When I awoke, it was still night, the moon having lowered only a couple inches in the star-splattered sky. My hands were bound behind my back, and the brick wall of a building dug painfully into my shoulder blades. The same Grisha Heartrender who had knocked me out stood in front of me. I had a perfect view of her polished black boots from the ground.

It took me a moment to remember. The battle, the Darkling, my injuries and David's death.

But when I did, I forced myself up to my feet, ignoring the pain that shot down my body.

The Grisha turned to look at me, tearing her eyes away from whatever had piqued her interest.

"Watch." She said. Her voice was rough and husky.

I followed her gaze.

The Grand Palace was burning. Heat stung my face and ashes fell like rain.

Smoke curled up from the red blaze like twisted spikes. The golden details were licked in flames, and the raging inferno had almost completely devoured the third floor. Tidemakers and Inferni stood behind the still closed gates, desperately trying to quench the fire in their different ways.

The Darkling hadn't even bothered to try and siege the palace. He had just made it into a bonfire. His forces watched it burn, their faces covered in the cinders that they had made.

I assessed my options. I could probably over power the Heartrender, but then what? My light was useless against a fire, and to get to the palace I would have to make my way through the Darkling, his soldiers and the nichevo'ya.

I didn't know what I could do, but I was certain of one thing; I would not sit back and watch my loved ones burn. Or Ravka's chance, I added.

I drove my elbow into the Heartrender's stomach. As she fell to her knees I punched her in the face, then kicked her in the head for good measure. She was out cold. I was suddenly very thankful for Botkin's training. The remainder of his death only furthered my rage, and I once more vowed that the Darkling would pay for everyone he had killed.

I grabbed the Grisha steel dagger from the Heartrender's belt, using it to slice my bonds. The rope snapped.

I looked up to make sure that no one was watching me. All of the Darkling's forces had converged a couple hundred feet from where I stood,and lucky for me, their eyes remained fixed on the fire.

The adrenaline that I had released earlier was giving away, and with its wavering came the pain from my injuries. Gritting my teeth, I snuck into the outskirts of the crowd. No one gave me a second glance in the darkness as I gradually creeped closer towards the front of the army.

My blood crawled. I hated being this close to the people who served the Darkling. But a part of me felt sympathy towards the soldiers like the man Nikolai had killed; forced into this fight. Forced as I was to be a saint.

Murmurs started to ripple through the crowd as three figures emerged from the smoke produced from the blaze, all of their hands raised in surrender. I froze.

Nikolai, Genya and Zoya stopped just outside of the gates.

"Have you considered my offer?" The Darkling inquired. He spoke with the conviction of a man who knew he had won.

Anything that the Darkling could offer was not a good thing.

Nikolai raised his chin. "You'll set the fire out and make sure no harm comes to any member of the First and Second armies?"

The Darkling laughed lazily. "No harm will come to your soldiers now. But I punish disobedience very severely."

I froze. They were going to surrender Ravka to save its people, I realized. How could they? Surely Nikolai saw that he was not only sentencing himself, Zoya and Genya to death, but practically all of Ravka as well.

Nikolai exchanged a nod with Genya and Zoya, almost like a farewell. He opened his mouth to speak and I knew he was going to agree to the Darkling's terms.

"No!" I yelled. Pushing through the army, I broke through the crowd, running up to the gate that separated us from the burning palace. I placed my fingers on the warm metal. Heat stung my face and falling ashes caused my eyes to water. "Nikolai don't do this." I started into his hazel eyes, willing him, begging him to see that this was a horrific idea.

"Alina…" I could tell that Nikolai had made his decision. A part of me understood that this was what any good ruler would do; put their lives before that of their people.

That didn't mean I had to agree with his choice.

I instead turned to Genya and Zoya. "Can't you see?" I cried. "Don't you already know that the Darkling is a monster? That he will kill you and Ravka with it? Haven't you seen what he is capable of?"

Genya looked to be on the verge of tears, and she grabbed my hand through the gate. "I know what he is capable of. That is why I agreed to this."

