𝐀 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐎𝐟 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐬

Ch 17: To whatever end

Lorcan POV
I didn't expect 'thank you's' and 'rainbows' from Aelin, but releasing her magic and almost burning us seemed like an appropriate reaction no matter how tired I was of shielding those people who Fenrys and Aelin had come with. Gavriel stepped forward, to a now naked Aelin and wrapped his jacket around her, covering her up. Usually after using this much magic she passed out, but this time she just seemed relieved as if she was just waiting for an excuse to release it.

All the people in the room except the people I knew, were staring at Aelin's prominently visible pointed ears like they had never seen them before. Which they probably hadn't. A sudden whimper could be heard and there I saw a white wolf standing in the corner infront of Elide, his paws burnt off. He whimpered once more before he fell, a crying Elide behind him.

Aelin broke free from Gavriel's embrace and ran towards Fenrys, the jacket still around her. "No no no no no no. I'm so sorry. I couldn't keep it in." she sobbed, a hand on his stomach. The wolf looked at her crying figure and licked her other arm that was near his face, with great effort, before he fell unconcious. "Someone heal him!" she screamed, looking towards us and specifically towards Gavriel.

Gavriel stepped forward and sat beside Fenrys, his hands glowing as he placed them on the wolf's paws. His hands glowed brighter and brighter until it finally subsided, but instead of finding flawless white paws we saw the same burnt skin and fur. Aelin's sobs became more frantic and guilty, while Gavriel stared at his hands dumbfounded.

Rhysand and the girl with whom he was previously holding hands strode forward and did the same as Gavriel, but when the stopped the skin was still burnt and Fenrys was still unconcious, and losing blood.

"what have I done." whispered Aelin before more sobs racked her body.

----------------------------------------

'I unsheathed my sword and shouted my command in response, "Assemble!".'

Aedion POV

The attack had killed more than we hoped, my own armed bleeding profusely. Aelin would be out shouting something supportive and sitting with the healers helping as much as she can, she wouldn't be in the infirmary getting her own wounds healed before her people's. I disgusted myself. How could an armada preparing for war be so unprepared. It was my fault.

"Aedion. Rolfe is here, he needs to talk to you about what Aelin negotiated with him. I told him Aelin is helping her people and can't come right now. That's something she would be doing. But I need the general." said Lysandra, interrupting my thoughts, her head peeping into the now empty healer's tent. I nodded my head and stepped out in a daze, not looking at her once.

-----------------------------------------

Rowan POV

Maeve hadn't touched me in a whole day, which was odd considering she was a sadistic bitch. All I could think of was Aelin, what condition she is in, where is she.

Something was wrong, I knew that. Maeve should be here gloating and showing me images of Aelin being tortured, knowing it would drive me insane. History was repeating itself, Lyria was repeating herself. My child, growing in my mate, unsafe and unprotected, was making my instincts go crazy. Madness might kill me before Maeve gets a chance too.

My good luck disappeared when a rattling of iron could be heard from the other end of the corridor. She walked in, her lips bloodred and her skin pale as snow. She held something black in her hands, something I couldn't see, but smile the on her lips as if she had finally gotten what she wanted told me it was nothing good.

She stepped closer to me until she was only a breaths' distance away and trailed one of her thin, painted finger on my jaw, tracing the lines of my tattoo. I glared at her, trying to pull away but her finger came down to hold my chin. "If you won't tell me. He will." she said before she revealed what was in her hands. A collar rested in her palms, radiating darkness and cruelty. "This is the last time I will ask Rowan." she said in a sing-song voice, which made me want to kill her like never before.

I spat at her, my spit lading on her face. She chuckled before she wiped it off her face, "being around her has really made you high-spirited hasn't it." she said, as she traced lines on the collar, playing with it like it wasn't something that would take everything away from me.

"Shame really. You always were my favourite." she drawled before she moved towards me, her hands holding the collar and her arms outstretched. I was fighting, my fists and neck moving relentlessly in a futile attempt to keep my freedom. Something cold encased my neck and I could feel myself being pushed back, but I was bound, I couldn't do anything. The last thing I heard before my body was snatched from me, my mate whispering to me, "To whatever end."