Their Fireheart

Chapter Forty

Rowan

We'd returned to Velaris as soon as Aelin and the Night Court exited the decrepit manor house, their expressions telling me nothing about how the meeting had gone. Once we'd touched down at the House of Wind, everything made sense. We couldn't trust the mortal queens, especially if they noticed the Book's absence.

My head pounded as Aelin succinctly explained everything that had occurred. The golden queen had stolen the second half of the Book for them, apparently swayed by the love letter Rhysand had written, dreaming of a better world. Not only was there likely foul play amongst the queens themselves, but they were clearly working for Hybern. Not the news we would like to hear, but thanks to my clever mate, we at least would not be surprised by their betrayal.

Amren had arrived within minutes, all of us present as Aelin opened the Book. With no spells or protection keyed into it now that it was in our possession, it opened easily.

Life and death and sacrifice

Fire and darkness and starlight

Rot and rage and bones

Hello, wicked queen. Hello, lady of night, princess of truth. Hello, king of night and fanged beasts. Hello, prince of ice and despair. Touch me, read me, sing me. Become destroyed, reforged, forgotten. Eternal.

It was madness. While the first half had been cold and clear, this half ... was disorder, insanity and inanity. I shuddered at the thought of the two halves combined.

Aelin slammed the Book shut, glancing up at Amren. "We need to work quickly."

"I'll gather the materials. Meet me in the dining room tomorrow morning," Amren murmured.

Aelin merely nodded in response, and the silver-eyed female was gone. A shiver of trepidation crawled along my spine, for reasons yet unknown.

With the changed allegiance of the mortal queens, the rest of the court departed soon after. Azriel flew off to update and reassign his network of spies. Rhysand retreated to his study to inform the other High Lords of the mortal's treachery. Cassian returned to the Illyrian mountains to ensure the armies would be ready to mobilize. Mor left to prepare for a visit to the Court of Nightmares with Rhysand - to return the Veritas to Keir without his knowledge.

Alone, I looked over at my mate. She was ethereal as always, but I couldn't help but notice an additional heaviness weighing down her shoulders as she stared down at the Book with furrowed brows. It was something that hadn't been present earlier, hardly at all during our time in the realm, and it reminded me far too much of the weight she carried at Mistward.

Those wretched memories hit me in the gut, making it difficult to breathe. I had to do something, anything, to remove that weight from her. It wasn't only a desire, it was compulsion. I had to care for my mate. So while I should have suggested that we do something productive like train or discuss strategy, what came out of my mouth was much different.

"Want to raid Rhysand's good wine cellar with me?"

Air rushed back into my lungs at her answering smirk. "Why, Buzzard," she purred. "I didn't know you had it in you."

An hour later, we were stretched out on the massive couch in the living room, an empty bottle already decorating the side table. Dusty bottles of wine that had been liberated from Rhysand's private stash haphazardly surrounded us. Aelin lounged with her back to my chest while I mindlessly twirled her hair. Delicious noises left her mouth as she ate a slice of hazelnut chocolate cake she had somehow summoned from the House itself.

"I don't understand how you can eat that, it's completely useless." I stared in wonder as she devoured the slice in front of her, nearly ready for another.