Their Fireheart

Chapter Twenty Four

Reluctantly, he nodded, crossing his arms as if that could stop him from physically attacking us all. Amren snorted with laughter but we all ignored her. This conversation needed to happen.

Az took a deep breath and began, "During the High Lords meeting..."

Rowan

My mind was spinning as I tried to digest what Azriel had just told me. Aelin had four mates. Four. I waiting for the killing calm to surface, for rage to fill me at the idea of other males touching my mate, my fireheart.

Nothing came.

The only thing that I felt was desolation. Desolation at the idea that this time I had really pushed Aelin too far, and that I had lost her for good. I couldn't even fully comprehend the idea that she had more mates, or the fact that the males of the Night Court clearly thought that they were those mates.

The simple fact of the matter was that if I lost Aelin, nothing else mattered. Nothing.

Rhysand, Azriel and Cassian stared at me with caution, as if expecting me to erupt in a fury. I didn't blame them. But at that moment I didn't care. Aelin could have a thousand mates, as long as I was one of them.

As the details of our conversation trickled through my awareness I realized that the complete and utter devastation that I had seen on Aelin's face wasn't because she didn't want to be my mate. It was because she thought I had rejected her.

As if I could ever reject the most miraculous gift ever given to me. She was my sun to orbit around, and without her I knew without a doubt that my self-destruction would be absolute. I stared into space, unblinking as I tried to figure out what to do. Nothing could have prepared me for this, for her, but I would fight to my very last breath to keep her glorious fire in my life.

Suddenly, Mor appeared in the room, and everyone's attention shot to her, no one daring to break the heavy silence that descended with her reappearance.

"Where is she?" My voice broke out. I hadn't even realized I had spoken. My desperation to see Aelin, to fix this situation was overwhelming my awareness of everything else.

Her eyes shot to me, full of vitriol and disappointment. She carefully looked around the room before responding, realizing that all of the males were teetering on the edge of pure insanity. She weighed her words carefully, "She is somewhere safe."

I growled, loud and violent, "Where. Is. My. Mate?"

That got a reaction. Good.

"She isn't your anything," Mor hissed at me. "I've taken her somewhere to give her space and recover after you've torn her into ribbons again. If she ever chooses to speak to you ever again, it will be her choice and hers alone."

Cassian snarled low at her hand clenched into fists at his sides, "We just need to know where she is, so we can make sure she is okay."

Mor's eyes flashed with fury, "I won't be telling you anything." Gesturing at me she snarled, "That idiot fucked up for the last time and I'll be damned if I help him get his head out of his ass."

Fine.

I didn't need her.

I would find my mate myself, and fix this. I would lay my soul bare at her feet and pray she accepted the tattered remains of my heart, but anything Aelin chose to do to me I would accept. It was time to admit that I was wholly hers, and nothing was ever going to change that. I would give my life for hers in a heartbeat, and anything she wanted was already hers.

I strode determinedly towards the window, when Azriel spoke, eyes glittering with something I couldn't name in the moment, "Get her back. Bring her back to us."

I nodded, unable to form any other words at the moment, and shifted into my hawk form. I soared out the window, determined to find my mate.

I flew.

And flew.

And flew some more.

I don't know if it was days, or hours, or minutes, but I continued flying, continued hunting. Nothing else mattered except for finding Aelin. As I flew, a movie real of moments of my time with Aelin played before my eyes.

Her, sweaty, dirty and drunk on a tiled rooftop.

The anger and loss in her eyes when I demanded she shift for the first time.

Her blood, hot and spicy when I bit into her neck in the forest.

All of her smart quips. Learning she was a slave. Seeing the ember of rage glowing bright in her mesmerizing eyes.

All of these moments played in my mind and I realized what an idiot I had been. I should have kneeled in front of her and offered her my entire being the first moment I had met her. This woman, my mate, was the most extraordinary creature in existence. Even if she never wanted to speak with me ever again, I would always be there. I would always support her, always defend her. Always love her.

Finally, deep in the mountains of the Night Court, I picked up her unique, enchanting scent of embers, jasmine and lemon verbena. I careened towards the scent until a quaint, cozy looking cottage appeared on the horizon. Glancing at the sky, I could tell that it was early evening, the light rays of dusk caressing the mountainside cocooning the small building.

I shifted in front of the cottage, gulping in desperate breaths. I could do this. I had to do this.

Slowly, I approached the front door, mastering my emotions as much as I could. I brought up a heavy hand to knock on the wooden frame. My heartbeat echoed in my ears as I heard the faint shuffle of footsteps approach the door. Slowly, the door creaked open, and my lungs lost all of the air they were holding when I locked gazes with the woman who stood before me.

"Fireheart."