𝕋𝕙𝕖 ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝕆𝕗 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕃𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕖𝕤𝕤 ¦ 𝔽𝕖𝕟𝕣𝕪𝕤 𝕄𝕠𝕠𝕟𝕓𝕖𝕒𝕞

Lies born from Truths.

The fear on Fenrys's face was palpable, and despite the sudden confusion he surged to her side.

She wanted to beg him to stay away, but couldn't find the resolve to utter those short few words, that could save his life. Not as every nerve in her was fighting to keep the blade pointed to her.

But he didn't stop, 

"Bri don't" the undeniable terror in his voice, spiked panic in her, She needed to.

A sob broke through her, but he was still moving closer, pace quickening. She couldn't bring herself to drive it home, not as the oath was trying to wield her resolve. The muscles in her hands burned, like she held a metal prong that was pulled from a white flame.

With each step he took closer, her efforts grew harder, until she could hold out no longer, he was within a step distance of her now, hand outstretched to redirected the dagger. She wished she had drove that dagger into her heart sooner, perhaps it might have saved her sanity.

The ancient magic, poured everything into her body, making it easy work to launch herself at him. Fenrys grabbed for her when she collided with him, they went down together. The wolf reached for her hands, the knife still clasped between them, to halt its movement as she aimed it above his throat. The tip kissing the soft flesh there.

No!

The word was lost to the booming thrum in her ears.

Brielle's world went blank as a pain burst through the back of her skull, pulsing as her eyes fluttered shut and her body slumped to the pulls of gravity.

☽⋆❈⋆☾

Aelin met Fenrys' stare when Brielle collapses into his chest, she knew the Lioness would feel the pain of where Aelin had smashed the pommel of her sword into the side of her skull, but it was just lucky the immortal fae healing would prevent anything permanent.

"Someone tell me what the hell  just happened?" it was a demand, to her court, Rowan moving to ease Brielle's limp unconscious body off the wolf. 

"It was her command. Maeve sent her with a kill order of her own." Rowan's reply, voiding the gaze of Fenrys when the words left his lips, 

"If we failed to kill Lorcan." Gavriel started, crouching down to observe the back of his sister's head,  he looked up to meet the attention Fenrys now shot his way, The Wolf's expression was slowly turning to one of understanding as he took them in "She was to kill us, then him." Gavriel flicked a quick glance to Lorcan. Lorcan watched Gavriel inspect his sisters skull with a sleek precision, expression pinched.

"She would have been able to do that?" the voice of a women spoke, Aelin looked up, the women a few years older then her, with a metal mask covering half her face stepped closer. It was then Aelin could also take notice of Vera, one of Brielle's spies beside the other women. From stories, it dawned on her, Aelin knew who this masked women was. 

The Phoenix,  one  of  the  seventeen  members  of  the  Pride.

"She would have nailed us all down with half a thought if she hadn't used her magic it rip apart the Ilken" Rowan muttered absently, a realisation and answer. A sickening realisation at that. One that rippled through the group in an unmoveable silence.

"You both knew about this?" Fenrys' voice was low, while he took in the sight of Brielle laying deathly still, beside the slow rise and fall of her chest, The silence from both males, was all the answer he needed.