Throne of Glass and ACOTAR Crossover (complete)

Chapter 32 - Feyre

I don't know how long we've been down here, it could be days, it could be weeks. Hell, maybe it's been years and I just haven't noticed. Time doesn't seem to have meaning anymore. 

My eyes are now so used to the dark that I can see quite clearly. For example I can see Aelin's face, screwed up against the nightmares plaguing her sleep. I can see the desperation and anger on Rowan's face. I can see every bruise, scar, and scab on all three of us. 

As if noticing my gaze Aelin snaps her eyes open. For a moment she looks panicked, then seems to remember where she is and calms down. I can't begin to imagine where she thought she was, if being here is a relief. 

Aelin sighs and leans her head back against the wall, eyes closed. I want to ask her if she's alright, I want to find some way to comfort her, but I don't. I can't. I barely have the energy to open my mouth, much less make useful words come out of it. If only I could be stronger, better, but I can't. I am weak. In my heart, I am still weak. 

Suddenly the door bangs open. I squint my eyes against the light, trying to make out the figure on the other side. My efforts are soon made pointless when the figure speaks. "Hello children."

Hybern then. His voice is unmistakable, its the voice that haunts my nightmares. 

Aelin, her eyes bright and alert, begins screaming obscenities at the king. After about 30 seconds she's cut off, her silence abrupt and unnatural. "That is quite enough out of you." Hybern says, his voice almost amused. "I'm here for the other one today."

I shudder. Me. He's here for me. 

That's my last thought before Hybern's magic hits me and I pass out.

***

My eyelids flutter open, revealing a stone room bathed in light. I blink a few times, trying to adjust to the piercing brightness, but give it up after a moment. Me being able to see won't change anything. 

I move around slightly, testing the limits of my chains. I seem to be bolted to some kind of a table, my hands above my head. It isn't comfortable, but its better than it has been. Once I was chained by my hands to the ceiling, once by my feet. At least this time I get to lie down for a while. 

I can hear somebody moving around behind me. I want to know who it is, but I can't move my head that far. After a  moment however, the problem is solved by Hybern himself moving so that his face is the only thing in my field of vision. He is smiling, but the rest of his face is cold. 

"Hello Feyre dear" he says, his words dripping honey.

I don't reply. I don't even blink.

"I need you to do something for me Feyre."

My lack of responsiveness doesn't seem to be fazing the king. He just keeps on speaking, almost as if the two of us were old friends having a chat. 

"If you help me Feyre, I'll let you go."

It's a lie, I can tell that much straight off the bat. He won't let me go, not ever. I'm too powerful, and I wield too much influence. I am destined to die in this godforsaken hellhole, and that's that.

"If you don't help me, there are worse things that death Feyre."

I know. 

"For instance..."

Hybern trails off, and for the first time I meet his eyes. I wait for him to finish his sentence, but he doesn't. Instead, the sound of a door opening fills my ears. I try to jerk my head towards the sound, but I can't. Instead I just lay there, silent. 

"Hello Feyre. It's been a while."

I gasp involuntarily, and regret it almost immediately. I can see the subtle satisfaction of Hybern's features, the slight quirk at the corner of his mouth, the twitch in his eyes. 

"Hello Tamlin" he says.

Tamlin is here. Why is Tamlin here? What is going on? I can't stop the flow of questions bubbling though my mind. Some of them must show on my face because Hybern smiles at me and says "Tamlin here is going to help me, convince you that it really is in you best interest to help us here my dear."

I try to breath slowly, deeply. Something is different this time. I don't know what use Tamlin will be in this scenario, but I do know that it won't just involve beatings like before. Something is going to happen, and I am so scared. 

"My kings requests are actually very reasonable Feyre."

Tamlin's voice is much close to me than before, almost in my ear, and it sounds different that it used to. Less self assured, more ... insane. I resist the urge to yank away from the sound, and instead lie perfectly still. 

"All you have to do, is reach down that lovely little mating bond of yours and call for help."

At that I do react. I breath in sharply, and I tense against the table. I know Tamlin notices, because he lets out a little giggle, the sound of a madman playing with his prey. 

"That got you attention didn't it?" 

Suddenly I feel a hand slip across my face and brush the hair from my eyes.

"All you have to do is call to your mate for help. We've weakened the chains, if you tried you could make contact. All you have to do is bring him here!"

For a moment, a horrible moment, I am tempted. The thought of calling Rhys, of letting him make all the bad things go away is so tantalizing. And I can feel the bond through my magic, feel it singing there. It would be so easy. But if I did, I would be dooming them, all of them. They would come, I know they would. They would come to save me, and they would die. I cannot be the reason for that. 

Tamlin's hand has slid from my face down to my neck, and is slowly moving southward. Everywhere that he is touching me my skin is crawling, trying desperately to get away, so far away, but I can't. 

"All you have to do is call, and everything stops!" Tamlin is almost singing now, his voice disjointed and cracking. 

"What happened to you?" 

They are the first words I have spoken in a very long time. 

Tamlin's hand stills right above the collar of my shirt. "What happened to me? You did!" he lets out a laugh, a mad laugh "You did Feyre! You were everything, and you took everything! This is what you do silly, you take everything!" he is giggling now, and his hand has begun moving again.

"Feyre." It's Hybern's voice now, almost a relief after hearing Tamlin's deranged laughter, "You can make this stop. Bring him here, bring Rhysand here, and this will all be over."

I bite my lip. These people have taken everything from me. They took my sister's, they took my freedom, they took my power, but I will not give them this. They cannot have Rhys. 

Tamlin's hand has reached the waistband of my breeches, and I flinch when he slides below it. 

"Just a simple message, and I'll make him stop." 

Rhys did this for 50 years to keep them safe. I cannot fail him. I cannot fail them all. 

The thought plays again and again in my head, and it is enough to help me keep my resolve. Even when my breeches are taken away from me. Even when I see Tamlin's slide to the floor. Even when I feel his touch, his breath, his hands all over my body. 

I cannot fail them. 

I cannot fail.

I cannot.

I hope you, enjoyed...? it. Is enjoyed the right word? 

Don't forget to vote and comment below!

Next chapter will be from Aelin's POV, but for obvious reason's this one had to be from Feyre's. 

I will try to update more frequently, life has been a bit hectic lately, sorry about that.