[ All of the warm, soft feelings that Inej and Kaz might have pulled out of Alina with their playful roasting of Nikolai fadesβ well, no. It doesn't fade. It's still there, but it feels different. More painful when she sees him again, and somehow love manages to feel like a painful ache in her chest when she's confronted with the reality of it all.
I love you Alina, and she ducks her gaze away for a moment when she hears it ring in her ears. She wants to pretend it never happened. She wants Nikolai to sweep her into her arms and tell her it a thousand times. She wants, and that's the problem.
Alina puts on a reassuring smile for Inej before she leaves. Maybe she isn't so bad at playing a role, but she won't need to for very long.
The walk down to the street and the car is silent. She slips into the passengers seat. Her head rests against the cool glass, following the path of raindrops as they roll across the window.
When she speaks, she surprises herself with the question. ]
action.
I love you Alina, and she ducks her gaze away for a moment when she hears it ring in her ears. She wants to pretend it never happened. She wants Nikolai to sweep her into her arms and tell her it a thousand times. She wants, and that's the problem.
Alina puts on a reassuring smile for Inej before she leaves. Maybe she isn't so bad at playing a role, but she won't need to for very long.
The walk down to the street and the car is silent. She slips into the passengers seat. Her head rests against the cool glass, following the path of raindrops as they roll across the window.
When she speaks, she surprises herself with the question. ]
Who is Dominik?