Hellfire

Aelin

Aelin stretched as she sat up in bed. It had been a few days since the meeting, and Enda hadn't reported anything of note. Aelin breathed in relief as she stood, and no pain coursed through her back. Thank's to Morgan's intense healing and Aelin's body restoring its natural healing process, her back was almost fully healed. Aelin silently muttered a prayer of thanks as she twisted to look at Rowan's sleeping form, imagining the fire that would have erupted in her body at the movement only yesterday. Her own fire had been returning steadily, but both Rowan and Morgan had advised her not to touch it until her body was completely healed. Morgan had said it would most likely take at least a full week before she had complete use of her body and magic.

Aelin trudged to the bathing room, and began to splash water onto her face. After it was clean, she braced her hands on either side of the sink, and stared as the water slowly drained out. Fenrys, Connall, and Vaughn had left the ship two days ago, going out to help the rest of the fleet dock properly. Today they were meeting with the Lords. Aelin's hands tightened on the porcelain as she remembered who, exactly, she would have to face today. Weylan Darrow's icy tones pounded in her head. Your Highness.... What a waste of life that was.... Marriage..... Over and over. Soft feet padded across the space, and Aelin felt warmth envelope her as Rowan embraced her from behind, resting his chin on the top her of her head.

"He makes a move against you, and he dies," he breathed, his voice still raspy from sleep.

Aelin chuckled, releasing the sides of the sink to run her hands over his forearms wrapped around her waist.

"I expect every move of his today will be against me, so he'll likely be dead in the first minute."

Rowan's soft laugh made her hair flutter towards the mirror. 

"30 seconds," he countered. Aelin's smile grew. 

"Fifteen."

"Care to make a bet?"

"No. You don't have any money as it is," she retorted, sliding out of his grip to change. She glanced over her shoulder, and found Rowan staring at her, brows raised.

"We are married, you know. Doesn't that mean we share whatever funds we now cling to?"

Aelin slumped onto the bed. "You're right. We don't have any money as it is." 

And there it was. The reason she had agreed to meet with the Lords, not counting the fact she wanted Evangeline back, as well as wanting to settle her score with Darrow. Galan and the Silent Assassins, as well as Ansel, had brought more than enough gold, but it was draining quickly. Neither of them had brought enough to sustain this large of a fleet for as long as they needed it. Plus, they needed more men, more power, any little hope of advantage they could get. Aelin slid her head into her hands.

The bed groaned beside her as Rowan sat down, swinging an arm around her shoulders and pulling her towards him.

"We will get through this, Aelin," he whispered. She lifted her head towards him.

How. He squandered us last time. And now he had more than enough leverage.

Rowan's eyes never wavered. Aedion will be there. Lysandra will be there. Morgan, Lorcan, Gavriel, Vaughn, Fenrys, and Connall will be there. Endymion too, with Galan and Ansel and Ilias. I will be there. Darrow won't have even the slightest chance of breaking through us.

Aelin nodded, leaning her head against his shoulder. She felt Rowan shift, and then he was holding his open palm in her lap. She looked, and quickly turned to stare at him.

When?

I stumbled upon a shop when I was searching for you. It seemed too perfect to pass by.

I don't have the words, Rowan.

You don't need any.

Aelin shifted her gaze to his palm, and slowly, almost reverently, she lifted the band of metal from his skin. It was breathtakingly beautiful, with miniscule, intricately cut designs of wavering flames snaking up every side, culminating in a single, raw cut diamond set into the silver. Aelin choked back tears as she met Rowan's eyes.

"Wear it in front of him, Aelin," he breathed, a half smile flickering on his face, and Aelin saw he had tears of his own. She nodded, and slid it onto the ring finger of her left hand.

"Aedion still has the papers?" she asked breathlessly. A nod from the male at her side, from the male who had healed her broken heart, from the husband and friend and lover and person she had been searching for her entire life.

"Good," she said sharply, standing and tossing her shirt to the side. "Tell him to bring them."