Atoms- Darkling X Aethra Kuznetsov

Enemies and Cuts

"Aethra had over the coin (Author-we're just going to call it a coin)" Ivan said, holding his hand out

"No"

"Don't irritate me" he warned, and suddenly, she felt dizzy, as though she were going to faint

Realizing what he was doing, she knocked him over, simply by making a ball of air hit him and attempted to run away

Before she could, however, she felt chains wrap around her wrists just like they had when she had been running away from Ivan and the darkling in the campsite back when she was just a tracker. It felt like years had passed since then.

She struggled against the chains of shadow just as helplessly as she had been the first time. Couldn't Baghra have taught her how to get out of these chains?

The general walked over slowly, his hands moving slightly. Immediately, Aethra was pulled to where he was standing and no matter how much she pulled back, or dug her heels into the earth, she couldn't resist.

He told the soldier next to him something and the said soldier walked up and pulled her boot off harshly, unintentionally cutting her with her dagger that had been hidden in there.

Aethra cried out in pain, eyes watering in pain, and glared so harshly at the guard that he shrunk back and handed the general his antler bit. So he had seen her hide it.The darkling looked her in the eyes, black meeting watery brown, and then looked away after a few seconds.

"Back to my room" he commanded and Ivan, David, and the others followed. Aethra stood exactly where she was, pulling her boot back on and putting her dagger back in, even though it hurt.

A minute after she had finished, the chains pulled her along. Wincing in pain, she allowed it to drag her back

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Aethra stood and watched as the darkling controlled Alina's power. She sent a silent "sorry" to her friend through her eyes, and Alina shook her head softly and smiled as though telling the girl it wasn't her fault.

Aethra's boot was slowly getting sticky and wet. She knew it was a deep cut and she was probably bleeding a lot, but she tried to ignore it. That wasn't easy, it stung and hurt, and Aethra had difficulty in maintaining her glare at kirigan through the pain.

He noticed her wince and understood why. "Ivan," he said "Call a healer"

A little while later, Amelia was standing in the room and looking slightly scared. It made sense that Amelia would be called. She was the oldest and the best healer.

"Everyone else can leave," the darkling said "Amelia, please heal Alina's wounds"

Anger boiled in Aethra but she didn't let it show. The only wounds Alina had were minor scrapes on her face, arms, and legs but still, he sent Amelia to his precious sun summoner first.

'What the hell are you thinking Aethra!?' she scolded herself, 'He doesn't care about anyone and Alina is your- my- friend!'

Alina tried to push Amelia away, but the latter patiently healed her cuts.

"How did you even find me?" Alina asked angrily

"The iridium ring on your finger" he replied "That helped David locate you"

"But.......Genya gave me this" She said looking at Aethra

Aethra's heart dropped. Genya couldn't possibly be on his side, could she?

The general didn't give any more information, simply smirking as though he could sense their doubt.

"Done general" Amelia said stepping away from Alina

"Okay, you may leave," he told her and she nodded, despite being able to tell that Aethra was hurt. Aethra didn't blame her, but it was getting difficult to conceal the pain in her foot. Standing was painful, but she wouldn't let the darkling know that

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The darkling watched Aethra struggle to hide the pain. He would not give in that quickly. Unless she asked for it, he would not let a healer help her. She had to come to him all by herself and ask him for help. She would've done it before without hesitation. She would've marched right up to him and demanded that he called a healer to heal her. But now she stood without saying a word and he knew why- Aethra refused to take help from those she hated, from those who were her enemies.

Somehow, the fact that Aethra thought of him as an enemy, made Aleksander's heart hurt a little.

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Alina was taken to her room. Aethra stood there, watching Kirigan place various security measures around Alina.

Ivan rushed in, looking nervous. If Ivan was looking nervous, then it almost certainly meant he had some bad news to deliver. And that proved to be true-

"Sir," he said, addressing the general "the tracker has escaped"

"How could you let him escape?" the general asked in a scolding voice

Aethra furrowed her brows. If Mal escaped, then it wasn't good for the darkling. Yet, he didn't seem very upset by the news.

Kirigan noticed her confusion and smirked at Ivan.

"If he comes anywhere near Alina again, kill him," he said, his tone matching that of any villain Aethra could think of

Ivan nodded and left after being ordered to do something that Aethra couldn't be bothered to pay attention to.

The general talked to some guys for a few minutes more, as Aethra sat down on Kirigan's bed, unable to stand any longer waiting for him to finish with everyone else and punish her.

A few minutes later, there was no one else in the room apart from the two of them. He walked toward her slowly and crouched near her feet. Aethra did the first thing that came to mind and tried to kick him in the face.

He caught her foot, causing her to cry out in pain. She had tried to kick him with her injured foot. 'Idiot! Who even asked you to kick him in the first place?' she mentally scolded herself

But Kirigan seemed to have expected her move. He chuckled and removed her boot slowly.

The metallic smell of blood filled her senses. Not only was her foot covered in blood, but the inside of her boot was too. A huge cut was glistening with blood and Aethra winced, looking at her blood.

The darkling didn't even blink. Without caring about getting his hands stained with blood, he held her bleeding foot in his hands.

A healer entered the room a minute later. The general nodded in Aethra's direction. She seemed to get the hint and soon, the skin on Aethra's foot was healed and she had stopped bleedingKirigan nodded once more and she nodded back, leaving the room quickly. Aethra was confused by this exchange. She hadn't even seen this healer before. Shaking her head at the weirdness of the healer, she turned back to kirigan who had stood up and was washing his hands.

"Can I go now?" she asked, careful not to let any emotion into her voice.

"Where will you go?" he asked, back towards her

"To my room?" she said, unsurely

"No, you will be sleeping here" he replied turning toward her and folding his hands behind his back

"Then where will you sleep?" she asked, raising her eyebrows

"Here"

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Athena ♥