A Court of Iron and Shadows

Iron Shackles

Aelin's POV

I thud through something, the iron coffin shattering it as I fall further to the ground. I land with a big thump, the impact rattling me to my bones. I grunt slightly, the fall irritating my open wounds as blood continues to gush through them.

I hear as the conversation picks up slightly, although they only reach my ears as whispers due to the thick iron. Muffled, like listening to them under water. "Should we open it?" a female asks warily.

"No!" a deep voice echoes, the sound vibrating through me. I can practically hear the sneer in his voice and I roll my eyes, already thoroughly exasperated. They discuss this for a few more minutes until finally reaching a decision.

Suddenly, a loud noise fills my ears, and light explodes in my vision as the lid of the iron coffin in torn off of it's hinges, thrown to the ground. I squint my eyes, daggers of light piercing my vision. 

I smile to myself, finally ready to be taken out of the cage they had put this little bird into. I put weariness in my eyes, hoping to fool them as eyes scan me, roving over my body.

A male with dark hair and violet eyes takes a step towards me, and I dart up, attempting to break the chains and move into a fighting stance. I step out of the box, remembering the iron that encased me.

My legs wobble as I put my frail bodies weight onto them. When was the last time I stood up properly? Too long. I back into a corner, too tired to care about him trapping me. With everyone here, and me in the state I was, I wouldn't be able to escape anyways. He takes a step towards me again, all of their eyes sticking to me like glue. A broken whimper comes out of me as I look at all of the iron surrounding me, the iron coffin that had enclosed me for far too long.

Hours had melted into days, days into months until I couldn't tell what time it was and how long I had been in the dark. I fall to the ground as the male with violet eyes took another step towards me, only to be stopped with a hand on his forearm by the female that stood next to him. "Get it off." I whisper, my throat broken and hoarse from hours of screaming. "Get it off!" I say, louder this time. Panic overtakes members of who were gathered, slowly creeping into their eyes.

"Get it off!" I scream, "Get it off, get it off, GET IT OFF!!!" Tears stream down my face, beneath the iron mask, and I raise my voice even louder. A female with blond hair and a dark red dress on approaches me.

She tugs at the chains. Harder. Harder. To no avail. She lets out a grunt of annoyance, and instead goes to inspect my wounds when I squirm away, sinking into myself as I lean slightly into the shadows.Her hands reach out slowly, and I move away even further—if it was possible, before she withdraws, frowning slightly. I claw at the mask of iron, scratching—or at least attempting to with the gauntlets covering my hands. I try and force it off of my face, moving the gauntlets behind it until it hooks slightly, and pull. I let out a shattered scream, and more than one looks at me with disgust or pity looming in their eyes.

"Enough of this nonsense!" A blond male with piercing green eyes says, "Take her to the dungeons until we can decide what to do with her." Multiple people turn their heads to stare at him in distaste.

"This is my court, Tamlin. It is not your decision to decide what to do with her." Tamlin, he said his name was, snarls at him, but the male with chocolatey skin and dark brown hair ignores him, staring at me. A male with red hair and pale skin scoffs at the decision, a sneer overtaking his face as he looks at me with disgust, but wisely, says nothing against it.

"Get it off!" I say again, pleading to the rutting gods. Everyone ignores me, taking place in a debate about what to do with me. Everyone, except a man wreathed in shadows. He inspects me with quiet curiosity. He has huge wings on his back, and cropped raven hair that fell into his eyes, covering part of his forehead. His eyes are hazel, and blue gems adorn his armor, and I count seven in total.A sword hangs by his side, beautifully destructive and deadly. He takes a few shuffles towards me, and this time, I don't cower away. I don't flinch as he comes closer until he's only a few feet from me, and kneels before me."My name is Azriel." He said.