Saviour of Ashes

Chapter 26

"AELIN!" Rowan roared as he got to his feet.

He didn't know how to get back into the building. The fire was blazing like crazy.

No, no, no! He couldnt lose her again.

Elide let out a sob as she clung to Lysandra. Aedion on his knees beside them.

"Look!" Dorian cried from above on Abraxos.

"The fire - its going out," Manon added.

Rowan watched as the fire turned to smoke. When the smoke lifted he saw two figures clinging to each other, stumbling out of the rubble.

"Fireheart!" Rowan ran as fast as his heart was beating and scooped up his wife.

She was covered in soot and smelt like burnt wood. She smiled at him. Her hand was clenched shut and blistered.

Lorcan stumbled back as Elide wrapped herself around him, sobbing into his chest. He stroked her hair.

Aelin smiled at Lorcan. He extended his arm, palm up - his arm that should have been broken. Aelin stretched out her blistered hand and dropped something into Lorcan's.
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Aelin had gone to follow Rowan but then he saw Marion's ring drop out of his ripped pocket and roll under that stupid cot.

Aelin had lunged and rolled, grabbing the ring in one sweep and reached Lorcan just as the house exploded.

Luckily, Elide had been right that when the fire had burnt away the wyrdmarks Aelin could use her magic to stop the fire. She had thrown up a shield around the two of them and waited for the house to finish crumbling.

Aelin inspected her blistered hand. She had managed to protect her and Lorcan as she reached for the ring but it had been so hot that she almost screamed.

Rowan gripped her tightly. "Why?" He whispered.

Aelin nodded at Lorcan.

He got down on one knee in front of a sobbing Elide and held out Marion's ring. He told her his plan to propose in Perranth but after the recent events he couldnt wait any longer.

"Someone told me not to wait for the right moment, they told me to make it the right moment," Lorcan said, glancing at Rowan.

Elide threw her arms around Lorcan's neck, kissed him and then let him slip the ring on her finger.

Rowan held Aelin back as the others headed towards Manon and Dorian.

"You nearly killed yourself for a ring?" Rowan frowned.

Aelin shook her head. "It was Marion's ring. Lorcan asked me about it before they left. One of the Lords had held on to it."

Rowan didnt know whether to kiss his wife or kick her ass for her loyal stupidity. He put himself in her boots and realised he, too, would have done the same.

"I thought I lost you again," Rowan murmured.

Aelin took his hand. "Never."
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Elide flew with Manon and Dorian on Abraxos and the others ran back to the castle.

Aelin had a quick bath and joined the others to discover what had happened.

"We checked the road when the carriage fell," Elide said. "There was a wrydmark in the road."

"Then we were knocked out somehow and shoved into that pit," Lorcan added. "I made Elide keep an eye out through the gap in the floorboards as I went to see if there was another way out."

"But there was another wrydmark," Elide told them. "It triggered a cave in and Lorcan got stuck."

"So there's no way to know who did this?" Aedion asked and Elide shook her head.

She clenched her fists. Gods, she was spoiling for a fight.

"Someone is targeting us," Dorian frowned. "What have we done to piss people off?"

Everyone looked at Aelin.

She threw her hands up. "I swear I haven't done anything. They want me and Rowan to rule the kingdom."

Manon shot her stomach a pointed look. Not everyone wants her to have a child.

Aelin shook her head. "No. Why target Elide and Lorcan?"

"Why target Chaol and Dorian?" Aedion added.

Lysandra looked at the floor.

"What's happened to Chaol?"

"Nesryn thinks he still loves you," Manon said simply.

"And so does Chaol," Aedion added, looking at Rowan.

Rowan let out a low growl.

"At least it wasn't violent," Dorian explained. "They aren't speaking to each other right now."

Aelin wanted to scream. They all should be happy now. They all deserved to be happy now.

"I'll set them straight later," Aelin said, not quite ready to deal with another problem.

Rowan bared his teeth.

"Easy," she whispered. "Just because they think he loves me it doesnt mean I love him."

Rowan stopped baring his teeth, but the scowl remained on his face.

There was a knock at the door. A guard entered announcing that Gavriel and Fenrys had arrived.

Aelin told him to send them in.

The two fae warriors strode into the room with their favourite pirate.

"Pirate Lord," he said as Aelin greeted him.

Aelin laughed. "Oh, how I've missed you, Rolfe."