"Remember when I came down here every dawn for months?" Aelin asked.
"Of course. Do you remember the look on Emrys's face when you came you came in covered in blood?" Luca replied. Aelin was, once again, helping out in the kitchen. It was odd being back here; she was so changed now. She had been ashamed to know that she hadn't even known the name of the male who had sacrificed himself in her name.
"It looked like he had just drank a liter of lemon juice." Luca laughed.
"Oh - I have a good one. Remember when you burnt that fae nobility, that one who kept being weird with Rowan and then said no one will ever marry a half-breed like you or something?"
"How could I possibly forget? Remember when Emrys-"
"That's enough gossiping," Emrys scolded jokingly. "You may be the queen of Terrasen, but while you're in my kitchen, I'm in charge." Aelin laughed, and went back to chopping potatoes. What was it with Mistward and potatoes?
"Do you think I should check on Elentiya?" she asked. If she was being honest, she had been avoiding it until Rowan arrived; it was just so hard to communicate.
"Why don't you bring her some books", Emrys suggested. "I have a few somewhere, in the Old Language."
"Um... What are they about?"
"I have no idea."
"Maybe not, then."
"What?" Luca cut in. "Are you worried about adult content?"
"No. I'm worried that they might be awful. I should probably go up, though.
...
Elentiya was almost surprised to see the female, Aelin, for the second time that week. Auntie Maeve had never visited for any reason other than to punish her. She was comfortable now, no longer exhausted. But with her strength, the thing had returned. It wanted to escape. If it hadn't been for that, she might have been brave enough to go out. Explore. But now she was scared. The iron that kept the beast subdued was gone. What if it escaped?
When Aelin entered, it was as if she sensed it immediately. She muttered something in her strange language, then walked out again. Maybe she hadn't meant to come? Elentiya had assumed that Aelin had been there before, but maybe she had gotten lost. Five minutes later, she had her answer.
Aelin was carrying clothes - were they going out. Elentiya had never worn clothes like those before. They were simple but warm and comfortable. In Doranelle, she had always worn dresses, but these were so much freer. Aelin beckoned, clearly lacking the vocabulary to ask her to follow. She followed silently, wide-eyed. The trees, the flowers, the eyes of the little folk as they watched silently. Elentiya waved, and giggled in surprise when they waved back.
...
Elentiya was aptly named. She was kind in a way that Aelin had only been when she was very small, even after all she had been through. The fact that she could even giggle was impressive. She truly was a spirit that could not be broken. Aelin had brought her away from Mistward - not to the temple of Mala that she had visited, but to a clearing far within the forest. She could put out any fire that was started, after all. Elentiya just stared at her blankly. In explanation, Aelin created a circle of fire around herself.
...
Elentiya's breathing quickened. Fire - fire everywhere. Auntie Maeve, she was back. Back to punish her. Blindly, she pushed, pushed the beast out with one thought: to put out the fire. Ice shot out, cool and calming. Encasing Aelin in a block of it. Was she hurt? Elentiya was drained, and she didn't know how to make the ice disappear. Starting to panic again, she circled the ice, looking for a way in. Until she picked up an unfamiliar scent - pine and snow.
"You could," A male's voice called out in the Old Language, "Get that to melt if you had been more careful with your magic."