I did not think I had ever seen Cassian so...clumsy.
But here he was, stumbling into the main level of the town house, knocking over a chair with a bold grin on his face. Rhys and I stared at him in shock and horror as we wondered what the hell he had done.
"I have an idea!" He announced to us, though our only answer were looks of pure terror.
Cassian only sighed at both of our reactions. "I promise, this time it won't include blowing anything up."
I still wasn't so sure, and one glance at my mate told me he felt the same. It had been three days since we had brought Rowan Whitethorn back to that ancient vault, trying to find the time to research what we could about ancient spirits, along with trying to find a way to stop Hybern. So far, we had found nothing, and Rowan had admitted the same the last time we'd met up to compare. Due to this slight anomaly, we had expected Cassian's so called "idea" to have something to do with stopping Hybern, which usually meant chaos and destruction.
When we still did not respond, Cassian's shoulders relaxed slightly as he assured us, "It's about that ancient spirit-queen...Eileen something—"
"Aelin Galathynius," I corrected.
"Yes, her. I'm starting to think that instead of questioning her sanity, we should be maybe taking a moment to reconsider what she said." He rushed to explain, "To us, it all sounded like a bunch of gibberish, but with the way she was flickering...it was almost like she was having trouble keeping her conscience or whatever it is in that one place. Maybe because of that blockage, what sounded like garbage to us could have made complete sense to her."
It took me a moment to realize what he was talking about, thinking over his words. But Rhys seemed to have caught on, light flickering in those lovely violet eyes. "Actually, you might be onto something, Cass," He murmured. "Maybe she really was trying to tell us something and we couldn't understand."
"But there's another problem," I cut in. "Whatever blocked off that communication wasn't there before, or, at least it wasn't as strong, which means there must be something going wrong."
The three of us were silent a moment, considering the odds. There were so many things that Aelin could have been trying to say; a plea for help, a hint as to where she was...and it couldn't be a coincidence that there was a blockage in her way of communicating to us.
Which only left one other option: the barrier was not natural.
"What if..." I trailed off. "What if someone is trying to keep her wherever she is, and they blocked off her communication as a result?"
The three of us were silent at the realization, knowing that this was something that couldn't just affect the ancient queen and her mate, but all of Prythian.
"We need to inform Rowan," Rhys said. "Right now."
————
"So, let me get this straight," Rowan Whitethorn said from where he had been skimming an ancient title written in another language. "You three think that Aelin—my Aelin, not some other female—is being...kept in this prison she speaks of? By someone?"
Rhys blew out a breath and nodded. "It makes sense. It even explains the sudden decrease in sanity and freedom of speech."
Though his back was turned to us and his eyes were still gazing at the ancient words on the page, I could tell Rowan wasn't really reading them. I wondered if he was still trying to process the issue, especially after millennia of waiting and grieving.
"What do you think, Rowan? Is it a possibility?" I asked.
The warrior still did not move from where he stood, but still answered quietly, "As much as I want it to be impossible, it's not. It's never that simple with...with them."
"With who?" Cassian questioned, his brow creasing.
Rowan turned to us again, his expression unreadable. "The same bastards that damned her there in the first place—the gods."
Rhys's eyebrows shot up at this. "Aren't the gods all gone now?"
Rowan nodded solemnly. "That was the deal Elena made all those years ago. The gods wanted to go back to their home realm and were going to use Brannon as a sacrifice to do it, and in return they were going to banish the Valg with them. But when Elena used the Eye to trap Erawan in that prison in Morath, the gods were furious that we refused to go through with the bargain, if unintentionally. Except when Aelin gave herself to the Wyrdgate, the same deal should have held. I'm not sure how the gods would have kept her wherever she is or why."
Why—that seemed to be the repeating focus question anymore; why is Aelin trapped? Why is she only now revealing herself? Why is this all happening now?
I bit my lip as I came to a conclusion: whatever was happening had to do with that ancient vault—the only place Aelin had shown herself.
