The Past Lies Ahead (A Throne Of Glass Fanfic)

Chapter 52

Now she did not want to see anymore, could not go through it all once again. Watch her friends die one after the other, which they would. They could not win, no matter how many times they tried. They could not beat the Princess, and she did not want to watch anymore. All she wanted was to fade away, to cease to exist and let the Princess have her, have her body and her power.

The damning words she had heard some time ago, kept echoing around her constantly, taunting her. Burning down that city and all its people was so much fun the first time. She hated it, hated her for using her fires to destroy. But she could do nothing, she was tired, so very, very tired. She just wanted to fade away.

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«Do you swear to always and forever serve your country and your people from now and until the end of your days?» Darrow said, while staring hard into her eyes. Aelin knelt before the dais and stared up at Darrow as he recited all his lines.

«I swear it.» she said, as loud and clear as she could.

«Do you swear to always and forever put your country and your people first in all things?» he said, his face grim, like he was attending a funeral and not a coronation. Aelin resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

«I swear it.» she said with conviction.

«Then rise.» he ordered, and she did with practiced grace.

A guard held up a plush green, velvet pillow that held a bejeweled scepter and an orb. Both make out of gold. Aelin recognized the artifacts, she could remember asking her great uncle about them once. Another guard stepped up holding a pillow as well, carrying the crown. Darrow motioned for her to pick up the orb and the scepter. She gingerly lifted them from the pillow, and slowly tyrned to face the crowd, where her mate and cousins smile up at her.

«I hereby declare you, Aelin Ashryver Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen!» he said loudly enough to wake the dead, and she was glad she was wearing her human form. She felt the coldness of metal when Darrow placed the crown atop her head, with unexpected gentleness.

«All hail the Queen, and long may she reign!» Darrow roared, and the crowd echoed his words. The crowd cheered, and bright smiles beamed at her from all directions. A lone tear fell from the corner of her eye, and she wished that her parents could have seen her now.

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The trap was ready, and everyone was in their hiding places, waiting for the Valg Princes s to arrive. Sam watched as the demon foot soldiers marched closer, with a golden haired woman walking at the front of it. Zahir, that was her name. Zahir raised a fist in the air, then made some gestures with her raised hand. The soldiers headed towards Ansel's waiting army, but the demons had not noticed the silent assassins hidden in the trees, waiting for an opening.

Zahir stayed where she had stopped, and listened as the fighting began. A shrill cry from the skies told Sam that the armada's had begun their fight as well. Sam stepped forward out of the shadows of the tree he had hid behind. «Zahir! I wish to speak with you.» he called out to her. She turned towards him slowly, a wicked grin slowly spreading across her face. A shiver ran down his spine, evil, whatever had taken Aelin's body was pure evil. Her eyes were an endless pit of darkness, Sam took a step back, then another. Slowly making his way towards the four stones Nehemia had marked.

She hummed. «I thought I smelled something.» Zahir's slowly followed, looking at him as if he was a delicious meal. «Come to beg for your life?» she taunted. «Don't bother, petty human, I spare no one. I like the smell of burning flesh.» she purred.

Sam just kept backing up, trying his best to ignore what she said, and the way she said it. Dread began to fill his body, as he stared at her. No recognition, not even a flicker of emotion. Maybe Rowan had been right, that she was truly gone. There was no turning back now, just a little bit closer... there, he was past the first two stones. She was focused entirely on him, and didn't bother to take in her surroundings. A mistake Aelin would never have made. «I just want to talk, Zahir, before you burn me.» he said, doing his best to keep his voice from trembling. So far, so good, he thought.

«Since you're so handsome, I'll give you two minutes to plead for mer...» her eyes grew wide as she froze in place and the four stones began to glow. She struggled against the invisible bonds, then snarled at him. «You'll regret this, you pesky little shit!»

«Yrene, now!» he shouted. Yrene jumped out from the shrubbery behind Zahir, and placed her hands on either sides of her head. The demon hissed. Suddenly her black eyes widened in shock, a split second before she started screaming. Sam winced at the sharp sound, but drew his weapons in case the demon got loose. Nehemia stepped forward, making strange symbols with her hands while chanting words in a language he did not understand. Light from the four rocks flared, and the demon's screams grew louder, and more frantic.

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After a long and delightful dinner, the tables were cleared away while the musicians set up their instruments. Aelin tried to make her way over to her mate, but was stopped by each and everyone she met along the way. There were all kinds of people here, nobles, merchants, foreign emissaries, and everyone one of them wanted to introduce themselves to her, form relations and all that. She found it funny how almost all of them kept glancing at the scar that ran across her face, but none of them made any comment about it. By the time she reached Rowan her cheeks hurt from all the smiling.

«Ready for the dance, Rowan?» she asked sweetly. He had been reluctant during practice, but she knew he was exaggerating and that he liked the excuse to hold her close like that. She definitely liked him spinning her around the dance floor.

«Of course.» he said, and offered her his arm. She took it and walked out into the middle of the room arm in arm. They stopped and faced each other. «You look radiant, Aelin.» he said, while they waited for the music to begin.

«Thank you, Rowan.» she made a show of him looking him up and down. «I must say, you look rather dashing. That shirt works wonders for your muscles.» she winked at him, and he huffed a laugh. She glanced at the musicians, they were ready. She lifted her arms, putting one hand on his overarm and one in his. She shifted into her fae form at the moment the music began to play, and Rowan swished her across the floor. Spinning, twisting and twirling they flew across the room with immortal grace, earning "oh's" and "ah's" as they swished by.

She grinned up at her magnificent mate, for a moment forgetting all the horrors they would soon face in this war while he lead her fluidly through the dance. If only the rest of their days could be this carefree.

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Wesley, Lysandra and Chaol came out from their hiding places in the woods, all staring at the two women inside the trap. Sam glanced at Nehemia, and saw sweat had begun to trickle down her face. Sam looked at Yrene who was standing behind their target, her face was strained with concentration.

«Yrene, hurry up! I can't hold the spell much longer.» Nehemia said, swaying slightly.

«I'm trying.» Yrene grounded out through clenched teeth.

This is bad, Sam thought. Aelin's eyes were still black, and she was pissed as hell too. They all stood at the ready to attack, and Sam hunched down when the demon roared right him. If she got loose... she might very well go for him first for luring her into the trap. Nehemia swayed again.

«I... I can't...» Nehemia mumbled before collapsing to the ground, and the spell dissipated. Faster then he could blink, the demon moved. But not at him as he had thought she would. She spun around grabbing Yrene by the neck and lifted her of the ground.

Chaol roared her name and ran at the demon, but barely made it two steps before flames erupted.