Cursebreaker and Fireheart

Chapter 9: The Gods

"Three days?" Aelin demanded. She shoved off the covers and stood up. "I've been asleep for three days?" 

"Yes. Nothing could wake you, not even my healing magic." Yrene said. "We tried everything." 

Before Aelin could say anything else, Rowan grabbed her by the shoulders and made her look at him. 

"What happened?" He asked as if he already knew something catastrophic had occurred. Aelin blinked. She'd momentarily forgotten her encounter with the female Fae, Feyre. 

"I... I remember trying to summon the dead." She looked over at Dorian, who nodded. "We saw that symbol. Of the mountains that I saw through the Lock."

"Then we all went to bed." Lysandra said. "And in the morning Rowan came running to wake everyone, telling us that he couldn't wake you up." 

Aelin pulled away from Rowan and pressed a hand to her head. Three days? The last time she'd slept that long was when she'd almost spent all her power. Silence filled the room, her friends waiting for her to explain. 

"I met someone." Aelin finally said. "I think I might have been pulled to her in my dreams. I remember falling asleep, and then I was in a room filled with fire. My fire. There was a female in the middle of the room, and she was calling to me for help." 

"A Fae?" Lorcan asked. Aelin nodded. 

"But we weren't alone." At her words, she saw Rowan go rigid. "There were... voices. They were controlling my fire, attacking her. They called her Feyre Cursebreaker, and claimed that she'd come to defeat the darkness again."

"Again?" Elide repeated. "Did she fight with us against Erawan and Maeve?"

"No. I'd never seen her before." Aelin's heart suddenly skipped a beat. Wait. She had seen Feyre before. In Velaris. She'd been standing next to that winged male who'd helped her. But Feyre had been heavily pregnant then. 

"What happened next?" Chaol pushed. Aelin shook away her memories, getting back to the story at hand. 

"Well, I tried to control the fire and help her. I tried to tell her I was helping her, but she didn't seem to hear me. And then the fire began to form a cage around her. The voices..." Aelin paused. "I think they were the gods. I think they were coming after her for her power, whatever that may be." 

"The gods? How do you know?" Dorian's face was set in stone, and he was gripping Damaris so tight his knuckles were white. 

"Its not... I don't know for certain, but I've only felt power like that a few times in my life. I'd recognize it anywhere. They were hurting her. So I tried again to control my fire. I don't know why, but this time it worked. I put out the fire and the voices- the gods- vanished with it." 

"And then?" Aedion pressed, stepping forward. "Did you learn who this Feyre Cursebreaker was?" 

"Not exactly. She wore a crown but claimed she wasn't royalty. And when I tried to ask her more, she... she somehow wormed her way into my head. It felt like she was digging through my memories. So I attacked her. She didn't seem to like that very much." Aelin tried not to smile when Chaol let out an exasperated sigh. "She also-" Her eyes widened, and she whipped around to look at Fenrys. 

"What?" He demanded when she stared at him. "Why are you looking at me like that?" 

"She had your power! She could transport herself places like you can!" Aelin said. "When we were fighting, she popped up behind me when I tried to pin her down." 

"So she's a mind-reader and... whatever the hell you call Fenrys' power." Lorcan mused. 

"What happened then?" Elide asked. "There must be more." 

"Well, she said something about being High Lady of the Court of Night." Aelin looked at Rowan. "The place I saw when I made the Lock. With the mountains, and the stars. It's a place called Velaris. This Feyre claimed she was from there. She also said she was from a land called Prythian." Aelin hesitated. 

"And?" Elide asked. Aelin let out a slow breath. 

"She said that the fires have been appearing in her world as well. The symbol of Terrasen burned in her city's streets yesterday, according to her. She recognized the Amulet of Orynth." 

The silence was deafening. Finally Dorian spoke. 

"You mean to tell us that this... Feyre Cursebreaker is from another world. The world we saw a symbol for a few days ago, and you saw when you forged the Lock. Not only is she from that world, but they've been experiencing the fires as well as the symbol for your kingdom burning in their streets?" He seemed to be listing off offences, the way he said it. 

"It's too much of a coincidence." Manon suddenly said. Everyone started a bit except Elide, who only gave the witch a small nod. Aelin hadn't even realized Manon had entered the room. 

"I agree." Dorian said, recovering quickly. "That everything that's happening is connected to both worlds is not a good sign. We know the Lock is broken now, somehow. But does this Velaris know that too?" 

"I doubt it. Feyre woke up before I could tell her more. I promised if we met again I'd explain everything. She didn't seem to know about the Lock or the gods." Aelin said. "I suppose Prythian has different deities."

"Then you have to see her again." Lysandra looked around when everyone glanced at her, surprised. "We can't just let her fend for herself! We saw what the gods could do to Aelin. Who knows what they'll do to this girl."

"How am I supposed to see her again? I don't even know how I saw her the first time." Aelin protested. 

"I expect it'll happen on its own," Manon said. "This Feyre seems important enough that you'll likely be pulled together again."

Aelin let out a deep breath and snatched a robe off a chair, tossing it around her shoulders. "Alright. Meeting over. Now everyone leave so I can get dressed. We'll discuss this at length later." Without waiting for a response, she quickly walked into the bathroom and shut the door behind her. She leaned against the door, staring at the ceiling. She counted to ten. 

Right on cue, a soft knock sounded on the other side of the door. Aelin turned around and opened it. 

"Yes, yes, I know, I left something out I need to tell you." Aelin said before Rowan could open his mouth. He smirked, crossing his arms. 

"Alright, let's hear it then." He said. 

"Alright." Aelin repeated, leaning against the doorframe. "This Feyre woman. Feyre Cursebreaker. She didn't just have power over mind and movement. She can summon fire, like me. And... water." She waited for him to understand.

"You think she's the one behind the water creatures?" Rowan asked. Aelin nodded. 

"Somehow, someway... our magic seems to be intertwined. Manon's right, it's no coincidence that our magic is reflecting in both worlds. And the symbols... Terrasen's in Velaris, Velaris' here. I just wish I knew what it all meant. Has someone-" She suddenly stopped dead. Rowan stood straighter, noting the fear on her face. 

"What? Has someone what?" He asked, taking her hands. She met his eyes, mouth slightly agape. Finally, she answered. 

"We... we thought that when the Lock broke, my magic escaped, right?" Rowan nodded, so she went on. "But what if..." 

"What if what, Aelin?" He asked when she hesitated. She met his gaze. 

"What if someone stole my magic from the Lock?" 

Art by Charlie Bowater!