And though I knew it was a risky idea. . .sometimes, to get answers, you must demand them yourself.
- - - - - - - - -
I sucked in a shuttering breath, using my immortal strength to push open the heavy iron door.
Alone with the only source of light being the torch in my hand, the vault seemed even darker than before. I swallowed, wondering if I had been wrong to investigate on my own.
No—no, I was my own person now, stronger than the girl I had once been. I would not go down so easily.
The reminder motivated me to keep moving forward, even as the door slammed shut behind me like always. Jaw clenched, I skimmed the room once more, looking for anything that might give me a clue. Swords, daggers, jewelry, cloaks, dresses. . .all priceless and beautiful in their old age, but a sparkling amulet or ancient dagger wasn't going to help me find out who is keeping the Heir of Fire imprisoned and could possibly be a threat to our world.
I sighed, setting down a worn dress. "A little help would be nice, if you're there," I called out, "especially if I'm doing this to help you."
Something in my gut sank at the answering silence, though I had expected it.
I was about to turn to leave when that same something in my gut snagged again, almost like a fishing line.
I slowly turned back to the table at the very end of the room, nearly hidden by a silver and green tapestry. We must have passed over it last time we were here.
Slowly, I eased my way over to the small table, its surface seeming to display the same artifacts as all the others, except. . .
There, almost buried beneath a scarlet cloak, was an amulet; small in size, but still seemed to be even more ancient than everything else in the room. It was plain but beautifully crafted, an immortal stag molded onto its front. It looked like a regular old necklace, except the way it felt in my hands almost seemed. . .warm. Alive.
My heart pounded in my chest, but my hands did not tremble as I brushed my hand over the stag, digging my nails into the side of the amulet's front.
The amulet cracked open.
I could barely remember to breathe as I cautiously pushed the front backwards, noticing the yellow light now leaking from the cracked side.
Trapped in a place somewhere in-between, where only my conscience can roam free.
Her words echoed in my mind as I continued to open the amulet, more and more light beginning to shine through, until I was nearly blinded by it.
Trapped somewhere in-between.
Wisps of light started to shoot out of my palm and swirl around the room, illuminating it fully for the first time. Plumes of red and gold sprouted all around me, taking my breath away as they seemed to celebrate their newfound freedom. I couldn't hold in my laugh as the lights sparkled around me with colorful personalities, wild and beautiful. I could hardly remember the last time I'd seen something so exquisite.
Those sparkling wisps started to converge, the room still illuminated by their trails of light. They stuck together, forming a large shape, glowing brighter for a moment, then solidifying. My eyes watered at the brightness and I was forced to squint for a moment, until the light dimmed to a glow.
A gasp.
I blinked at the spots clouding my vision, focusing on the person standing before me.
She looked almost exactly like before, with the same golden hair and turquoise eyes, but instead of a ghost, she seemed real, if not for the faint glow of her skin.
Aelin Galathynius grinned at me as if I'd just won a war, a full smile that I had not seen before. "Well, it certainly took you long enough."
- - - - - - - -
I laughed at her words, even though this female was practically a stranger to me. Something about her just seemed familiar, almost as if I'd known her all my life.
Aelin only stretched her arms as if she'd just gotten out of bed. "Gods above, that necklace was cramped. It's really a wonder I haven't developed a hunchback after all these years."
I blinked at her words. "You have been stuck inside this thing for seventeen thousand years?"
She only smiled grimly at my words. "Yes, sadly. When I went to sacrifice myself to that damned Wyrdgate, I didn't realize that the gods had plans for me other than death. Both my magic and me were exposed to so much of the magic of the gate that it changed me into something new, which was apparently the gods' actual goal for me," Despite her words, Aelin rolled her eyes. "It all kind of happened at one time and I was magically sucked into that amulet."
I felt my eyes widen. "Rowan told us that he saw you dissolve into the Wyrdgate," I breathed.
Aelin's eyes lit up at the name, but her tone kept the same irreverence as before as she corrected, "Except I actually 'dissolved' into the amulet and not the gate."
