Wildfire and Stars Eternal

Chapter 37: The Hope of Dreamers

"So much for that dramatic exit, huh?" Feyre grinned at Aelin, the look slightly crazed. Aelin huffed out a breath. 

"You all do realize we tried this before. It cannot be split amongst people!"

Three more figures flickered into being next to Feyre. Morrigan, Azriel, and Amren. Then, to Aelin's great surprise, Prince Varian, followed by Princess Cresseida and High Lord Tarquin. 

"Has everyone gone completely mad?" She barked. She again tried to pry her fingers free of her mate and Rhysand, but both males had grips of iron. 

"We're not going anywhere. You were ready to give your life for my world," Rhys told her. "It's only fair that I return the favor." 

Aelin growled. "Idiots." 

"Might as well accept it, Fireheart," Rowan said. She turned her head to glare at him. "They're all here to help you whether you want it or not." 

Aelin sighed through her nose and turned back to the Lock. "Fine. But if we all die, I'm kicking all your asses to kingdom come." 

She closed her eyes again, focusing on filling every tiny crack in the Lock. Every drop of power she used, she tried to sift through, pushing anything she didn't recognize away. But as she continued, it became more difficult. 

She'd held this power before. The stars and black smoke. And she recognized that sea-kissed light. That silver wisp of luster. The souls of her friends intertwined with her own, and it became impossible to tell them apart from herself. She no longer knew who she gave, or who was giving to her. 

She could feel that this time was different, somehow. The power coursing through her felt like a wave of pure life, of light and life and breath and magic of two worlds, finally settling into one being as if it were coming home. She'd never been meant to meet these people. Their worlds were never meant to collide. And yet...

Somehow she felt no pain. Not like last time. With so many next to her, behind her, with her. Her magic tore out of her still, but for every drop she lost, another replaced it. She'd never been meant to see this other world. But these people, this spark of light that they all lived with... it was power as she'd never seen before. And as they gave it freely, she used it gladly. 

She channeled every bit of it into the Lock. Every last bit of her own self, every last bit of power her friends offered. Her eyes flew open just as the cracks began to heal, knitting together to form a solid figure once more. The Eye of Elena made whole for the final time. 

Aelin allowed one breath to escape her lungs. Just one, as the Eye healed completely, snapping together with one final crack. 

Aelin's hands slackened in Rhys and Rowan's. She panted heavily through her teeth. 

"We need to seal it and leave." She managed to say over the magic roaring between them all. She looked to her mate. "Rowan, if this doesn't work, we won't get to say goodbye." 

"We won't need to." He leaned forward and closed his eyes, pressing his forehead tight against hers. "I love you, Fireheart. And I will find you wherever we go next." 

There was no map to help her this time. Nothing to guide her home. But Aelin didn't stall. She thrust the last bit of power at the Lock, sending it back to where it came from. 

The ground cracked open underneath her feet, and Aelin closed her eyes, preparing herself for the fall. She felt the swoop of her heart, felt the fall becoming real, felt her body begin to tumble through the gate. 

But before she could even begin to fall, the grips on both her hands tightened, and her body reeled backward. She felt jabs of pain in both her shoulders and her eyes flew open to find Rowan and Rhys hauling her back from the gate. 

"Sorry, Aelin," Rhys grunted, using the full force of his weight to pull on her arm. He had both hands wrapped around her wrist, his wings splayed out to catch him. Feyre stood behind him, one hand latched onto the strap of his sword sheath, the other gripping Mor. "You're not getting away that easily." 

"But we need to go home! The Lock is re-made, it's going to close all the worlds soon, we-" Suddenly, an idea struck her. She slowly looked over everyone gathered there with her. Quickly, before she had the chance to lose hope, she ducked under Rhys's arm, keeping her grip on his hand. "Feyre!" 

"You've had an idea, I'm assuming?" Feyre asked, eyeing the open gate before them. The force of it whipped her hair into her face, but Feyre didn't seem to mind. 

Aelin nodded. "This Lock is different, Feyre. Before, it was made only of my magic, the magic of Erilea." 

"But now it's got some of Prythian in it, too," Feyre replied. "Where are you going with this?" 

"What have we learned?" Aelin was practically laughing. She had never wanted more to be right. "Everything is connected. Magic and memories and life-" 

"And worlds." Feyre's eyes widened. "You don't think-?" 

"Ladies! Maybe now would be a good time to fill us in?" Rhys barked. "The portal appears to be closing!" 

Aelin spun around. Rhys was right, the edges of the gate were thinning. They didn't have much time. 

It was crazy. It was insane thinking, a dreamer's fond hope. 

But worlds were built on the hope of dreamers. And Aelin had to believe she'd be right. 

"You'll have to trust me!" Aelin yelled, starting to pull them all toward the gate. "Get in a circle, now!" 

Not one person argued with her. Aelin ducked back under Rhysand, and Rowan reached across the circle to grab Tarquin's hand, completing the circle around the portal.

"Jump on three! And whatever you do, don't let go!!" Aelin bellowed over the thunderous sound of the gate. "One... Two..." 

She jumped forward, straight into the portal, dragging Rowan and Rhys with her. 

And they began the fall through worlds.

Aelin cosplay by parchment_and_realms!!

Oh, I love a dramatic cliffhanger, don't you?