YOUNG GOD | RHYSAND [ON HOLD]

1.15 | THE END OF A SOUL

Through the crowd's silence, Tamlin's cry pierced like a sharp ended trident does into a fish, breaking his bone. For a sickening moment, when his blood rushed into Feyre's hand, she thought the ash dagger would go clean through him.

But then there was a faint thud-- and a stinging reverberation in my hand as the dagger struck something hard and unyielding. Tamlin lurched forward, his face going pale, and Feyre yanked the dagger from his chest.

It's tip had been nicked, turned inward on itself.

Aadya was the first one to get out of the shock as she ran to Tamlin who was clutching. Too slowly-- he was healing too slowly. The mask didn't fall off. Aadya kneeled before Tamlin, masking him from Amarantha as she started to heal his wound as fast as she could.

The faeries murmured to one another.  As Amarantha stood up from the throne, to watch Tamlin clung on to Aadya.

"She won," someone in the crowd said. "Free them," another echoed.

But Amarantha's face blanched, her features contorting as she realised the depth of the situation. "I'll free them whenever I see fit. Feyre didn't specify when I had to free them--just that I had to. At some point. Perhaps when you're dead," she finished with a hateful smile. "You assumed that when I said instantaneous freedom regarding the riddle, it applied to the trails, too, didn't you? Foolish, stupid human."

Feyre stepped back near Aadya, as Amarantha descended from her dias. Her fingers curled into claws-- Jurian's eye was going wild within the ring, his pupil dilating and shrinking. "And you," she hissed at Feyre. "You." Her teeth gleamed--turning sharp. "I'm going to make you pay for your insolence," Amarantha snarled.

But before her or her magic could reach Feyre, Aadya was in front of Feyre and Amarantha came to a stop upon hearing her voice through madness.

"What about me?"

Aadya's voice echoed through the halls. A moment of real fear entered Amarantha's eyes, but she held her ground and stared back at Aadya's dark grey ones. The Hybern's commander, cocked her head in a mocking manner, "what about you?"

"You know what day it is tomorrow," Aadya snapped, "I can't stay here." Amarantha let out a screeching laugh as she faced Aadya with a mischievous smile. "Why not? I though you were having fun with Rhysand here."

Aadya for once didn't take the bait, and give her the response that she wanted. Instead she moved from her place, as she circled Amarantha, like a predator observing it's prey. If Amarantha was terrified, she didn't show it.

"I'll make you a deal," Aadya began. "You remember what you made me do to release me from your King's clutches right?" Aadya stopped in front of her. "I'll give you the same option, A duel. If you win, everything remains the same. But if I win. . ." Aadya's smile turned sinister. "Me and All the High Lords, are released from the curse. Instantaneously. And you go back to Hybern."

Aadya could see Amarantha contemplating the deal, but for her plan to work she had to say no. Amarantha knew it was a fool's bargain. Even without her powers, Aadya had an advantage, with her ages of practice, so she did the one thing Aadya wanted her to do. "Believe it or not Aadya, I was your friend once, and I do know you. You will never let me leave Prythain alive. So, I will accept my if my death comes by your hands, it will be my honour. But I do need to do something," her eyes turned towards Feyre, "before my death."

Aadya pretended to consider for a moment, as she turned to Feyre, who was clinging on to Tamlin. Aadya turned back to Amarantha, "Ok. But you release all the High Lords curse first, you don't have to do mine, because that will be unfair. And then," Aadya walked to Feyre and pulled her by her arm roughly, "as soon as the curse is broken, I will hold back anyone who dares to oppose, while you," she pointed to Amarantha, "kill her."