Wildfire and Stars Eternal

Chapter 22: The Understanding

At the moment, I wasn't sure what was more aggravating: Rowan's stony silence, or Rhys pacing back and forth in front of me. I settled for Rhys and reached out to grab his arm as he walked by again. He sat down next to me, taking my hand and twining it with his. 

I glanced over at the bed, but nothing had changed. Aelin still lay motionless on the covers, her breathing shallow and her skin sickly pale. Mor stood next to her, eyes closed, soft light emitting from her palms. 

Amren walked into the room, her gaze passing swiftly over Aelin and landing on Rhys. "Where's the goddess?" 

"Still in the Court of Nightmares. She's in the same state as Aelin," He replied. "Az is watching her." 

Amren's eyes turned to me. "What happened?" 

I rubbed my temple. "I don't know. We broke through Mala's mind, then Aelin walked off towards this..." I groaned and sat back, covering my face with my hands. "I don't know, alright? She vanished behind this golden light. When I left Mala's mind, she was like this." 

Amren walked over to Aelin, stopping beside Mor and watching while she worked. In the silence, I dared another glance at Rowan. 

He stood on Aelin's other side, his eyes on his wife. His muscles were pulled taut, so tense I thought he might shatter if he moved. I glanced at Rhys. 

What do you think happened? 

My guess is she's trapped. He replied, rubbing my hand softly with his thumb. She followed a trail she shouldn't have. I wouldn't put it past Mala to lay some sort of trap for her.

But-

A sharp intake of breath interrupted our conversation. I turned toward Aelin, my heart stuttering when I heard her voice. 

"Have you not done enough?" She muttered. Her eyes stayed closed, but her pale skin was flooding with color again. Sweat beaded on her brow. 

I stood and moved to her side, gently pushing Amren out of the way. She made a noise in the back of her throat, but I ignored her. "Aelin?" 

"Aelin, wake up," Rowan said softly, leaning down to stroke her golden hair. Aelin didn't reply to either of us. Her eyes scrunched tight, her lips pressing together as if she were in pain. 

"What's she saying?" Mor asked, leaning closer and dropping her hands. 

"I am of no more use to you," Aelin whispered, her voice raspy and dry. "Why..." 

"Who is she talking to?" Amren muttered. I didn't answer. Obviously, Aelin wasn't fully present. She was somewhere far away. I wondered...

I reached out my hand to touch her forehead, but another reached out to stop me. 

"I know what you're thinking, Feyre darling," Rhys said, pulling my hand back to my side. "I don't believe it's safe to enter her mind at the moment. Someone has a very strong hold on her." 

"Why..." Aelin groaned again, twisting against the sheets, her face contorted in a snarl. "Why?" 

And then her eyes flew open, a loud cry on her lips as she shot upward, chest heaving. We all jumped at her sudden movement. 

Rowan was the first to get over his surprise. "Fireheart, what did you do?" He practically picked her up off the bed as he embraced her. She coughed slightly at his strong grip. 

"I'm fine, Buzzard," She grumbled, her voice barely a croak. She returned his embrace, resting her head on his shoulder. "To answer your question..." She sighed heavily. Her grip on her mate tightened. "I believe I just solved our tedious little riddle." 

"You know the gods' plan?" Mor asked, crossing her arms. Aelin finally released Rowan and sat back on her heels, looking over her shoulder at all of us. Her gaze flicked once to me, then stayed trained on the covers of the bed. 

"Yes. I managed to look through some of Mala's memories before she kicked me out." Again, that small glance at me. "I suppose I have your powers to thank for that, Feyre." She cracked a small smile. I felt like returning it, but I was too annoyed. What is it with this queen and games of self-sacrifice?

"You complete idiot!" I yelled, throwing my hands up. Her eyes widened slightly. "What were you thinking? You can't just walk off into someone's mind without a direct route out!" 

Aelin winced, still staring at the covers. She played with a loose string on one of the edges. "I know. I just- something was calling to me." She sighed heavily. "Now I know why." 

Finally, she met my gaze head-on. That strange black smoke in her eyes swirled, crackling with a forgotten fire. "They- Deanna wanted me to use the Cauldron, to take on some of your power." She held up her hand, letting starry black smoke pour from her fingertips. Everyone took a step back as it sank to the ground. Aelin clenched her fist, shutting it off. She squeezed her eyes shut, her breathing becoming uneven. 

"She's going to use me," She whispered. Rowan laid his hands on her shoulders, and she grabbed one with her free hand, clenching it so tight her knuckles turned white. "Somehow, I don't know how, Deanna can control me, can control this new power I hold." 

She opened her eyes. The smoke in her eyes had frozen, glittering silver in her irises. "She's going to make me destroy all that I love. She did warn me. She warned that I'd have to watch as she burned everything I care for." 

The room was silent. The implications that Aelin had put forth... 

I felt awful for yelling at her. I sank on the bed next to her, taking her hand in mine. 

"We won't let that happen, Aelin. I don't care what Deanna thinks, there's no way she can force you to destroy an entire world." 

Aelin turned towards me, all emotion wiped from her face. She looked so, so tired. "That's where you're wrong. She can." She stood up, letting go of both me and her mate. She walked around the bed and to the window. "She already has." 

She pointed. I joined her at the window and saw that she was pointing to the square where she'd fought Hellas. "What are you talking about?" 

"Morrigan was right," Aelin whispered. "I led him here. I keep leading them here. They traced my Wyrdgate here and attacked the theatre. They traced my winnowing here, and sent Hellas to capture me." 

She turned around to look at Rhys. "I need to leave before she finds me again. Where can I go that I could be hidden from her sight?" 

"What- you aren't leaving," I protested. "We need you, you're the only one who-" 

"You need me gone." She answered harshly. "If I stay, we might not be so lucky a third time. Deanna will not stop, Feyre. She intends to destroy both our worlds, don't you understand that?" 

"Of course I do, but-"

"There is no but," Aelin interrupted. "I cannot stay in Velaris. I have to leave before Deanna finds me again." She took my hands, her eyes pleading with me. "Before she makes me do something I can't take back." 

I took a deep breath, then met Rhysand's eyes. "Where can she go?" 

Feyre cosplay by thestarseternal!!

SHADOW AND BONE SEASON 2 IS OFFICIAL!!! IT'S HAPPENING!! AND I'M NOT GOING TO SHUT UP ABOUT IT AT LEAST UNTIL WE GET A NIKOLAI, TOLYA, TAMAR, AND WYLAN CASTING!! 

Also Sturmhond because I assume he'll be a different actor? Maybe? I don't care really I'M JUST SO EXCITEEEEEED!!!!!