Their Fireheart

Chapter Eight

Turning back to Rhysand she asked "Are you able to winnow us both back? If we are going to rehash the day I think it would be more productive amongst the others." He nodded and I raised my brow at his easy acceptance of her demands.

Next thing I knew he grabbed my arm and we were in a lounge area surrounded by two fae males with large membranous wings, a fae female and another female presence whose scent made me want to snarl. I shoved Aelin behind me and took a defensive stance against the potential threats, growling low in warning.

Half a second later she had shoved off of me with a half hearted snarl. Announcing with far too much giddiness "Well I suppose introductions are in order."

Cassian

Today was truly the wildest day of my life. Aelin crashing into our lives the way she had left an imprint on my soul in fire that I don't think would ever fully leave. Now she was here with the male from her realm - Rowan - filling him in on the day's events.

I narrowed my eyes at him, noting the pure possession and obsession in his gaze as he looked at Aelin. Staring at her as if she was his whole world, his entire reason for living.

Not that I could blame him, the things I would do to keep even a piece of that female after only knowing her for a day - cauldron knew what I would be like in his shoes.

And yet every time he attempted to get close to her she brushed him off. It was easy to see that he had hurt her in some way - but what? I observed the stiffness in her stance that hadn't been present before his arrival and gritted my teeth.

I heard a low snarl and my eyes snapped up to see him locked onto how I had been observing him and Aelin. I smirked, practically begging for a fight. Perhaps I couldn't best Aelin, but if this male wanted to challenge me, I was more than willing to meet him blow for blow.

Mor cleared her throat, sensing both the tension and the exhaustion that was clear in Aelin's stance. "Aelin, how about we find you some sweets and draw you a bath? I'm sure today was long enough for you. I will make sure Rowan has a place to rest and we can discuss further plans in the morning."

Smiling the softest I had seen on her ethereal face, Aelin nodded. I was transfixed and I swore that I would do everything in my power to see that expression on her face again. Quickly glancing towards the other males in the room, I saw my thoughts echoed in each expression.

Aelin said quietly "That sounds perfect Mor, thank you." Snapping her eyes to Rowan she spit out, "Do try to play nice Buzzard, or I swear to the gods I will leave you here and you will never see your precious Maeve again."

As she proudly walked from the room Amren chuckled. A shiver ran down my spine as I thought of their budding friendship. Glancing around at the male, I saw his face fall, looking like there was nothing more he wanted in the world than to run after Aelin.

Azriel's sharp eyes picked up on the utter devastation on the males face as he asked, "Who is Maeve?"

Azriel

The males eyes snapped to mine, a snarl of warning building in his throat. However, a quick glance at the door Aelin exited out of had him shoving down his primal anger.

Swallowing heavily, he said, "She is - was my Queen."

Rhys quirked an eyebrow at that. "She was your Queen and yet you were charged with training another?"

Grimacing, the male explained, "Maeve is Aelin's aunt - far removed. Aelin needed information from her, but Maeve refused to assist her until she was able to pass my training."

Cassian, eyebrows furrowed, asked, "Training for battle?" It did seem the most likely, and yet I sensed there was more.

Rowan simply shrugged. "In a sense."

Rhys grew more confused, "Why does Aelin seem to despise her, because she refused to aid her in her quest for this knowledge?"

Rowan shifted on his feet, which was a sign of great agitation in this male who was clearly a warrior - I exchanged a glance with Rhys to note that.

"In part... Maeve is ruthless and bloodthirsty. She acts for herself above all - in short is the complete antithesis of Aelin, who is the most selfless, genuine and caring person I have known in over 300 years," he said.

Rhys, a glimmer of understanding in his eye, demanded softly "Yet you served Maeve - why?"

Rowan growled, growing visibility frustrated. "She was all that I knew," he spat, "I thought all Queens were like her. By the time I knew better I was already her bloodsworn and thought there was no way out."

Sending a questioning glance at Rhys and Cassian I asked, "I have not heard of this term before. What is a bloodsworn?"

Growling under his breath, he explained, "It is a fae custom from my world where a warrior swears his life to his monarch for entirety. It is a position of high honor but in exchange the monarch can demand their bloodsworn do whatever they desire, even against their will."

Understanding lit Rhys gaze. "She commanded you to train Aelin as her bloodsworn. If Maeve is what you say then you would have wanted to keep her far from your queen, even if that meant pushing her away when you longed to draw her close."

In an instant Rowan was at Rhys's throat - snarling, "You know nothing of me and my -" he cut himself off and I sent a sharp gaze towards my brothers. "My fire heart," he finished brokenly, stepping away.

My heart beat sharply beneath my ribs as my mind supplied what my soul refused to accept. She couldn't be Rowan's, she couldn't. Because every primal instinct within me was screaming that she was mine. But how was that possible, fierce as she was if she was nothing but human...

I reached out to my brother in my mind. Rhys. Is there a chance she is something other than what she appears? We both know what he wanted to say but if she is a human how is that possible?

Stranger things have happened, Az. But I agree, it seems more and more unlikely that Aelin is only human. I am sure that there are more secrets we will have to wait to be revealed.