I blew out a breath as I tried to let everything sink in. It took me a moment to remember what she had said before and every scrap of triumph I had initially felt winked away. "What 'plans' did the gods have? How did the Wyrdgate change you?"
She gave me a half smile, though her eyes were full of sorrow. "Allow me to demonstrate."
Aelin started walking toward me, her hand waving in the air, but before she even made it to me, the room shifted.
In moments, I found myself sitting at a diner in Velaris, Aelin pouring a cup of tea in front of me as if nothing had happened. I looked around, blinking at my surroundings and looked down at myself—even my clothes were different. Instead of my fighting leathers, I had somehow been changed into a comfortable white shirt, pants, and leather boots.
I had seen Rhys do such things with his magic, but never so quickly; and when he winnowed, it was like stepping into a pocket of blackness. Aelin had made the room swirl, as if it were painting the new setting.
"What the hell?" I asked.
Aelin looked up from where she had finished pouring the tea into my cup. "What? Would you rather have more sugar?" She snapped her fingers, and three cubes of sugar plopped into the mug. "Don't worry, I was just about to comment on how anyone could not have sugar in their tea, but you beat me to it."
"I..." I started, "What? How?"
She only grinned at me. "When I was exposed to the full night of both the Wyrdgate and the gods' energy flowing through me, my magic. . .expanded. I learned things that I didn't even know I could do. The gods wanted to only leave the people on this earth with just enough of that knowledge for when they left, but not so much that we nearly consumed ourselves with it. So instead of letting me jump right back out with a shit ton of new magic, they chained me to that amulet and cursed me."
I swallowed back the tightness in my throat. "What is your curse?"
She let out a humorless laugh. "Every time someone comes across that amulet and opens it to let my spirit out, I become bound to them, like the fable of the genie and the lamp. I must grant them three wishes and three wishes only, as long as they aren't to kill someone, make someone fall in love with you, or bring someone back from the dead." Aelin nodded her head at my chest, where I noticed the amulet now rested. Then she held out her wrists, where matching golden cuffs were clamped. "Because you were the one to open the amulet, you are now my 'mistress' until all three wishes are used."
By the Cauldron. No wonder the gods had wanted to contain that power; even if the amulet suddenly fell into the wrong hands. . .I shuddered at the thought. "Is there any way to free you?"
Her eyes softened slightly at my question. "Yes, but the aftermath could be catastrophic. My master or mistress would have to use one of the three wishes to wish me free and even if someone had that pure of a heart to do so, three quarters of the power I gained would be released into the world in a gigantic blow that could possibly wipe out entire cities."
Well, there went that idea. I stared down at my tea, then looked back to Aelin. "So I'm your mistress?"
Ire flashed in her eyes as if she despised the word. "Yes," she answered tightly. "You are the bearer of the Amulet of Orynth, so therefore I must grant you three wishes."
I swallowed. What on earth could I possibly wish for? There wasn't anything I really wanted now because I had everything I needed. Besides, Aelin wasn't exactly specific on what I could wish for besides the impossible.
Aelin only smiled again as if she knew what I was thinking. "Don't worry; you're allowed as much time as you need to. Until then, consider me your portable servant." She winked at my necklace. "Travel-size."
I couldn't hold back my laugh as I nodded. "I accept that offer. But. . .you can pass on calling me ''mistress' if you'd like."
Aelin sighed at my words, obviously relieved. "Thank you."
Before I could answer, the world was shifting again, until I found myself back in the room of the vault, all the light it had once been illuminated with snuffed out.
"Aelin?" I asked, looking around for the Queen of Fire.
Something hummed at my chest and I felt the amulet there, just as it had been in Velaris—the only proof I had not imagined the entire thing.
- - - - - - - -
Well, well, well. . .
I must say, that was probably not the best writing, but I am pretty proud of how it all came together.
I hope to update sometime tomorrow, but for now, pleaaaaaase leave your comments! I want to know if you still agree with the plot.
Thanks for reading!