Cursebreaker and Fireheart

Chapter 15: The Return

"Is this it?" Rowan asked, looking around the room. It was smaller than Aelin remembered. And it looked different without her fire within it. 

"Yes. But it would appear we're early." Aelin said, glancing around the room. Feyre was nowhere to be seen. She finally looked at her mate and laughed aloud when she saw what he was wearing. 

"What?" He asked, then glanced down. "Ah. I see." 

He was wearing his green jacket from her coronation, the one threaded with silver designs. He wore no crown, but Goldryn and his own sword were both strapped to his waist. Aelin didn't have to look down to know she was back in her coronation dress, complete with her crown. 

"How come you get a sword?" She complained, tugging Goldryn out of its sheath and swinging the blade around. "I had no weapons last time." 

"You are a weapon, Aelin." Rowan said wryly. "Giving you a blade would be rather unhealthy for Feyre." 

"True." Aelin said, grinning wickedly. "The poor girl wouldn't have stood a chance." 

"Says who?" Rowan drew his sword when a phantom voice rang through the room. At the opposite wall, a bright light flashed, and Feyre appeared. She looked exactly as Aelin remembered. Her dress glittered as if it was made entirely of gems. Her crown gleamed in a nonexistent light, almost as if it gave off its own. Feyre smirked at them. 

"So. We meet again, Queen Aelin of Terrasen." She looked at Rowan, eyeing his sword and clothes. "I assume this is a friend of yours?" 

"This is Rowan," Aelin said. "He's part of my court." 

"Rowan what? Whitethorn?" Feyre laughed when Aelin scowled. "Oh please. Anyone with any brains can tell you're a pair. Maybe even mates, if I'm guessing right." 

"So you're Feyre?" Rowan asked, letting his sword hang at his side. Aelin knew Feyre might see that as him letting down his guard, but it was quite the opposite. He'd be ready to strike at a moment's notice. 

"Yes. I'm assuming you told your court all about me?" Feyre asked Aelin. Aelin nodded, switching Goldryn to her left hand and leaning against the hilt. 

"And I'd think you'd do the same with your... Night Court, was it?" Aelin asked, though she knew the answer. "We found a very old, very interesting book in our royal library today, you know. It contained two things that I think you'd find very intriguing." 

"Do tell." Feyre replied, crossing her arms. 

"One was an illustration of someone called the High Lord of Night, battling an army from Hybern." Aelin noted Feyre's change of expression at the words, but she didn't say anything. She gestured for Aelin to continue. "The other was a map of a land called Prythian. It showed lands called things like the Autumn Court, Winter, Summer, and even a Night Court." 

"So you found a map of my home." Feyre said, skipping over the first revelation. "Why is that strange? I'm sure-" 

"Your tattoos." Rowan suddenly interrupted. Both women turned to look at him. "What do they mean?" 

Aelin glanced at Feyre's arms. She'd noticed the whorls of blue-black ink decorating the female's skin, but she hadn't thought they might mean anything important. Now, looking more closely, she could see they resembled the same ancient text that decorated her own back.

Feyre ran her finger over one of the tattoos. "They're tokens of deals I've made. Promises I have to keep." 

"Like what?" Aelin found herself asking. Feyre kept her gaze on her hands.