Cursebreaker and Fireheart

Chapter 6:The Nightmare

We'd flown over Velaris for an hour, but had seen no signs of my water wolves or any magic fire. We'd asked around, but the few who had seen creatures said they assumed they were mine. Word of the magical fire, however, had spread like... well, wildfire. People kept asking us what had happened, and whether it was dangerous. 

I don't think any of us really knew the answer. 

When we got back to the riverfront house, Rhys immediately turned to Amren. 

"No matter how many times you ask me, Rhysand, I won't know the answer." She said before he could open his mouth. 

"Maybe we could find it in the library?" Mor suggested, flopping down on an armchair. "Or maybe the Bo-" She cut herself off. "Um. Well, I suppose we won't be able to go to him for help anymore, will we?" 

The Bone Carver. I knew he was dead. I'd seen the Cauldron destroy him. But sometimes it was instinct to think we had his power as a backup plan. His, and the Suriel's. 

"We could ask a Suriel. There are more, aren't there?" I asked, leaning against Mor's chair. 

"Yes. None so compliant as the one you kept running across, though." Azriel replied. 

"Okay, well, let's go find one of them, then." I said, pushing off the chair. Cassian laughed. 

"Okay, one, it's getting pretty late. I wouldn't advise looking for any creature in the dead of night. Two, we all could use some rest. I know Amren needs her beauty sleep." Amren hissed at that comment, crossing her arms. 

"Why don't we meet back here in the morning?" Rhys said. "We can head for the Middle first, alright?" 

I grumbled a bit. I wanted to leave now. For some reason, I'd become set in my idea that this symbol was extremely important. I didn't know why. I'd never seen it before, and I had no reason now to think it might be important. But the feeling was nagging at me from the back of my mind. 

Later that night as I laid in bed, I mulled over the events of the day again. I had no idea who could be doing such a thing, copying my magic and sending strange flames. I felt my eyes begin to close, and I let them. Cassian was right. We all needed some sleep. I could worry about magic symbols tomorrow... 

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I was hiding from something. From what? I couldn't remember. All I could see around me was a blinding golden light. Cursebreaker, the light whispered. Feyre Cursebreaker, come to defeat the darkness again.

"No!" I yelled. "There's nothing left for me to defeat!" A wicked laugh was my only answer. The light dimmed a little, and I realized I was wearing my Starfall dress. But it wasn't as I remembered it. It was torn and muddy, the minuscule gems glittering light long gone. My crescent moon crown sat atop my head, but I couldn't pull it off, no matter how hard I tried. 

"Where am I?" I called into the light. There was no reply. The light dimmed once more, and I realized it was actually a circle of golden flame surrounding me from all sides. I turned, searching for a way out, and saw another figure standing on the other side. The figure was obviously female, but I couldn't make out any features. 

"Help me!" I pleaded, reaching out a hand. The fire allowed my hand to pass through, but when it reached my elbow it began to burn me. I snatched my arm back, hissing in pain. I glanced at my arm and let out a cry of surprise. 

My tattoo, the one that had revealed me as High Lady of the Night Court, had burned away. My skin was left red and raw, so bare that I could scarcely breathe. The sleeve of my dress had also turned to ash, the little gems plinking to the ground in a merry tune. 

"Who are you? Help me!" I begged the woman again. She whipped around to face me and met my gaze head-on. Her eyes were a striking aquamarine, the irises lined with burning gold. Her mouth opened, and she seemed to be pleading with me. She stretched out a hand, as if to take mine. 

But the fire only grew. I screamed as it rose, blocking the woman from my view. That wicked laugh returned, echoed by a hundred more voices.

Free yourself, Cursebreaker. They taunted.  Be quick about it. We're not the patient type. 

"Who are you? What do you want?!" I sobbed, falling to my knees. The flames whipped over my head, encasing me in a cage of living fire. 

It's not what we want. The voices sounded gleeful. It's what we're going to do. Oh, we'll have so much fun together, Feyre Cursebreaker.

"NO!!" Suddenly, I heard a voice that was not my own scream into the light, and the voices cut off as if choked. The flames dissipated, and I was left kneeling on the steaming floor. I looked up and saw the woman from earlier standing there, both hands outstretched. Her face was twisted in fury. 

"You will not harm anyone else." She snarled. She closed her hands into fists, and the voices let out one shrill shriek of anger before they were gone. I felt them disappear, leaving nothing behind but us. I stood on shaking legs, too stunned to even realize that my tattoo and dress had returned. 

The woman stalked over to me, her green-and-silver gown flowing behind her. She had thick, honey-colored locks that hung past her waist, and nestled atop her head was a golden crown with a glossy red gem at the center. 

"Are you alright?" She asked me, eyes warily looking me over. I nodded, trying to bring myself back to my own thoughts. I was so confused. Who had spoken? And what had they wanted with me?

"What were those voices?" I asked the woman. Her eyes narrowed, and she looked me over again, her gaze snagging on my crown. 

"The better question is, who are you? And what are you doing in my dreams?" She crossed her arms, looking rather haughty. 

"I could ask you the same thing." I replied. Now that the danger was gone, my rational thoughts were returning, and they didn't much like this woman. She may have saved me, but I had no idea who she was, or what she was doing in my head. 

The woman sighed. "I suppose introductions are in order, then." She swept a dramatic curtsy, so over-the-top I almost laughed. 

"Queen Aelin Ashryver Whitethorn Galythynius of Terrasen, at your service." She drawled. 

Feyre art by Morgana0anagrom!

To continue my thought from the last chapter, another AMAZING Sarah J Maas book songwriter is Victoria Carbol (Inquillery on YouTube). She has some EPIC songs about both Throne of Glass and ACOTAR, my favorites being Ballad of Terrasen, Burning Heart, Heart of Steel, Somewhere Between The Notes, Like A Scar, and The Ones Who Dream. Every time The Ones Who Dream starts playing, I just want to cry because it's so beautiful and such a perfect representation of The Court of Dreams. 

Also... how the heck am I already at over 200 views?? I never expected this to be seen so fast!! Thank you for all your comments and votes, they seriously make my day!