Dimly, Aelin heard Feyre's shouts, both inside Mala's mind and out in the real world. But they fell on deaf ears. Something important was on the other side of this wall, and she was going to see what it was.
Aelin followed Feyre's magic towards the clustered memories, her footsteps echoing in the strange golden room she'd entered. She could feel the floor beneath her feet, could feel her breath entering and leaving her. In the back of her mind, she knew something wasn't right. She shouldn't be able to manifest a body inside of a mind.
And yet, here she was. Her hand reaching out to follow that starry smoke, which had wound itself into a circle of sorts around the memories. Mala's life floated around in fragments, sectioned off in a strange orderly fashion.
She reached for the nearest one, which held an image of Deanna scowling. The moment Aelin's fingertips brushed the memory, she felt a jerk in her gut.
Her vision hurtled forward, catapulting her into the memory. When her sight refocused, Deanna was already talking.
"-That foolish Galathynius girl," Deanna was saying. "How dare you help her, over your own flesh and blood?"
"You forget, she is my blood," Aelin replied cooly through Mala's mouth. "And what you are doing here is madness."
"It is genius," Deanna corrected. "And it is only because of your interference I've taken it this far." Deanna turned and walked away, then began circling around the Cauldron, which stood in the middle of the room.
"Had you done nothing, had you let things go according to plan, Aelin Galathynius would already be dead, her world a mere memory," Deanna growled. "But no. You had to be noble."
"I will not let you slaughter an entire world for revenge, Deanna."
"You will not have a choice!" Deanna spun back around, her eyes flashing. "You had a chance, a chance to work with me. But now, you're just another stepping stone in my plan." Deanna stalked toward Aelin and grabbed her arm, pulling her to her feet and over to the Cauldron.
"What are you doing? Stop!!" Aelin protested, trying to fight her off.
Deanna snarled and yanked her forward so that they were nose-to-nose, Aelin's back pressed to the Cauldron's cold brim.
"You did this to yourself." She shoved Aelin's shoulders, and before she could even cry out, Aelin tumbled head over heels into the depths of the Cauldron.
The cold hit her first. So sharp it cut through her skin like a knife, stole her breath from her lungs. Aelin screamed, but no sound emerged from her throat. It was cold, it was so cold, and she couldn't see, couldn't even summon her light--
Her light. She could feel it, stirring under her skin. Aelin threw out her hands, and that beautiful, wonderous radiance spilled from her palms. Aelin closed her eyes for a moment, soaking in that glorious warmth.
Then something changed. A bitter taste appeared on her tongue. A slight tug began in her gut, and the call for her power became insistent. Aelin's eyes flew open. Her light continued to stream from her fingertips, but she couldn't stop it. She could feel it flowing through her veins, from her heart and soul. She could feel it leaving her, and disappearing into the cold, dark recesses of the Cauldron.
And she couldn't stop it. She couldn't--
Aelin gasped as she flew back into her own body, Mala's panic still fresh in her mind. She pulled back from the memory and simply stared at it, horrified. So that part was true, at least. Mala's magic was really trapped inside the Cauldron. But why was she helping Deanna now?
YOU ARE READING
Wildfire and Stars Eternal
Fanfiction[SEQUEL TO CURSEBREAKER AND FIREHEART] The gods have returned, and they are out for blood. With the Queen of Terrasen missing in action, Feyre Archeron takes matters into her own hands. To defeat this enemy, Feyre knows she'll need all the help...
