A Court of Horizon and Shadows

6.

Once Auriella entered the throne room, her eyes locked with Amarantha, she immediately felt small.

Amarantha had instilled a fear inside of her that she never wanted to show, but it was there. She haunted Auriella's mind every night, barely getting enough sleep. She dreaded waking up the next day, knowing that Amarantha would do everything she could to break her.

Auriella tried to remind herself of who she was, the Daughter of Dawn, daughter of the High Lord Thesan, and Captain Zephyr. She wanted to show that she had a little bit of power over Amarantha, but she knew that she was nothing Under the Mountain.

As she strides towards her usual seat, which was near Amarantha's throne, she could feel the eyes of everyone in the room upon her. It felt like they were staring right into her soul, knowing exactly what she was thinking. Auriella tried not to focus on them, but it was hard, feeling as if everyone were judging her for being weak and frail.

She took a deep breath, trying not to focus on those thoughts.

When she was in her seat, the room was silent as death. No one dared to move, fearing that Amarantha would break their bones.

The Lady Under the Mountain stood up from her glistening black throne, her blood-red silk dress hugging her body, showing her naturalness. She took a drink of her wine, savoring the bitter flavor.

"Eternity is near. Soon, you all will remain Under the Mountain for life. After the curse is sealed, things will be different here. There will be no High Lords, no government... there will only be me," She looked over to Auriella, "the Queen of the Mountain." Amarantha said.

Auriella swallowed, staring at the floor. Chills ran down her spine and tears filled her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away. She could not show vulnerability.

She felt a small feeling of comfort brush her mind. Without raising her head, she looked for Rhysand, knowing that he was the only one who had that kind of power.

He stood a few feet away, his back against the wall. His full black attire stood out from the jewels and glitter that was all around the room. He looked at Auriella, his face hard but filled with sympathy.

They were both Amarantha's pets for pleasure. She used Auriella to let out her frustration. And she used Rhysand for sex and control. They were both living a nightmare that they could not get away from.

Auriella knew what they called him. Her heart always tightened, knowing that he was a person that cared, even if he didn't show it with his emotions.

She never talked to him directly, but thought of him as a friend. His demeanor towards everyone would be stern and hard. He could make anyone fear him, but Amarantha was an obstacle that he could not escape from.

"Many of you will either perish or be under my mercy. I have taken all of you to understand why Prythian must be ruled by me. There will be a new order without the High Lords, but with a queen. I understand what must be done. The Human Lands can no longer exist, for they are a lesser specimen than we are. They are filth who are useless to our world. We are superior." She explains.

Human Lands. Auriella had never been there but has heard that the humans fear the Fae because of rumors that circled around them. There have been mentions of humans stumbling into the Fae Lands because of their own curiosity, but they never returned to their own land.

Amarantha kept a few humans to herself, torturing them for her own delight. Many wore rags and rarely ever had the chance to bathe. If they did, it would be in their own filth.

Auriella had met a human male once. He was briefly kept in the cell next to her, trembling in the corner like a frightened cat. It was the same day when she had received her punishment, her back bleeding.