The Shadows Secret | S&B

Chapter 10

He lead them away and in the hallway. They walked into a separate hallway and saw Alina. Alina followed. "Lilian!" She shouted and ran after her. She stood and in front of her and grabbed her hand and put something in her hand and walked away.

She ran through the hallway trying to find anyone. "Adrik! Alina's this ways." She shouted at him and they both ran to her shouting after her. Tamara and Nadia turned the corner.

"Kirigan's grisha surrounded the building. We need to get to the tunnels now." Tarma said and they all ran off.

They reached the stairs. "We have to find Mal." Alina spoke up. "The tunnels aren't much farther, there are caves, we can hide there." Tamara said and stopped before turning the corner. "Where does it lead?" Alina asked.

"There's a concealed access point just through that archway." Alina turned. "You two go, we'll cover."
They all silently walked out into the opened ready for anything.

One of the nichevo'ya came come behind them and knocked Nadia into a wall and grabbed Adrik. Nadia yelled for him. Alina attacked it with her light and it dropped him and dissolved. They ran to him.

"We need to get him to a healer. This is too much blood." Tamara said checking him over. Footsteps were heard and everyone looked to see Kirigan.

"Do you see him?" Alina asked and Tamara replied with a yes. Alina and Lilian stood up. Alina walked in front of everyone. "I have no intention of hurting you. You must know that by now." He said and his shadow monsters formed.

"Forgive me if I don't take you at your word." Alina spat out. "I was always about the things that mattered." He said and Alina shook her head. "Like creating the fold?"

Kirigan scoffed. "Your obsession with the fold is naive. Destroying it won't solve Ravka's problems. They've hated us and hunted us long before the fold existed. I was there. Now stop this, please. And come with me. We'll rule together side by side. I promised you and I would change the world and I intend to keep that promise."

"That is never going to happen." Alina angrily said. Kirigan took a couple steps forward. "How do you see this playing out? You and your Lantsov prince happily ever after? Your faithful tracker curled up at the foot of your throne. I have seen what you truly are and I have never turned away. I never will. Can they say the same?"

Alina scoffed. "They're not the ones obsessed with power and control." Kirigan looked at Lilian and back at Alina. "Power must be controlled and you are playing a very dangerous game with it."

Alina kept her ground. "You don't want me to tear down the fold because if I do, I'll destroy the only thing you have left." She said and Lilian saw Kirigan grow anger. "Have it your way. He turned his head and his monster stomped over to them.

Alina called to her power and created a force field of light. She turned her head to Tamara. "Help Nadia with Adrik." She said and they grabbed him. "Run!" She shouted.

Alina was brought back her power and wielded it. She was going to blast the nichevo'ya. "Alina stop!" Lilian shouted. But it was too late she let it go and they all flew back.

She saw the roof cracking and picked up Alina and threw her out of the way just as the nichevo'ya started walked towards her. Tamara came and she gave Alina to her. "Go run!" Lilian yelled.

Alina pleaded for her to come. The last thing Alina saw was Lilian use her shadows bringing down the archway blocking them and hearing Kirigan shout.

Lilian fell down in defeat. She heard footsteps behind her and he grabbed her arm and pulled her up. "What was that?" He asked her angrily. "A chance at freedom. You get me, not her." Said replied.

Be pulled her closer. "Looks like your coming with me and being plan B." He said walking with her in his hands.

Later In the caves. All the survivors were gathered. Alina looked around for Mal but found Nikolai. "It's okay Alina he's not here." He said and she looked at him. "Do you know where he is?" She asked.

He looked at her "he must be above ground." Tamara said. "We're some distance from the Spinning Wheel but we'll find him once we have a better handle on things." He assured her.

He looked around for a familiar face. "Where is Lilian?" He asked and Alina looked at him. "Kirigan has her. She sacrificed herself for our safety."  Nikolai cursed at himself.

She handed his a piece of paper. "She gave this to me for you. I don't know what it is." She said and she walked away.

Kirigan and Lilian rode back the his base camp and her dragged her inside. He walked into one of the rooms and it was completely destroyed. She smiled to herself. He let her go and walked to the cages.

There were two of them. Busted open. He looked defeated. He grabbed her roughly by her arm and walked about. She saw a boy standing there. "While we did lose most of what we were working on, I had the foresight to keep these close. So I will be continuing with my amplifier." The boy explained but was cut of by the door slamming in his face.

Kirigan walked to his desk and started breathing heavily. "Damn. Looks like your plans are going to shit." Lilian muttered out. He turned to her. "Not another word." He said angrily and she looked down.

A knock came at the door and a women's voice was heard. "General." He called out and she came in. "Our scouts found no sight of the sun summoner nor prince Nikolai's group." She stated and looked at Lilian.

"So keep looking." He said with irritation in his voice. "Sir, we've nearly rid Ravka of the royal line and have prince Nikolai on the run. We'd diminish him further by shifting our efforts towards dismantling what is left of the first army and their encampments. It would be the more strategic move."

"You sure about that sweetheart." Lilian laughed out. The darkling turned to her and looked at her to shut up. "Except that the little prince and his caravan are with my sun summoner. Alina Starkov is worth more than any army, so at that risk of sounding repetitive, find her." He said and she left.

He walked up to Lilian. "I'm guessing you know where they are?" He asked her in a low voice. She looked at her. "I have no idea where those tunnels lead." She said.

He merely nodded his head. "You can't protect everyone. I will find them with or without you." He said and his nichevo'ya came into the room. She back up looking at them in fear.

"You have one more chance or I will release them."

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Authors note:
Here's the next chapter.
This was really hard to
write. But I hope you
guys like it.
-TPWK