A Court of Fire and Ash

Aelin

I woke up to a strange pain in my body.
It started in my feet and slowly rose higher and higher.
Like a flame.
At first it didn't feel too bad.
It was just a small pain that I could ignore easily.
But then it started becoming so much worse.

It felt like my skin was ripping itself apart and growing back together.
And it was everywhere.
There was not a single spot that didn't feel like it was being ripped open.
My back was the worst of it all.
Suddenly the pain intensified and no matter how much I pushed against it, nothing happened.
Screams echoed through the room I was being held in.
My screams.

I didn't want to be weak, didn't want to yield but I had no other choice.
My body was shaking and I could do nothing against the pain.
It felt like everything that ever happened to me combined.
I closed my eyes and tried to breathe but I just couldn't stop screaming.

As I opened my eyes again I could see Rhys and the female fay standing in front of me looking worried and hurrying to unlock the door.

Then again I felt that presence in my head and this time I knew it was coming from Rhys.
But again I couldn't let him get to me so I pushed against it.
They locked me up, like so many had done before.
But I wouldn't give in to my fear and my pain.
Not now not ever.

Another wave of pain roared through my body and I couldn't help but scream again.

„What's wrong with her, Rhys?”
„I don't know Feyre, I can't get in her head.”
„I didn't even want her to be locked down here. We need to help her now.”

There was another wave of pain and my screaming turned into cries.

„We can't help her here. Keir thinks I'm punishing her for trying to kill me, we can't just walk out of here with her.”
„Then just winnow us out of here. We'll tell him... I don't know. We'll tell him she was too fragile and didn't survive your punishment.”

They seemed like good people.
Very few fae would help a woman who tried to kill them.
But I was sure I couldn't trust them. There had to be a reason why I was here and I knew they had to be involved in that.

Slowly the door of the cell opened and Rhys entered.
Despite my pain I slid away from him.
Backwards until my back hit the wall, which caused another wave of pain.

I just wanted to get away from him, as he bent down to pick me up.
I tried to fight against his grip but I couldn't.
And then as the world around me started to change and air ripped against me I fainted in his arms.