I turned to Zoya, even though I already knew her answer. She set her jaw. I could tell that she too was unhappy about this, but saw what I could not. "This will save the most lives."

"No!" I shouted. They could not be just giving up. Not after everything.

"Alina, please." Nikolai whispered.

"You don't know what you're asking me to do."

"Yes, we do," Zoya said. She spoke with steel in her tone.

"You're expecting me to sit by and watch you hand Ravka over to the Darkling. You want me to watch as he kills you!" My voice broke on the last words. I was suddenly very aware of the watching and listening crowd of my enemies.

"That's exactly what I'm expecting you to do! Because that is what's best for Ravka. Don't be selfish Alina." Nikolai's eyes glistened with anger and sadness and tears.

Something inside of me withered. I leaned my head against the metal gate, my hand still in Genya's.

"I accept your terms," I heard Nikolai say. I didn't want to open my eyes. I didn't want to see all of the remiminders that we had failed.

The sound of rushing water filled my ears, and I knew the Darkling was making good on his word to command his Tidemakers to help Ravka's set out the fire.

The heat on my face disappeared. I opened my eyes tentatively. Only the third floor of the Grand Palace had been affected by the fire as far I could tell. The walls were blackened and most of the many balconies were charred.

As soon as the fire was out, soldiers began to pour out of the palace. Makeshift masks made from torn cloth covered their face, presumably to keep out the smoke from the fire. In their body language and facial expressions I saw the grim look of defeat.

Foot stops sounded behind me. I felt the Darkling's strong arms pull me away from the gate as it opened.

He made sure Ravka's forces were out of the palace. Then he let go of me with a look that let me know to stay near or there would be consequences.

The Darkling and I stood in the center of the crowds next to Nikolai, Genya and Zoya, where everyone could see us.

"Kneel, dog." He hissed to Nikolai. Malice and cruelty gleamed in his amethyst eyes. For a moment, I didn't think Nikolai was going to do it.

But then he dropped onto his knees. Genya and Zoya joined him.

The Darkling turned to face the crowd. "Nikolai Lantsov, Zoya Nazyalensky and Genya Safin. You are traitors to your country. And I do not tolerate treason."

He raised his arms. Nichevo'ya formed at his fingertips, blackness bleeding from his pale hands. The nichevo'ya surrounded Nikolai, Zoya and Genya.

I knew this moment was coming. But that didn't mean I still didn't try to stop it. I lunged forward, about to dispel the nichevo'ya with my light. But the Darkling held me back.

I kept fighting.

The Darkling gripped my chin with his fingers, forcing me to watch. I would have anyway, for I owed them at least that must. I kept my eyes on them, even as I thrashed in the Darkling's grip. Even as the shadows blocked them from my view.

After a minute, the darkness and nichevo'ya dispersed. Three bodies fell to the ground with a thunk.

"No!" A cry of anguish escaped my lips, too broken to be called a scream. "No, no ,no, no!"

The Darkling let me go, and I stumbled to where Nikolai, Genya and Zoya lay.

Tears slipped down my cheek. They were so still in death. I would never see Nikolai smile again, never again hear Zoya's teasing quips or feel Genya's quiet strength urging me on.

I felt like a shard of glass, having been whole at one point; even under unimaginable heat and pressure. But in the end I was always condemned to splinter. Always destined to crack.

But broken glass was more dangerous that whole.

The Darkling gripped my head and yanked it back. "The great Sun Saint. The powerful Sol Koroleva," he declared to the crowd. I didn't fight this time. I just sat there as the cobble stone dug into my knees, the Darkling's gloved hand pulled on my hair, staring up into the sky. Sitting behind the bodies of my best friends, kneeling in front of the feet of my greatest enemy. My neck ached from the strain.

"Even Santka Alina couldn't defeat me." A smug note to his voice seemed reserved for me." Now show some respect to your new king."

Murmurs spread throughout the crowd as the majority of them got down on their knees. But some remained standing.

