Their Fireheart

Chapter Nine

Rhysand

After a few more hours of talking in circles with the infuriating male, I decided it was best for us all to get some rest. Rowan demanded a room as close to Aelin as possible, so we were all in the same wing of The House of Winds. I growled under my breath just thinking about the male.

The most infuriating aspect was that under different circumstances, I would have liked Rowan. Clearly an accomplished warrior not at all intimidated by my power. In fact I suspected we were startlingly close in raw power. He had a dry sense of humor and was clearly deeply devoted and loyal to those he called his own. It just so happened that he was attempting to claim Aelin, the female who had captured a piece of me the moment I locked gazes with her enchanting eyes.

He clearly thought they were mates but there was a painful history written into their interactions. The hurt in her gaze and stance whenever he got close to her made me want to rip his rutting throat out with my teeth. There was so much that I was missing - from how a powerful fae could mate with a human to why exactly he had been training her.

I knew I had to be patient. Females like Aelin did not trust easily, and for good reason. Yet I could not let it go. I had been pacing in my rooms for hours when I felt the first trickle of terror through the bond.

My eyes had snapped up into the direction of her rooms when I heard her scream. A blood curdling scream filled with fear so potent it made my incisors ache. Before I knew it I was across the halls in Aelin's room. I saw Azriel step out of the shadows as Cassian and Rowan stormed in right behind me.

Aelin thrashed on the bed - in the throes of some horrific nightmare. I stuttered a step. What in her past could have caused a reaction this horrific?

Rowan shoved me out of the way and I growled loudly. He paid me no heed as approached her and muttered softly. "Shh Fireheart it is ok. You are free, you are free." She murmured painfully as he continued to croon to her, "I am here, I will never leave you again I promise."

Cassian and I edged closer in an attempt to sooth her. Muttering nonsense under our breath in an attempt to calm her.

Suddenly power pulsed from her - so fierce it knocked the air from my lungs.

"Shit." Rowan was agitated. Turning to me with wild eyes he practically begged, "You can move us right? You need to take us to an isolated area or she will burn this house to the ground."

Another pulse of power emanated through the room, somehow even stronger. The pure terror in his eyes reached into my soul and without thinking I winnowed us to an abandoned war camp deep in the Illyrian Mountains.

Still speaking softly to Aelin, Rowan knelt down beside her in the deep snow - which had begun to melt around her as she thrashed, still deep asleep. Cassian and Azriel appeared with an alarmed Mor. Rowan turned to us with wild eyes, "You either need to leave or shield yourselves as much as you can manage," he rushed out. "She will never forgive herself if she harms you."

"What are you talking about," Cassian demanded harshly. "How on earth would she harm us? She is asleep. She is asleep and terrified and you will not let us help her!"

Rowan turned his hard eyes upon Cassian and growled, "Do not say I didn't warn you."

Another pulse of power, stronger still, and I commanded harshly, "Shield. Azriel, Cassian, Mor shield and put everything you have into it."

It was not a moment too soon, because a split second later there was a bright flash and wildfire erupted from where Aelin lay. Wildfire so hot it was white, even through the shields we could feel the singe of heat. The fire continued to erupt for several long minutes and I felt our shields buckling. I poured every scrap of strength I had into those shields and they were still seconds from collapsing when the fire slowly began to wane.

It receded back into Aelin who stood, unharmed, next to Rowan who was speaking softly to her. She was glowing so bright that it hurt to look at her, but when I did - I gasped. I felt the shock from my surrounding court as I took in the devastating beauty before me.

Absolute perfection stared at me through turquoise eyes rimmed with gold, I felt a jolt directly to my heart as I perused her high cheekbones and plump lips. Flowing golden hair that seemed to have a light from within was tucked behind slender, delicately arched ears. Her entire body glowed like a lit ember. Immortal grace emanated from her being.

Fae, Aelin was fae.

Smiling sheepishly, the female shrugged, "Surprise?"