After Empire of Storms

Chapter 14

She was a whirlwind of fire and destruction. Gods help anyone that crossed her path. 

Each step left a charred footprint on the stone floor. Her flames rallied behind her, tendrils sneaking over her shoulders and biting at her heels. The flames were restless. They had been caged for too long. 

I am gods-damned Aelin Ashryver Galathynius-Whitethorn, and I will not be afraid again. 

The fortress trembled with each step, pure power coursing through the cracks in the rocks, shaking the island to its roots. Aelin was sure her eyes were glowing as she kept the crown of flame resting on her brow. She was a queen who would bow to nothing. 

Aelin was deep below the labyrinth of hallways and rooms, and approached the surface with a steady determination. Her body was tired, but her magic was not. 

The first fae burst from a room to Aelin's left. He snarled and lunged at Aelin with a sword.  With a smile that would've scared lesser males into running, Aelin burned the lungs of the approaching male, leaving his heaving, crumpled form behind her. The male would be fine in about a day, but was lying motionless on the floor, and Aelin didn't spare a second glance as she stormed by. 

The warriors that approached her were either incredibly brave or stupid. Maeve had armed her city with a supply of the strongest immortal fae in the world, yet Aelin defeated all of them with a flick of her hand. She left the gasping forms behind her as she climbed the castle levels quickly.

The narrow hallways were lit with the fae lights of the charging soldiers. One by one, they blinked out. The sea of bodies grew, and Aelin guessed she was nearing the throne room. Her firestorm was showing no signs of weakening as Aelin climbed another set of steps to face an empty passageway. 

Until a fae that matched Rowan in height and build stepped from the shadows. Dark hair framed a familiar face, but as the male stepped into the light radiating from Aelin, it became clear who he was.  

The dark twin. The quiet to his brothers' loudness. His beautiful face did nothing to hide the sorrow behind his dark eyes. 

"Connall." It was not a question. The resemblance to Fenrys was uncanny. The brothers mirrored each other in movement and looks. The difference, Rowan had said, was when one of them opened their mouth. 

The male stepped towards Aelin, a knife appearing in his scarred palm. "My brother," Indeed, Connall's voice was quieter and deeper than his twin. "Has told me much about the Queen of Terrasen." 

Aelin flexed her own shoulders as twin daggers of flame appeared in her palms. She smirked at him, "Then you know that you should not fight me." 

Connall only tightened his grips on the knives, his tense figure the only clue that fighting Aelin was not something he wanted. Aelin blinked and was transported back to the first time she had visited Doranelle. Connall and Fenrys held Rowan's muscled form as a whip crashed into his back. 

Another blink, and Aelin was back to the present. She snarled, the memory still flashing in her mind. It was enough for Aelin to lift her weapons. 

Two daggers of stone shot towards Aelin who ducked and deflected the daggers behind her. The vibrations shook Aelin's hands, the lack of training taking its toll. Earth. It was what Rowan had told her about Connall's power. She needed to get above ground-- fast. 

Connall lunged, only to be met with a wall of flame. Aelin stood as the flames started to wrap around her opponent. Strolling forward, each step became heavier. Looking down, Aelin saw that the stone had turned to mud and was pulling her boots down with each step.