The Darkling released his hands from my hair, yanking out strands that had tangled themselves around his fingers.

I scanned the crowd, studying the faces of those who dared defied Ravka's new king. I didn't know why I even bothered looking; I knew who I would see.

I slowly rose to my feet, dread pooling in my heart, mixing bitterly with my grief.

Mal stood perhaps the most definitely "I will never bow to you!" He cried.

"Mal." I said, just so he could barely hear it. I knew he could see the pled in my eyes, begging for him to do whatever it took to stay alive.

I couldn't lose him too.

"Mal."

His lips curled in disgust. "Cowards." His blue eyes found my face. "Traitors." He looked behind me to where the Darkling stood. "Bowing at the Darkling's feet!" The words came out as a yell. I knew he was addressing the crowd but those words were meant for me.

"He won't show you mercy." Mal spat. "He won't show you goodwill. He won't show you anything but death. And those who give in to him deserve every inch of what he'll do to you."

I let out a choked cry, stumbling back as if I had been punched.

The Darkling leaned in, lips brushing the shell of my ear as he pulled me into him. "The man who claims to love you just denounced you in the cruelest way. He is nothing. You are nothing to him." His mouth moved up, softly grazing my temple. "And yet to me, you are everything."

I was frozen in the Darkling's arms, his poisoned words darkening my mind. I wanted to cry. I wanted to scream, to shout, to beg; anything to escape the growing numbness inside.

"Mal." I said again. "You're all I have left. Please don't make them take you from me."

"What have you become?" was all he said in response.

I looked up at the sky once more, the top of my head touching the Darkling's chest. I noted that dawn was starting to break.

The Darkling removed his arms from around me and approached Mal, stepping over Nikolai's body. The other soldiers who had refused to bow shifted uneasily behind Mal.

"What a waste of my time," The Darkling said. He waved his hand, cleaving everyone still standing in two with the Cut. Everyone but Mal. I felt a twisted sense of relief.

"Normally, I might keep you alive." He said to Mal. "As you are the only person who I could control Alina with. But there are...Other ways." He spoke quietly, his words meant only for the three of us.

"No!" I shouted. Everyone's eyes were on me, most of them widened in surprise. "Don't. Touch. Him."

The Darkling's eyes brightened as if he had come up with a brilliant idea and his lips twisted into a wicked smile. "Beg."

"What?"

"Beg for the Tracker's life and I just might spare him."

I faltered. I knew that I would do anything to save Mal, especially now after the deaths of Nikolai, Geny and Zoya. But my pride made me pause.

The hesitation must have been written clearly on my face, because the Darkling turned his back to me.

My eyes found Mal's. He looked calm, but I had known him long enough to see behind that mask. My heart ached with the love I felt for him and I knew he felt the same way.

The Darkling slowly raised his hand.

I couldn't lose Mal too.

"Wait," I said. "Stop!" I rushed forward until I stood in between Mal and the Darkling.

"Well?" He said, waiting.

I haltingly lowered myself to my knees, cursing my pride.

"Please. Please don't kill him."

He tilted his head to the side, his eyes studying me lazily. "And why should I?"

"I-" I struggled to find the right thing to say. "If you spare him, I'll obey you."

The Darkling looked amused, arching his left eyebrow. "Oh will you now?" He raised his arm once more, his mocking smile vanishing. "I don't believe you."

'Wait. No!" I was crying, I realized and my hands desperately grasped the front of the Darkling's kefta, trying to stop him in any way I could. "I swear!"

He looked down at me. His amethyst eyes glittered the same grey of the slowly lightning sky. He looked to be enjoying every second of this. I tightened my jaw in resentment.

"Please." I whispered so only he would hear. "Mal's all I have left." My shoulders shook as I silently sobbed.

The Darkling reached out with both hands and slowly wiped the tears coming from both of my eyes. When he was done, his fingers cupped the sides of my face. "That's where you are wrong, my dear," he said to me alone. "You will always have me."

He smiled, and in the red light from the rising sun, his teeth looked to be covered in blood.