Her Balance | Nikolai x Reader x Darkling

~ Chapter 21 ~

Second to last chapter of the book!!

Let's get into it!

First Person - Y/n

The next morning, I woke to find that Nikolai was still asleep beside me in the tent. I took a deep breath and slid out of the bed slowly and walked out of the tent.

The walls of the house were covered in mist and looked up. You could see the deep blue that came from early dawn. I felt a pair of hands wrap around my waist from behind as Nikolai kissed my neck.

"Good morning sunshine," said Nikolai, "I guess now it's time to get back to our ever so morbid rescue mission."

"I still feel like you shouldn't come," I replied as we began to walk back to the farmhouse. "We don't know what going into the Fold might do to you."

"I will take my chances, Y/n," replied Nikolai, "Because in the chance this does go wrong...I need to be there with you. In sickness and in health, till death do we part."

"Till death do we part," I repeated as we entered the main hall.

We found the others all packing up and Nikolai went off to help Mal. Genya came up to me by the door with a freshly-pressed coat in her hands.

"You should look your best when you put the Darkling in the ground," said Genya smiling.

"Thanks," I said with a smile. "I'll try not to bleed all over it."

She kissed both of my cheeks and said, "Good luck. We'll be waiting when you get back."

"Genya," I said grabbing her wrist before she could walk away, "If something goes wrong, if we don't make it, get to Ketterdam. I have an...acquaintance, which is the only word I have for him, although it's a loose term, there who owns this place called the Crow Club. We met when I was on a military excursion there and he owes me one after I helped him out. Use my name and he can get you, David, and Misha, to a safe place away from all of this."

She nodded, then hugged me hard.

I went over to Alina and gave her a tight hug.

"Come back," whispered Alina.

"I love you," I replied holding her tight. "Alina, if it goes wrong, tell that child of yours that I was the craziest Aunt out there, and that he or she lucked out in parents."

"She," said Alina and I froze and looked at her, "David told us. It's a girl."

"Congrats, Alina."

"I'll give you one guess as to her name," said Alina and I laughed, "Y/n Lantsov better return to meet Y/n Oretsev understood?"

I couldn't bring myself to nod so I hugged her tightly. I kissed her on the cheek before I let go and walked outside.

The Soldat Eclipsia waited in rigid formation with the twins and Mal. Nikolai stood there as well dressed more like Sturmhond than a prince and I sighed.

"Are you absolutely sure?" I asked as the group began to walk towards the Fold.

"I am, Y/n."

I nodded knowing there was nothing else to say and I interlocked our hands and we joined the group. Within a half-hour, we were standing at the shores of the Fold.

Nikolai and I went up to where the other Etheralki were standing.

Zoya, Nadia, Adrik, and Harshaw.

It felt somehow right that we should be the first to enter and that we would do it together.