Their Fireheart

Chapter Fourteen

I was grateful for my mates' patient silence as I paused, swallowing heavily even as I forced myself to face what came next.

"The night my parents were murdered," they froze, their fae stillness so exact I could barely tell they were breathing, "I couldn't sleep. So my mother gave me something to put my mind at ease, to protect me. The Amulet of Orynth."

I could see it in my mind's eye, the round, cerulean disc. A white stag adorning the front, carved from the horn of the Lord of the Forest. A gift. A burning crown of gold sat between his curling antlers. The back etched with strange symbols in a language I'd only recently recognized. Wyrdmarks.

"The most precious heirloom of our house, the Amulet has adorned the neck of every ruler in our line, tracing all the way back to Brannon himself. The same Brannon who trapped the Valg during their first attempted conquest, who wrenched the Wyrdkeys from their hands in order to do so."

When I'd first realized it, my mind had spun at the implications. That Brannon had placed a Wyrdkey inside the amulet and never told a soul. And its power - however twisted, however tainted, was still dependent on how it was used. So it had unknowingly been used for good, protecting its bearers, and by extension, my country, for a millennia.

"It was still around my neck as I fled from their killer, as I plunged into a frozen, icy river. Only to be gone when I awoke. Which means..."

I exhaled sharply.

" ... only one person could have it."

"Who?" Rowan demanded, eyes flinty with suspicion.

I swallowed, bracing myself for what I knew would come next. Even with my admittedly glossed-over explanation of my past, they knew enough, had understood enough of what I'd left unsaid, for their reaction to be anything but pleasant.

"Arobynn."

Smothered growls and curses erupted at my revelation, the room instantly heating in recognition of their fury. Cassian immediately exploded from his seat, pacing in front of it while he muttered angrily.

Meanwhile, Azriel's eyes were sharp on mine. "Is that why you've met with him? Made some sort of deal with him?"

If only it were that simple.

I sighed, "Yes and no."

"Explain." Rowan ground out, eyes flashing with barely leashed anger.

I swallowed a groan, rubbing at my temples to ward off the encroaching migraine. How was it that so much had happened while we'd been apart? And why was it that so much of it was things that would greatly upset my mates?

The gods really were out to get me.

Nevertheless, I explained - as succinctly as possible - my discovery of Aedion's imprisonment upon my arrival to the city, the death sentence he'd been facing, and Arobynn's offer - if you could call it that - of assistance in exchange for information on the Valg.

A pair of too-blank violet eyes locked onto mine when I was done.

"Aelin." Rhysand said flatly. "Please tell me you did not stage some idiotic, dangerous rescue of your cousin by yourself."

I sniffed haughtily. "Fine, then I won't tell you."

He was not amused, his answering glare so scorching, I could almost believe he was the fire-wielder.

Unfortunately, he wasn't alone in his ire. Azriel's fists were clenched against the arms of the chair he sat in, Rowan's nostrils flared as his eyes flashed with displeasure, and even Cassian's jaw was tight, grinding his teeth where he stood. Their wrath was so potent I could practically feel the waves of it pouring from them.