Throne of Glass and ACOTAR Crossover (complete)

Chapter 4 - Aelin

The moment the word 'mate' leaves my mouth I know I've struck a nerve. Though she hides it well, there is a momentary flash of panic in the girl's eyes, and I can see her tense beneath her clothes. But it only lasts for a moment. Then there's a pleasant, almost painfully sweet expression pasted onto her face. 

"Don't be ridiculous!" she says. I'm taken aback by the utter change in her. A moment ago she was darkness wrapped in ice and flames. A moment ago I would have almost been proud to call her an equal. Now she's simpering, sweet. 

She turns to Tamlin. "Tamlin, you have to know she's crazy! The wings, the wings are shapeshifting! You know that! They come from you."

Tamlin furrows his brow. Then he turns his gaze towards me. "Why do you say that Feyre has a mate?"

I roll my eyes. "You can't smell it, the mating bond? It's as clear as day."

Tamlin's face clears, though Feyre's retains that ridiculous simper. "Her sense of smell must be stronger than ours." he says, "She's probably picking up on the residue of that sham of a bond with... him".

The redhead, Lucien, scoffs, but Tamlin ignores him. Feyre nods emphatically, smiling at Tamlin. I want to vomit. I've seen girls lie to their lovers before. I've seen them play stupid and weak, but this is a whole new level. I'm disgusted. 

I could leave the whole thing alone, that'd probably be the smart thing to do. Don't piss off the girl with the power. But when have I ever done the smart thing. And honestly, I just want to screw with the pathetic girl before me. 

I dance a knife across the tops of my fingers. "I really don't think so,"I say, "The bond, it's fresh. Current. And it smells of ... night."

Tamlin's face freezes. So does Feyre's. I smile to myself, gotcha!

Feyre opens her mouth, possibly to utter another string of denial, but suddenly there's a blade against her throat. Lucien is behind her, his knife held right above her collar bone. A single move and she'll lose her head. 

"You bitch" he says into her ear. "You whore." He turns to Tamlin "I told you, you moron. I told you over and over again. But you were too damn stubborn to listen. She's Rhysand's creature. She has been since she came back."

I'm not understanding a word out of his mouth. There's a story there that I'm missing, and I'm curious. But at the moment I've got bigger problems. All the while Lucien's been talking, I've been watching Feyre. Her eyes are closed, and I can't tell what she's thinking. She almost seems to be talking to someone, her face moving as if in reaction to someone else's words.

Suddenly her eyes spring open. The sappy, sweet look just melts off her face, like wax. "Shit"  she says, almost under her breath, then the world erupts in flames. 

Lucien falls backwards, screaming. Rowan turns to me, eyes questioning, confused. 

Not me.  I tell him silently. Truth be told I'm on the verge of panic myself. The only time I've seen this much fire before was when Diana was controlling my body. If the gods have come here...

But then, as suddenly as they appeared, the flames are gone. And standing there, cool as day in the middle of the ruins, is Feyre. 

But she looks different now. The flowing pink gown she was wearing is gone, replaced by a thick, black outfit, fighting leathers. The wings that had saved her from her fall are back, stretching out towards the sun. And on top of her now loosened curls is a black crown, fashioned of curling leaves. 

Tamlin is still lying on the ground, staring up at her. There is a look on his face, like heartbreak. 

Feyre shakes her head, as though clearing it of the magic. Then she smiles. That smile is almost as wicked as mine. 

She stalks over to Tamlin, a predator to its prey. "You moron." she says, her voice barely more than a whisper, "You damn fool."

"Please Feyre," he whispers, "it's me. I know this isn't you, please Feyre."

Feyre laughs. "You still believe that Tamlin? You still think this isn't me? Well then answer me one question, darling, where's Rhys? Even he couldn't control my mind from the night court."

Tamlin's face is befuddled, and terrified. Like he's trying to find a way to explain away the situation. Feyre barks out a harsh laugh. Then she turns away, leaving Tamlin on the ground with the pieces of his world spread out around him. 

She walks back to me. If I were anyone else I would probably have backed away in fear. But the queen of Terrasen backs away from no one. I stand my ground, arms crossed over my chest and a smirk pasted onto my mouth. Feyre stops about ten feet in front of me and stands there, considering me. I make a rude gesture in her direction. 

To my surprise she laughs, and the sound seems genuine, though still harsh. Then she shakes her head. "Do you know what you just cost me?" she says.

I look over at Tamlin. "Marriage to the worlds stupidest male?" I ask, my voice sweet, gentle. But it's a bluff. I can feel my magic waking up under my skin. One wrong move and I'll burn the entire clearing to ashes. 

Feyre scoffs. "No, that you actually saved me from. But do you know how close I was to bringing this whole damn court down? A few more days and I could have left them a smoking pile of ash. Now they're gong to change their plans, make different allies. Mother bless me, I've been living in this hell hole for weeks carefully moving all the pieces into place. Now I have to start over. Thank you oh so much!" 

Her voice is vicious, deadly. She seems to be darkness incarnate. But in her face I can see the lie of the act. She's playing the part she has to play, though I don't know why she has to play it. I know the look. I see it in my own face everytime I look in a mirror.

Suddenly there is a deafening crash in the clearing. Everyone but Feyre jumps, Tamlin, Lucien and Rowan whipping their heads around, warriors looking for the threat. But I'm watching Feyre. I've found that in battle it's always smarter to look at the leader. She smiling a smile almost like a snarl, the points of her teeth on full display. 

She notices my gaze. "If you've got you magic back, I'd put up a shield" she says, "Because my mate's here, and he isn't nearly as nice as I am."

That's the last thing I hear before the world is plunged into total darkness.  

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