𝔸 ℂ𝕠𝕦𝕣𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕊𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝔽𝕝𝕒𝕞𝕖 (ACOTAR FANFIC)

Fifty-Six

Every intake of breath was a knife to my lungs. My entire body began to burn with every step I ran. It was a battle keeping myself upright as I began to lose energy and slipped on the mud every few steps.

I was still so far from the labyrinths middle. Still so far from the trap. I knew if I were to slow down for even a millisecond, the Wyrm would kill me. And then Feyre and I—along with the entirety of Prythian would be doomed to a life of slavery or death for eternity—or until Amarantha grew bored of barking orders and torturing people—Which I believed was never.

I tried to forget about the burning sensations all over my body as my muscles strained, and yet they refused to fade. Refused to extinguish the fire that felt like my body was imploding on itself.

I grabbed onto a bone that either Feyre or me had stuck into the wall, making a swift turn. I recovered quickly as I kept running. If I remembered correctly there was only one turn left and then I'd be only seconds from the dark hole. Seconds from sacrificing myself.

I was nearly there. So, so close. I began to push myself harder. My breathing was growing ragged—more restricted by the second. My eyes burned, but I kept going.

Faster.

Faster.

Faster.

The turn appeared ahead and I grabbed the bone in the side, swinging myself to the right. I landed on my feet; willing my body to not stumble even a little before I ran further. Adrenaline filled my veins, and I was forged anew with energy.

The darkness was insight.

I felt the Wyrm behind me. Its large teeth and speed were threatening my life with every second it was on my tail.

The hole was at least three people long, and I didn't know if what I had in store would work. But if I didn't try, I'd certainly die anyway.

I put my energy to use, pumping my arms as my feet moved. The wyrm was gaining on me as if it knew what I was trying to do.

I pulled my daggers from their sheaths, holding them at my sides. The hole was only a step away. I inhaled deeply. Letting out a large cry as I jumped. Holding out my daggers in front of me as the wyrm leaped after me. Falling into that dark hole.

I flew through the air, approaching the other side quickly. I angled my daggers towards the muddy wall of the large hole. They hit home. Digging into the mud as I slid downwards into the depths of the void.

I screamed as I flexed my arms, trying to stop myself from falling to my death. But I was still falling as my daggers tried to embed themselves into something stable. I dug them into the wall harder, even as something embedded itself in the side of my body and pain laced up my side. I ignored it, trying to find my daggers a place.

And then suddenly I jerked as my daggers caught on stone.

I sighed in relief. I hung on the wall of the darkness as I tried to catch the breath that seemed to be escaping me faster than I could take it in. I looked down the hole, I was a long way down, and yet I still couldn't see the bottom. Maybe there wasn't one. Maybe the world would fall forever.

I looked back up, seeing the light of the arena. I looked at my two most prized possessions that I now hung from stone.

Climbing it was then.

I fearfully removed one of them from the muddy stone, immediately finding it another place. I repeated the motion with the other. I climbed upwards for minutes, stopping occasionally when I needed to catch my breath or if the pain I felt in my side became too much to bear for a moment.

As I neared the top, I realized the crowd's whispers had stopped entirely. There wasn't even a whisper.

I stuck another of my daggers into the mud, hoisting myself up once more before I used my other hand to grab the edge as my hand was still gripping the dagger. I swung up my other hand and pulled myself up to the top.

I stood on my feet my eyes immediately meeting my sister, whose shoulders slumped in relief as she saw me. I looked at the crowd seeing their faces of either shock or disgust. I began walking through the labyrinth to the wall of the arena—sparing my sister a small smile as I went.

My side throbbed with the wound that lingered there—I was sure it was bleeding profusely. The adrenaline seemed to dull the pain, but I knew that it would catch up to me soon enough.

I reached the muddy wall of the arena, digging another of my daggers in and beginning to climb my way up. It took me longer than it should have.

I reached the top, pulling myself up once more I came face to face with Amarantha herself. My face was stone cold as I looked at the crowd and asked them, "Are you done yet?" the cold mask broke as I began laughing— likely sounding insane as I faced the High Queen again, "I have fought in your pits and won every damn time. I killed an Attor. I tricked you into helping my sister even though you were here to kill her." I laughed again, "And yet you still have the audacity to underestimate me." my smile was absolutely feral as I looked into her black eyes, "I liked it at first. That I could surprise you. Outsmart you.

"But now—" I continued as I placed a hand on my chest mocking emotion, "now I just feel disrespected." My smile dropped as I turned to stone again, "I'm getting a little annoyed." I whispered to her. Amarantha was looking at me with a murderous expression that matched my own, "I'm done with you and your little friends," I spared a glance at Rhysand, "thinking your so much better than us teensy-tiny humans. I'm here to knock you off the high horse you've been sitting on–oh, or should say throne?" I smiled again. A smile that held no emotion.

I walked to the edge of the arena, holding out a hand for my sister who had climbed up with two sharp bones. She gripped my hand and I pulled her up the rest of the way.

I turned around giving Feyre a nod before I walked out of the ballroom and back to my dark cell with guards at my back.

I walked into my cell, hearing the door close behind me. My side was on fire. I reached a shaky hand down to my left side, bringing my hand back up, something red-coated my fingers.

─── · 。ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

A/N: sorry I didn't post yesterday, I had some friends over