Aleksander doesn't make mistakes.

Reports came from a First Army station at Tsibeya. A tracker, Malyen Oretsev, had found the Stag—found the amplifier that Aleksander planned to give to Alina. It was a bit earlier than expected, one month before the Winter Fete, but Aleksander could make this work. Alina's power would be increased at the demonstration he was planning on at the Winter Fete, and all of Ravka will look at the Grisha with hope.

Just like Aleksander planned, but even better.

Tsibeya greeted them with cold, Genya and Alina shrugging their keftas tighter around their frames. Ivan and Fedyor slightly speeding up their heartbeats to generate more body heat. Aleksander didn't bat an eye at the cold, or maybe he just didn't feel that anymore.

The First Army soldiers watched with veiled distrust and distaste as the Grisha's horses passed through the First Army base. Aleksander doesn't acknowledge anyone as he gets off his horse, walking to the Lieutenant's tent. Zoya trailed right behind him, brushing against Alina with distaste—still holding a grudge.

Aleksander felt it, a few meters ago. As an amplifier himself, Aleksander has always been more sensitive to Grisha power. And the power coming from this settlement? Aleksander could taste it.

It pulsed in the air—raw, soft and untamed. Like sunlight, but softer. Softer in the way that moonlight fell upon the night.

Lieutenant of this First Army base—Zevsky—if Aleksander remember correctly, walked out of the tent to greet them. Zevsky's eyes fell on Aleksander, then on Zoya, Genya, Ivan and Fedyor until they landed on Alina.

"Is the stag here?" Aleksander's voice was cold, forcing Zevsky to look back at the General of the Second Army.

"Um—yes. But, General Kirigan, there is a slight...complication." Zevsky looked to the side again.

Aleksander's eyes narrowed, his voice becoming colder than Tsibeya.

"Complications?" Aleksander grabbed Zevsky by the coat. "I said, to not kill it. You dare disobey my order?"

"N-no. No we didn't touch it General Kirigan."

"Then what are these complications?" Zoya shuffled besides Aleksander, her eyes jumping from the Lieutenant to the tent. The First Army soldiers picked themselves up, watching the Grisha with further distaste.

Aleksander didn't say anything, shoving Zevsky aside, as he stepped into the tent, his Second Army following him.

There it was—that beacon of power. The antlers, white as snow, but... Aleksander couldn't help but stop in his tracks, barely registering Zoya bumping into his back.

The Stag. It—no. She looked up at him. This girl with antlers white as snow, looked at Aleksander. She sat next to a First Army soldier—probably the tracker that found her—covered in a coat.

Aleksander was never wrong. Aleksander couldn't be wrong. He needed to kill the amplifier to amplify Alina.

But the amplifier needed to be a mindless animal.

Aleksander has killed thousands in his 500 years of being alive. But when this stag looked at him? He couldn't move.