A Court of Lies and Secrets | ACOTAR fanfic [Girl x Girl]

Illusion

~Renae~

It takes the entire night, but the Illyrians slaughter Iagan's soldiers until the rest retreat to the safety of their homes as if nothing happened. The sun peaks over the horizon casting golden rays over the lands. There goes our plan of sneaking in and out for the humans through the night.

Rhys stumbles to my side- exhausted by the battle, "what just happened?" He asks as if its only been a few minutes since we last spoke and not another day entirely.

"Ginerva cast an illusion to mesmerise you all and lure you into one spot. Iagan had his soldiers ready to surround you." I lean against a tree like many of the Illyrians around us.

"You weren't affected?" Feyre stands beside him, silently assessing his figure, and no doubt asking through the bond, whether he's injured.

"I have her power- or a bit of it. However you'd like to see it, being her daughter means I'm immune for whatever reason." Either that or she didn't want me under her spell so Iagan could get his hands on me once more.

"I have never heard of this power." Rhys mumbles to himself but gives me an expecting look, as if I have an explanation for him.

"As much as I'd like to sit and through every power I learnt mother dearest has, we either need to retrieve what we came for or go home."

"Let's finish what they started." Feyre nods and turns to command their soldier into their next move. I can tell they're both suspicious about what I didn't tell them or maybe it's because they now know I have a slice of the demonic powers they just witnessed. Either way, they're afraid of losing more battles, losing lives, at the hands of said powers. Whether it's Ginerva or myself.

~Alirra~

I don't know when it happened, but Ginerva had managed to knock me out of consciousness and I have a slight feeling it was because of her shadow-slicked powers.

All I remember is gripping onto Vanora's hand and pulling her close to my face. Severe burns coated the surface of her skin, scorched her eyes and blood crusted the surface of every boil. The  shock couldn't last- I couldn't console her. It was selfish of me to use what little time I had with her for my own personal gain, but fear took over the second Ginerva emerged from the shadows of Vanora's tent.

"When the High Lord and Lady returns- tell them everything you saw." And that was it. I never laid eyes upon her scarred face again as the darkness engulfed my own vision.

As I open my eyes to the surroundings it takes a few blinks to concentrate on any details of the room. The darkness hides any details of furniture or figures in the corner. Eventually I realise the room is empty. Small, tight and completely empty. I'm not alone ; Ginerva appears.

"About time you woke up. If I'd have known you were going to take so long I would've given you a smaller dose." So she drugged me to get me out of the way? I still believe it was her powers that did the task.

"Is it worth asking where I am?" I mumble and try to rub my eyes with my palm- hoping to adjust them to the room. That's when I realise my hands are shackled together a thick metal chain leading to an even thicker ring half emerged into the stone floor. My legs are free to move, and if I wanted to, I could jump up from the foetus position and strangle Ginerva. What good would that do? She has more power than I have strength.

"Somewhere out of the way. They won't get you back." Her voice is reassuring but her words are the opposite. I give her a deep snarl with what little energy I have left and her laugh is short and quiet.

"Well it's not like you wanted their company."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I grumble and if she could see I would've even bothered to roll my eyes for the effect.