Daughter of Day

- 9 -

A v a l o n ' s   P O V

A light chattering filled the hall, unlike the previous two challenges. The doors of the main hall burst open, revealing Feyre, dressed in the clothes she arrived in.

She strode down the path cleared by the faeries, heading straight for Amarantha, her head held high.  As she stopped before the dais, the Queen smiled. 

"Two trials lie behind you," she picked at a fleck of dust on her blood-red gown.Her red hair shone, a gleaming darkness that threatened to swallow up her golden crown. "And only one more awaits. I wonder if it will be worse to fail now—when you are so close." 

Only a few laughs scattered through the hall bubbled to the surface, the rest remained silent in anticipation. 

"Any words to say before you die?" the Queen said, after glaring at the room.

Feyre stood silently for several moments, thinking about what to say. "I love you, no matter what she says about it, no matter if it's only with my insignificant human heart. Even when they burn my body, I'll love you." Her lips trembled, several hot tears slipping down her cheek.

"You'll be lucky, my darling, if we even have enough left of you to burn." They stared at each other for a couple of minutes, Amarantha's jeer having been met with silence.

"Did you ever solve my riddle, dear." Silence. " Same, the answer was so lovely."

"Get it over with."

Amarantha turned to Tamlin. "No final words." When he didn't respond, she turned back to face the human girl. "Very well then." 

The hall doors were pushed open to reveal three figures - two male, one female. The brown sacks on their heads turned this way and that as they moved their heads as if to see were they were. The figure were shoved to the ground upon the dais, facing Feyre.

"Your final task, Feyre," Amarantha drawled, gesturing to the kneeling faeries. "Stab each of these unfortunate souls in the heart."

Feyre stared, her mouth opening and closing in shock. 

"They're innocent—not that it should matter to you," she went on, "since it wasn't a concern the day you killed Tamlin's poor sentinel. And it wasn't a concern for dear Jurian when he butchered my sister. But if it's a problem ... well, you can always refuse. Of course, I'll take your life in exchange, but a bargain's a bargain, is it not? If you ask me, though, given your history with murdering our kind, I do believe I'm offering you a gift."

The room was filled with a deafening silence. Nobody moved. No body made as sound. Not as we all waited to see what the human girl would do.

Feyre took a step. She took a step towards the first figure, towards the first dagger. 

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. Beside me Rhysand did the same. He took my hand, like he did in the first challenge, and we both stood, watching our human mate begin to save us from the red Queen.

Just as Feyre was about to kill the first figure, a guard stepped forward, pulling the sack from the males head. There before Feyre knelt a you high Fae. He couldn't have been much older than me, if not younger. His blue eyes grew wide as he began to shake his head. As he began to beg her for his life.

Someone in the crowd behind me began to weep as the young Fae male begged for his life. Until suddenly, Feyre leapt forward plunging the dagger straight into his heart. The males scream was deafening as he thrashed trying to escape his fate. Hot, salty tears slid down Feyre's face as she pulled the now bloody dagger out of the boys chest and dropped it to the floor. It clacked against the marble floor. Feyre stumbled backwards as the tears continued to fall down her face, as the boy slumped to the floor, his blue eyes wide in shock and fear.

"Very good," Amarantha said. "Now the next. Oh, don't look so miserable Feyre. Aren't you having fun?" 

The servant passed Feyre another dagger and pulled the sack off the female figures face. Her face was simple and her hair a golden-brown. Tears had already began to roll down her round cheeks as she beheld Feyre's blood covered hand. 

"Cauldron save me," she began whispering, her voice lovely and even—like music. "Mother hold me," she went on, reciting the prayer the priestesses in the Day Court would say after someone had died "Guide me to you. Let me pass through the gates; let me smell that immortal land of milk and honey. Let me fear no evil," she breathed, staring at Feyre, "Let me feel no pain. Let me enter eternity," she breathed. Kill me she was saying, kill me now. Do it fast, do not make it hurt, kill me now. 

 Feyre lifted the ash dagger above the female, more sobs filling the room. The sorrow of the dead Faes companions.

"Let me enter eternity," she repeated, lifting her chin. "Fear no evil," she whispered."Feel no pain." 

The dagger drove through her heart. I felt tears glide down my face as she gasped for breath, staying utterly still, closing her eyes. She remains kneeling for a few seconds before finally she too slumped to the ground.

The faerie servant offered Feyre that final dagger. She was about to reach for it when the guard revealed the male who kneeled before her. Tamlin.

Feyre whipped her head up to Amarantha and then to the side to the High Lord of the Spring court sat at her side. Amarantha smirked before waving her hand to reveal the Attor. 

A trick. I looked to Rhysand. Pale, his face had gone so pale. He too, looked to me, our eyes met and we understood. Whatever happened, we weren't getting out. Whatever happened Amarantha would live.

"Something wrong?" Amarantha asked, cocking her head. 

"Not ... Not fair," Feyre chocked out. 

Fair?" Amarantha mused, playing with Jurian's bone on her necklace. "I wasn't aware you humans knew of the concept. You kill Tamlin, and he's free." Her smile was hideous . "And then you can have him all to yourself. Unless," Amarantha went on, "you think it would be more appropriate to forfeit your life. After all: What's the point? To survive only to lose him?" Her words were like poison. "Imagine all those years you were going to spend together ... suddenly alone. Tragic, really. Though a few months ago,you hated our kind enough to butcher us—surely you'll move on easily enough." She patted her ring."Jurian's human lover did."

Feyre stood with the stillness of the Fae. She may not have even been breathing.

"So," Amarantha said, but I didn't look at her. "What will it be, Feyre?"

She stared at the ash dagger on the pillow still held out by the servant. She slowly face Tamlin again, eyes shimmering with tears. 

The room was silent for what felt like eternity.

She took the dagger in her hand and slowly, oh so slowly walked over to Tamlin, stopping when she stood over him. She paused for a moment before murmuring, "I love you," and she stabbed him.

Hope you are all okay. Has anyone read House of Sky and Breath yet? If you haven't it is really good.