A Court of Thorns and Roses Fanfic

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Azriel returned. "What are your plans?" His voice, once again cold and elegant, asked.

"I have no plans." Quit the crying, quit the panic. Amren clearly was getting sick of it.

"And what will you do? Die here?"

"I hoped to find rest and research my way back into my world -"

"That is not possible."

"Why?"

"No one we know of has ever left this world. Not even Amren."

"If it's possible to arrive, it's possible to get out." It was a battle of logic then.

Amren cut in. "You arrived here by coincidence. You said yourself you have no idea what triggered your arrival here. If you would like false hopes, then go along with your ideals, but I would suggest quitting that. It will be difficult to find your way out of here, more so to navigate yourself to your world. I have tried for thousands of years, girl, and even I chose to stay."

I asked kindly, "Surely you found some sort of way, some theories."

"If there is a way in, there is a way out. But you do not know how to navigate these worlds. The sky ripped apart the day I left my world. I came here coincidentally, as you did. Even if there are ways to leave, it may take you centuries, where by that time your families and friends have scattered."

Or died. That's what she left out. Humans. They had no interest in informing me of the harp, or perhaps Nesta had not informed them yet. "But if you've tried, if you don't mind perhaps - perhaps sharing, then it is possible."

"Millenias I have searched, in languages long forgotten and texts long destroyed. I can tell you what I know, but I will not spend my time helping you further. Those texts, girl, are in languages you have never heard."

"Just tell me. I thank you, for everything."

"And what are your powers?" Azriel asked.

"I have none."

"Perhaps it is what brought you here."

"That is not possible."

Amren added, "Magic is triggered by emotions."

"I was not feeling particularly different."

Azriel informed, "if you let us search your mind, we will give you a place to live." He pitied me. It worked then, all the crying.

"You think I am lying?" Though my words were direct, my voice bobbled.

"No. But if you have other intentions - we will strike."

I gulped, looked down. "I - will you look through everything."

"Only your current thoughts."

"And if not?"

Amren replied, "you rot and die without magic. You find a place to live elsewhere."

I nodded. "Thank you, for offering." I supposed if they knew they were mere books in my world, it would be their loss. I nodded.

I felt it then. A feeling. Fear. Unfamiliarity. My breathing fastened, my heart rate increased. I could not help myself. I was being surrounded by something strange, something wrong, not of anything I've encountered in my world. Something leaned against me. A wrong, wrong power, one that should not be used, one that should not be known whispered in my ears, "speak the truth". I looked around, and found her sitting, and him standing, eyes fixed on me. His voice spoke then. "Have you lied to us?"

I shook my head. My thoughts were empty.

"You are here to betray us? Infiltrate the night court?"

I shook my head again.

"What is your purpose?"

I formed thoughts. Safety. Happiness. Contentment. Joy. "Safety."

"She does not lie." I dared not think nor speak. He smiled, one of knowledge. "She fears us."

It continued to encircle my mind. That leering force, the feeling of being observed, watched.

"What do you do for a living?"

I stopped memories from resurfacing. Stop. Stop.

"You hesitate. You are hiding something?"

I dared not reply.

His voice was cold, colder than before. No life lurked in it. A painful death awaited.

"I was a student."

"What are you hiding?"

I looked down.

He shouted at me, "What are you hiding?" His voice slithered in my mind.

"I was friends... with humans. But - but I was integrated with them, there. Perhaps things work differently here, but - I just want to live. Feel joy. That is all." My eyes pleaded. I let him see the sorrow there.

"That is all."

He left my mind, slowly. I dared not form thoughts for hours after that. They gave me a room there, and the next day, offered me a job at a library, and stayed with them. It was peculiar that they did not let me live elsewhere. Perhaps they wanted to watch me.

okay guys, so up until this point i just wanted to get this part done and over with (her entering prythian and velaris). Finally :) Hopefully from this point on, I can make the characters more accurate to how they are portrayed in the novels and that it will be more exciting - getting to know the characters, me properly writing the main character. Any feedback is appreciated <3 Hope you enjoy!