woods. David had been the one to fabricate the collar around Alina's neck. "What about you? Are you still emotion stalking your lover boy?" she taunted me and I hit her shoulder playfully. 

"Shut up. I'm just making sure he's ok. And I haven't in a while. If you haven't noticed things have been a bit hectic in the past few days." This was partially a lie but I didn't want her to worry. 

"Well go on then."

"What?"

"I want you to do it. I want to know how he is feeling. I hope he is suffering after what he did."

"Genya..."

"I'm sorry. Just do it. For me?" she pleads and I can't say no when she looks at me like that.