𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕿𝖍𝖎𝖗𝖙𝖞-𝕱𝖎𝖛𝖊
Ⓐ ᖴEᗯ ᕼOᑌᖇS had passed without us addressing our conversation on the
balcony. The argument was far from over; just put to the side for now. But we couldn't avoid it forever, so after we finished our morning meetings, the Darkling invited me to walk with him in the courtyard.
It was quiet and peaceful for the first part of the walk. We went down the twisting stone path laid out over the palace grounds, listening to the chirping of birds and yells of gleeful children playing in the dried autumn leaves behind the gate.
"You won't lose me, Alina," he said, returning to our dispute.
"You don't know that! Merȥost is unpredictable. You know it is."
"I do," he said calmly.
"Then why do it?" I argued.
"Merȥost is unlike Grisha's abilities. It has a price, and I have no problem paying it."
I shook my head in disagreement. "You have already used merȥost more than once. Every time you mess with it, you are playing with fire. What if you don't survive this time?"
"I will."
"Arggh!" I growled, growing more frustrated. "How can you be so arrogant all the time?"
"Not arrogant," he said. "Optimistic."
"Sure," I muttered and rolled my eyes.
He snaked an arm around my middle and drew me closer as we walked. "You have no place to argue with me, my dear Alina. Prince Nikolai would be dead if you hadn't have let him go."
I diverted my eyes away from him in shame, my cheeks burning. "I made a mistake," I mumbled. "But if I let him be killed, there would be no going back. I would have been... I would have been as bad as you." My voice became a whisper.
His piercing gaze burned through me. "My ways may be cruel, Alina, but now you see the consequences of failing to act." He placed his hand under my chin and guided my head up. "That being said, I will use merȥost and make an army to fight the sobachka's. This way, the fight will be over before it has even begun."
I huffed and walked quietly in thought for a minute. Soon, an idea popped into my head. It may have been a stupid one, but it was an idea.
"What if I help you create your army," I suggested.
His eyes shifted speedily to mine, searching them, for what, I wasn't sure.
"Alina... I can't ask that of you."
"It isn't an ask. I'm not looking for your permission," I said. "We are connected. My power is yours, and yours is mine. I could help you create whatever you're planning to create—"
"Nichevo'ya."
Nothings. I shivered at the thought.
"Alright," I said. "I could help create your... nichevo'ya, and it would put you at less risk than if you created them all by yourself. We could share the cost of using merȥost."
"It is dangerous, Alina. You haven't had as much time to use your powers. You aren't as strong as me." Our pace slowed down until we stopped walking altogether. He kept his gaze on mine.
"It's either this, or I do everything in my power to stop you from using merȥost on your own."
He saw the stubbornness in my expression, and realizing I wasn't bluffing, he released a long sigh. "Okay."
YOU ARE READING
My Villain, My Balance
Fanfiction"You might make me a better man." "And you might make me a monster." ― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising PREVIEW: "I could not see it at the time," I told the Darkling. "I was too blinded by your half-truths and seduction to see clearly. You claimed m...
