The Light Before The Dark

Chapter 3 - Aelin

I wanted to go back and turn Alana's aunt onto ash, but I decided against it, it would only cause me more problems.

"How old are you Alana?" Rowan asked.

She looked at him stood on my other side; I could tell she was a little afraid of him.

"It's ok, he isn't going to bite your head off, he just looks all scary." I said and she let out a small giggle.

"I'm eight, I'm really sorry my aunt hurt you Queen Aelin, she was angry at me, she should have hit me." silent tears ran down her face.

"Hey, it's ok, dry your eyes, no one deserves to be hit, especially not children, besides, I'm already healed." I told her.

We reached the gates, and I took her up to my old bedroom. I ran her a bath and let her wash herself while I flicked through my old clothes, finding a simple dress for her to wear. Her aunt obviously hadn't taken care of her very well.

Ivy, one of the young servants knocked on the door saying that Rowan told her to come and see if I wanted any help.

"Would you go and wash Alana's hair for me while I go downstairs and grab my hairbrush?"

She nodded and bobbed a quick curtsy.

"Ivy, you don't have to curtsy to me." I told her for at least the twentieth time, she dipped her chin and walked into the bathing room while I went and got my hairbrush.

When I got back to my old room, I saw that Alana was out of the bath, wrapped in a warm towel.

"Thank you, Ivy,"

I smiled at her and she left.

I walked over to Alana and began brushing the tangles out of her hair.

"How long have you heard the voices?" I asked.

"I don't know, quite a while." She replied

"What do they say to you, other than getting out of the way of falling objects." I smiled at her in the mirror.

"If I'm sad or scared they comfort me, tell me that it is ok. My aunt works at one of the taverns in the city centre, the voice tells me who to stay away from and who is just too poor to go anywhere nicer. They keep me safe." She said it like the voice was the only kind thing in her life.

"Do you always hear the voice?" I asked.

"No, they only talk to me if I am in a place that isn't brightly lit, earlier I was under the bit of the roof that sticks out so they spoke to me, if I was under the sun then I wouldn't have heard, I don't know why." She looked thoughtful.

I gave her the dress to put on and turned around while she slipped it on then I did the back up for her. Once she was in the dress, I braided back her extremely long hair and she beamed at her reflection.

"Now, how does lunch sound?"

Her eyes lit up and I chuckled, taking her hand and bringing her to the smaller sitting area that has a table.

Rowan, Fenrys, Lorcan, Elide, Lysandra and Aedion were all there, Rowan was catching them up on the events of earlier.

"Alana meet my court, Rowan, Aedion, Fenrys, Lorcan, Elide and Lysandra. Court, this is Alana, be nice." I added, giving them all a pointed look, especially Lorcan.

"Hi there, you can come and sit with me." Lysandra grinned at her and she looked up at me, I nodded, and she walked over, sitting down a little way away from Lysandra but close enough that Lys could reach out and touch her if she wanted.

"What do you like doing Alana?" Elide asked her.

"I'm not sure, I spent most of my time either doing chores for my aunt or observing the people in the tavern where she works." She hung her head, as if ashamed by it.

"You know I used to do the same thing." Lys chipped in.

"Really?" Alana was looking at her in shock.

"Yeah, chores every morning from half seven until twelve then from twelve until twelve fifteen I would be allowed to eat a little, as soon as it was twelve fifteen, I would get taken to work until seven in the evening, once I got home, I would eat a little then go to bed." I'm glad Lys left out what work means, and that Alana didn't ask.

Elide opened her mouth to start up a conversation again but a cloud passed over the sun and as soon as the darkness landed on Alana she sat upright, looked up and to her left.

"Alana, what is wrong?" I asked.

"Something is there, something the voice is afraid of." She said cocking her head a little.

"Can you take me there Alana?" I asked gently.

She looked at me and blinked "Yes."

"The rest of you, spread out, have a look around the entire palace and the gardens for anything amiss." Fenrys and Lys shifted, Elide took one of Lorcan's blades and they stalked out of the doors, closely followed by Aedion.

I turned to Rowan "You as well, you're the only one that can fly." I tugged a little on the blood oath, hating myself for doing so but he stood his ground

"I am doing one sweep then coming to find you." He said before shifting and flying out the window.

I took her hand, and she began walking, she was under the library when she stopped.

"It's above us." She almost whispered, looking up with a shudder.

"You don't have to come, you can go and sit in the room we were just in, the others will be back soon." I told her, not wanting to put her in danger.

"I'm coming, I'm not allowed to leave you." She said, I looked at her for a minute, she looked so sure, so I nodded, and we began walking up to the library.

I opened the library door, and a strong wind blew past us, Alana tightened her grip on my hand, and we walk in. I lifted my hand, engulfing it in flame. I stopped short, pulling Alana against me as I saw what she wanted to get away from. There was a swirling portal in the middle of the room.

I stared at it in shock, this shouldn't be possible. A wind picked up again and began pushing us towards the portal. Alana flew from my side, letting out a scream as the portal sucked her in, I didn't even hesitate, jumping in after her.