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

The True King and Queen

~Renae~

I picture Ali's face- her wide and pearly smile and open hazel eyes. I picture the relief I will feel as I land on the balcony at the House of Wind- at home. Her running into my arms and we spend the entire night in that moment- between kisses and lingering touches.

But I'm not at home and I'm not in Alirra's arms.

I extend the twin Illyrian blades, crouching closer to the wooden deck. Ginerva soars straight for me, ignoring the pleas of the helpless fae beside me. With a single beat of the beast's wings, she turns away avoiding crashing into the ship. She doesn't get away without a few scrapes from my daggers which cut as far as they can into the under-side of the creature. Thick droplets of pure black blood fall from the twin cuts and land in puddles on the deck and soak into the water surrounding us– black swirls fading into the crashing blue waves.

She doesn't show any discomfort from the injuries and redirects- aiming straight for me again. This time, she turns her back toward me and the tips of the blades never enter the surface.

She swoops down a third time, crashing her lengthy body into every mast, causing them to tumble down towards us. I don't realise I survived the falling pillars until my eyes reopen and Mireille's arms are around my waist pushing me out of the way of the largest mast that fell my way.

I don't thank her like I probably should- like she looks at me expectantly for. I can only reach for my blades- one of which is trapped beneath the fallen mast. One blade it is.

I don't get chance to clear my vision or gather my thoughts or think of the next plan as I once again lower myself to the deck, arms outstretch with the one blade in my hands. As the flesh of the beast hits the tip, I use all my remaining strength and push my thighs against the floorboard- the dagger forced deeper into the belly.

I gain a pained groan from the creature, which is followed by an unnatural snarl. I can see the anger bubbling between the many pairs of eyes which have more than tripled by now. So many black orbs staring down at me that I can't even count them all.

Ginerva doesn't get to make her next attack as Mireille releases a loud shriek from deep inside of her. The ship seems to shake beneath my feet at the shout. I can't help but look at her. Actually look at her with my mouth opened wide and eyes bulging. That expression stays plastered to my face as she gathers similar shadows around her once more- matching stars sparkle in her surrounding shadows like Ginerva's. The darkness grows more and more until I can no longer she the young female inside of them. I can't move from my spot as the cloud of darkness releases thin rays- directed at the beast in the sky. The stars like explosions, and the black suffocating as they filter into Ginerva's recent cuts and fill her airways. The Shadows break off into smaller ribbons that wrap around the paws and necks of the beast- willing it to come closer. I can't separate the shadows of Mireille and Ginerva, the only difference is how the stars glisten. Ginerva's are angry flashes- blinding. Mireille's are gentle, like the type of sky I want to lay beneath with Alirra one day.

Soon enough Mireille wins her over, covering the entire form of the creature and all of its heads in her calming shadows. Bringing it closer and closer to the deck until the cloud surrounding her is so small, the dragon can no longer be seen.

The darkness separates, blends back into the shadows below our feet. Mireille and Gineva stand before each other. It's now that I realise how alike they look. I knew before that she wasn't lying about being my sister. Who would lie about that? But looking at the two of them as they stare into each other's eyes as if they've never even met, I can see such similarities.

"Why?.." Is all Ginerva can manages to say. The young female staring back at her is not what she expected of her daughter. I remember that look. From my experience, there was more disgust than disappointment.