Rattle the Stars

Chapter 7

Yup. That's my wonderful BFF this chapter is dedicated to! Thank you for being the one person who honestly cares about my writing.

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The world was dark. Oh so dark, and Aelin was drowning in it. This was not the soft, welcoming, dark of Rhys, but the dark of Maeve.

This was the dark of pain, of misery, of memories best left buried and secrets better left as they were- secrets. But Aelin wasn't free-falling in the aimless dark, as her first impression had been. Shaky, she stood on wobbling legs, taking deep breaths as she felt around her, touching nothing but air. She had escaped. Endovier and it's dark cells were gone, Maeve- well, Maeve wasn't here. A problem to think about later.

Stretching out a palm, she summoned embers and ash, digging down in that small well-

A well that was empty. No fire, no light. Nothing. As if she was human again. Aelin tried once more, and the same pain that had shot through her earlier with Amren reoccurred. A voice pierced the dark. It was cold and ancient, mad and cunning, tinged with something darker than words could describe. "Hello there, Fire-bringer." Aelin froze, backing up and palming one of her knives. Words swirled around her, echoing in her ears.

Failure.

Liar.

Murderer.

Worthless.

With a gasp she pushed them away, backing up. Her back hit a wall- something that had only been air moments ago. Panic began to trickle through her bones. "Who are you?" She asked, not knowing what else to do except yell into the dark. It was worth a try. Thankfully, her earlier dress of a nightgown had been replaced with sturdy armor.

"Well, this used to be the Book of Breathings." Used? Aelin snarled at the dark, wishing desperately for a sword, something better than her flimsy knives. Most of all, she just wished for magic. And- the Book of Breathings.

Feyre had described the voice differently, even shown some memories. This had the same qualities, but seemed almost... cultured. "How are you here? Why am I here?" She kept her voice, willing it not to falter or break. A sneaking suspicion was in her bones, of why that voice was different. "Ah," That voice purred.

"Can't you figure it out?"

Aelin was shaking, from rage and burning anger that was threatening to take over. This- this thing had trapped her here. "My name is Aelin Ashryver Galathynius, and I will not be afraid." The words had given her strength, had pushed her through- the darkness laughed once more, hollowly. "Interesting." Inky blackness swirled, barely perceptible, and then a figure coalesced in front of her. All breath left her lungs.

Because Sam stood there. However, instead of those brown eyes she missed so much... shadows took their place, leaving the sockets hollow. "Would this form perhaps make you feel more comfortable?" The vision was made worse perhaps by the fact that the voice was the Book's, or whatever was in the Book, still came from Sam's mouth. No- not Sam. A gloriella prone body flashed through her head, but she pushed it away.

Perhaps seeing her invisible flinch, the darkness swirled again, before shifting to Nehemia. The world wobbled, and Aelin barely stooped a strangled shout. So badly- so badly, she wanted to attack. Slowly, she pulled out a dagger and advanced on the thing taking her friend's body. Nehemiah laughed, and flung out a hand, shooting Aelin back into that wall. Then, she changed.

People she'd killed, all leering. People she had fought and failed. Her friends and family, all leering at her with hate in their eyes. This was like the day the Valg princes had fed on her. This was like Maeve, except almost worse. No trickery, just everything she deserved. Fight. She needed to fight. She was a queen and a warrior. She would not be afraid. In a smooth, practiced motion, she threw the dagger.

It hit home and had no effect. It sank into little Evangeline's heart, and disappeared, the mirage fading like ripples in water. Aelin was near falling to her knees, but kept standing. She knew, now. She knew who held her in this dark grip.

When Amren had walked in, she must have retrieved the Book of Breathings. And now, the person that had done this... "How did you bring me here?"

"It was easy enough. The Book is such a great source of power. All I had to do was just slip in. Our powers are the same, after all. It just chose creation instead of destruction. So when I felt you, in that room... I knew who you were. After once having such power, the shadow of it looms within you. And I need you to relay a message."

A snarl slipped past her lips as the words tore and stung. A purposeful barb, one she would not give into. "I am no one's messenger." Aelin had not felt so vulnerable, so restrained since Maeve. She hated it. "Either way, you will relay this." The voice was unrelenting.

"I am coming. And when I do, this world will burn. For everything that has happened, I will crush this world and everyone in it. And I will get my wife back." The voice vanished, as the darkness heaved. In one moment, she saw the shadow of a man, with dark hair and golden eyes. Aelin let out a shout as Mantyx threw her out.

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Well, that chappie was strange. Anyway... So! Valentine's day is coming up reallll soon, and I was thinking about writing a little fluffy valentine's day celebration one-shot featuring one of my favorite ships!

A. Rowaelin

B. Feysand

C. Any other ToG or ACOTAR ship (I don't care which one, as long as it's not Feylin lol)

Requests are open until I update the next chapter! Comment on which I should do!