Reign of Embers

Chapter 3 - Surprise!

Aelin

I slowly open my sleep heavy eyes, vision blurry and head pounding. In the moments before I fully awoke, I had heard commotion as someone or something had burst in here and scared the living daylights out of whoever else is in here. The fog in front of my eyes begins to clear, and after a few seconds I see him, concern etched on every line of his face. Rowan, my mate.

"Afternoon Fireheart." His face is flushed, breath slightly heavier than usual, he must have ran here when he felt me waking up, wherever here is. My stomach clenches again, and I can feel the meagre contents of it rising to the surface.

"Buzzard." I manage to get out, then I throw up all over the bed.

In the few minutes that follow, whilst some healers help clean me up, I realise that I'm in the infirmary, great, and that Rowan is not alone, also great. Once I'm vaguely presentable, or at least not covered in vomit, I finally take in my visitors. Manon, Abraxos, and Yrene. This time I do actually groan. I shoot a glare towards where my mate is perched beside me rubbing my back with soft circles

Before you say anything, Yrene is just here to make sure you're ok, Manon bought her on Abraxos, Chaol, Dorian and the kids are on the way.

I narrow my eyes at him, letting my annoyance show before turning to face our friends.

"Anything you'd like to share?" Manon drawls, Abraxos peering over her shoulder.

"Love his outfit, very lord-like." I make a pointed glance at her mount.

"If you made a decree that he could come inside the castle without your permission he wouldn't need it." Manon glares back.

"But I like seeing you come up with excuses for him to enter," I pout. "makes life much more enjoyable."

Manon huffs a small laugh as Abraxos knocks over a vase of flowers he was sniffing too intently, "It's been ten years, I'm pretty sure most people in Erelia know who he is."

"Whoever let you in today blatantly doesn't," I smirk.

"They're your guards."

I choose to ignore that detail. "Oh well" I say shrugging, the movement driving my attention to my ruined clothes. "Now can someone help me out of this room and somewhere more comfortable. I need a new dress. And a bath."

Manon scowls at me, I smirk, and out of spite to Rowan, I ask Yrene to help me to my chambers. She thankfully agrees and I try to get out of the small infirmary bed and into a standing position. I fail miserably, my legs and body still too weak and in shock to go anywhere. I can sense Rowan itching to lend a hand.

"What?" I snap, my voice cracking with the strain. Wincing, I try again to support myself on trembling legs - Yrene there to lend a hand if needed.

"Aelin maybe you should stay here." Rowan suggests, and I simultaneously love and hate the concern echoed in his eyes and the lines of his face. The memory of how I ended up in this situation sends my insides churning, but I manage to get them under control. Hundreds of questions fly through my mind, but I shut them away - thinking about it won't help anyone.

"No."

I hate it in here, it reminds me of the war and last time I was here and everything that happened to me with the healers while with Maeve. I start getting flashbacks again, I fight to control my breathing and fight the tears building up in sync with my racing heartbeat. Before I can object Rowan scoops me up in his arms and calmly strides from the infirmary towards our chambers. At the scent of him, of home, I lose it. Sobs break through my body and I cling on to him, I don't want to lose him or anyone again. The entire way there I have my face buried in the folds of his jacket, and I only notice that we've arrived when he finally sits down on the soft mattress of our bed and gently rocks me, soothing me like a distressed child.