A few hours later Sturmhond unlocked the cell letting me out, he gave the same warning as before, that all his men had permission to fill me with holes if I tried anything, and let my hands out of the cuffs.

I didn't really believe his warning, if anything I thought it was just a bluff, we both knew I was valuable leverage and if he killed me they would have a very angry Darkling after their heads and possibly an angry Sun Summoner. The question was, is he willing to risk that? And after being in his presence for a total of 2 whole hours altogether I'd say, possibly.

Sturmhond once again led me around the ship but this time we took a few different twists and turns until we came to what I presumed was, "The captain's quarters?" I inquired.

He looked back at me and shrugged, "I thought it better to give the three of you privacy to meet from the rest of the ship."

I narrowed my eyes at him, "What do you mean 'the three of you' I thought you said it was just my mother."

He flashed me a wild smile, "Why don't you go in and find out for yourself?"

"And why don't you just tell me beforehand?"

"That would take all the fun out of it now go on, I have things to be doing." He opened the door and closed it after me, I was surprised he didn't come in, surprised but also grateful, I didn't want him listening to our conversation.

"- she's a child Mal," a voice said.

"The Darklings child, we don't know how long he's had her, for all we know she could be-" he was cut off.

"Dangerous? I think you're forgetting she's also my child-" I knocked on the wall to get their attention, I felt awkward listening in on their conversation.

The man who was named Mal poked his head around the corner to see who it was, his eyes widened then narrowed when he saw me. He looked strong and his ice blue eyes looked like they could pierce anyone who looked at him wrong.

I narrowed my own eyes at him, "What are you doing here?"

He crossed his arms, "I didn't want Alina to be alone."

"You mean you don't trust me."

"That's not what I said."

"It's what you're thinking though," I smarted, "I'm sure she's perfectly capable of protecting herself don't you think?"

"Always good to have help," he retorted.

I scoffed, "Oh yes, because an otkazat'sya will work wonders against the cut."

Alina then rounded the corner and placed a hand on his shoulder, "It's alright Mal," she reassured him, "I can handle this, wait outside or do something else, just give us a few minutes ok?" He looked like he wanted to argue but didn't, he grunted then left us but not before giving me a sceptical look.

"Real charmer ya have there," I grumbled once he left, something about that guy just didn't seem right to me.

"Saints," Alina steadied herself against the wall and put a hand to her chest, "You look just like.... well, me."

Now, I promise I was trying my best not to be snarky, but like my father had commented before, it was a package deal, "Well, yes, I think that's how the whole 'genetics' thing works."

I winced when I said it, thinking about the scolding I would have gotten if my adoptive mother had heard, but to my surprise she just laughed. When she stopped laughing she asked me a question, her voice barely above a whisper, "How is he? The Darkling?"

I smiled inside, so she did still care for him, I knew given the circumstances that it wouldn't be some fairytale ending, this wasn't going to be like all the books I read, this wasn't some story, "He's fine," I answered, "Well, probably not right now since the two of you got away and I was kidnapped, but ultimately he's fine."

She tensed at the last part, obviously she wasn't fond of the word kidnapping, "And while you were with him he didn't, hurt you? Or try to manipulate you in any way?" She questioned.

I almost choked on the air I was breathing, "Excuse me?" Words couldn't describe the confusion and astonishment I felt, "What do you mean manipulate me? And why on earth would he hurt his own child?"

I took a step back as she came closer, "The whole reason I ran off in the first place was because he lied to me, manipulated me so he could take my power for his own gain."

"You're wrong," I breathed.

Her voice rose to a desperate half shouting plea, "Rena, listen to yourself, he's already manipulated your own thoughts-"

"Stop saying that!!" I shouted, my anger seeping into my voice, "Unlike you we don't get the privilege of being viewed as a Saint, we don't have their trust!!"

"Rena," she started, "I know what you're feeling, but-"

I let out a low, sad, angry laugh, tears threatening to course like a river down my cheeks, "No, no you don't!! To them I'm the product of an unfortunate curse the beloved Sankta Alina had to endure! When they look at me they don't see the scared little girl who is still figuring it all out, all they see is him," I summoned a small ball of light in my right hand, "They see the light as their saviour, their refuge," I summoned a ball of shadows in my other hand, "And the dark as the enemy, as the thing that needs extinction. They know only two things, no, not balance or pity, only love and hate, and when they see that I can wield both what they call safety and the enemy do you want to know what they think, what they say?" My voice lowered and I turned my back to her, "Just go outside and you'll know, the rumours are as common as grass."

She looked at a loss for words, "You're angry, I understand that but I am trying to protect you, to keep you safe."

I scoffed, "All these years, that's what you've been trying to do, protect me? Well newsflash, I never needed protection, I don't need this false sense of security, what I did need what I've needed for years upon years was you, and him, I need someone like me, I needed my parents."

"You know I couldn't have done that, I wanted nothing more than to meet you," she tried to reason, "But it would have been too dangerous, he would have most certainly found you much younger, mabey even when you were a toddler turning child."

"Good, he should have. If he did I would never have been sick, weak, I wouldn't have been bullied for looking Ravkan, I would never have problems controlling my power, but-" I couldn't take this anymore, could already hear my voice giving way to pain, instead I walked up to the door but turned my head to her before I opened it, "I'm sorry I'm not what you thought, but sometimes the truth stings. Mabey some day we could see eye to eye, but unfortunately today is not that day," and with that I opened the door and walked out.

Sturmhond and Mal were leaning against the two walls of the corridor, deep in conversation. I turned to Sturmhond, "We're done here," I told him.

Mal pushed pass me into the room with Alina while Sturmhond and I stayed standing outside for a bit, "You sure?" He asked, I nodded and he kicked off the wall and led me back to my cell where I was once again bound and locked up.

You guys don't know how nervous I am to post this chapter, I've been having a hard time getting inspiration to write recently but you guys have been a blessing from the Saints, your comments and little ideas life me up so much you have no idea, in saying that I would like to give a little shout out to who gave me the idea for one of Rena's lines ❤

Hope your all having an amazing day.