A Court of Lies and Secrets | ACOTAR fanfic [Girl x Girl]

Belowdeck

~Renae~

"About time you an I meet again." I spit in her direction. Just seeing her face and the hate intertwined with her features is enough to give me a spark- a hint of my old self returned.

"Well done for getting this far. But you won't win."

"Ah the familiar praise of my Mother, everyone!" I raise my arms and indicate to the too-thin female before us. More Illyrians and their flying companions arrive- I don't need to turn to know that. Ginerva's face is immediately lined with a sneer at the mention of the word 'mother'. She is not that to me. I am not her daughter and she is in no way qualified to be a mother.

"You won't win." She tries again. I only smile at that.

"Really? Because it seems I have you outnumbered. So if I were you, I would hand her over and try not to cause too much trouble as I kill you." I spit the last bit with so much fire and anger that her eye actually twitches. She may try to hide that she's scared- or perhaps it's all a show- I don't care. I would love nothing more than to end her right here, right now. But the satisfaction of making her hand over what she so desperately wants is too enticing.

She can't seem to form any words and settles for a shake of the head instead.

Iagan takes her side, appears from nowhere. I try not to look too surprised and instead force my emotions into sarcasm.

"Ah the family reunited at last! I'm so glad you could join us father." I end with a sickly sweet smile and try to hold back any tears. I am so close to exploding with anger- so close to ripping out their throats and detaching their limbs before either of them realise what's happened, I can barely think and function without a thought to how I'd kill them. I'm too focused on their pain that I'm losing sight of what I want.

At least with Ginerva busy above deck, Alirra is left out of harm's way- away from her powers. She can't do anything to her whilst occupied in battle with the ten of us- everyone here now. I want to know how we look, staring the two of them down, outnumbering them. My father never shows fear. Mother tried but, as proven before, her exterior flickers once in a while.

Iagan begins the battle once he pulls out a sword from his side. Azriel and Cassian are obviously the first of ours to match his actions.

~Alirra~

"Wake up! Hello?"

I don't remember much after reaching through the bond- feeling for Renae's presence. I don't remember finding her or- where am I? I have a new form of shackles which are attacked to the floor once again ; thankfully they don't feel as heavy. But instead of stones, it's all wooden planks and there's light dying candles and sims rays through crevices in the wood. Waves hit whatever's outside—so this must be a boat. Where are we going? But there's a strange noise above, like crashing of metal. Scraping and thudding and muffled voices.

"Oh thank the Mother you're awake!" I don't realise someone spoke until they do the second time. I flinch at the brightness (in comparison to the old prison) and the sound of the female speaking.

"Hi, I'm Mireille." She pronounces the last part with a heavy 'ay' as of the accent so similar to Renae's. She looks like Renae too with her void-like eyes and glistening stars that seem to flow through her skin as well as the pools of darkness in her eyes. That's when it hits me. When I remember. This is Ren's sister. I remember the stories Ginerva told me and the conversations with Renae though the bond. I remember Ginerva's despicable plan to steal my body for her daughter to live in. I want to despise her just as much as I do her parents when I remember this- but there's something about her that I just can't bring myself to hate. Perhaps it's because she looks so much like my mate. She's a few decades younger, but still hold the mature posture of her sister. The unfiltered grace of her mother and the strong jaw and broad shoulders of her father.

"I won't hurt you." Her voice is just as lilting as her sister's and it soothes me to the core. I want to close my eyes and listen to her speak- listen to the thick accent and the way she draws out certain words a little too long, just like Renae.

"Mother and Father are above deck. Quite... occupied. They can't hurt you either." She senses unsure discomfort and takes a step back. The girl I remember seeing was weak and frail. She looks entirely different if it wasn't for the same curves of her cheeks and plump bottom lip.

"You don't look ill?" She lights up at my response. Finally getting one after her multiple attempts.

"Mother told you about that, hm?" she asks, but mostly to herself, "it comes and goes. Mostly comes nowadays, but what can you do?" She shrugs- unbothered about her circumstance. I almost forget who her crazy parents are. She's so calm and graceful. Her illness, whatever it is, doesn't affect her- or she doesn't let it. She doesn't seem to overly-worry about her depleting timeline. Her life slowly slipping from her and yet she doesn't seem to get worked up about it.

"Ginerva seems to have a wonderful resolution." I mutter beneath my breath but she still catches every word. Her face flickers into something more sorrowful.

"I'm sorry. I've told them so many times that it isn't what I want. You don't deserve this. Especially not Renae."

"You know about your sister?" She gives me a gentle inclination of her head. A smile still hasn't left her features. She genuinely seems like a nice person and I do believe that she doesn't want what her parents are forcing upon her.

"I have tried to tell them to stop this crazy plan but-"

"You don't need to apologise. Or try to explain them. Trust me, I may not have known them long but I know them well enough."

"They're just protective over me. They don't want to lose another daughter." They didn't lose Renae. I guess in a way they did- but there's no way Iagan and Ginerva taught Mireille that her sister was lost. I would love to hear whatever story they came up with, but time isn't exactly on my side.

"Mireille, please help me out of these chains." I indicate to the shackles and try to prop my back against the wooden wall. I may have had another power nap but not enough to stand.

"I want to try. But I don't think you'll need my help for much longer." The moment she finishes talking, a few thuds sound at the hatch on the ceiling just a few inches a way. The clashes of metal and shouts above deck are still audible.

"Is that-" I don't get to finish a single word and Mireille doesn't get to respond as a dark, slender and all too mesmerisingly beautiful female figure falls through the hatch and lands perfectly on her feet. The wooden door swings from the impact and the dark figure straightens her posture and I know, instantly recognise the way the light catches her features, that my mate is standing before me.

I want to ask Mireille if she's seeing this too. If it's just another illusion from Ginerva, but I don't need to as my mate speaks before I can.

"Ali!" She takes a few hurried steps before extending her bloodied twin daggers to Mireille's throat. She blinks a few times at the surprise of the action, but she doesn't flinch.

"Renae! Stop!" She flashes a glance at me- slightly confused and I pray not jealous. Now is not the time for this.

"Ren- this is- I..."

"I'm Mireille. Your sister." I expect her to lower the daggers in shock and fire questions at her smaller and more frail twin or perhaps drop them to the floor and pull her into a dramatic hug. She does neither. Quite the opposite.

In one swift motion, Mireille is pressed against the opposite wall with both daggers stuck into the planks. The blades crossed and tightly pressed against her neck. Without no way of avoiding being beheaded, Mireille has no option but to watch as Renae runs toward shackles at my wrists and uses a few daggers and her strength to try and pry the links apart.

"It's a blood lock." Mireille croaks from her awkward position and Renae 's hands stop fumbling with the daggers. I can tell by her jagged breath that she is in no mood to deal with Mireille right now. Despite that she is in fact correct about the shackles.

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