The Light Before The Dark

Chapter 12 - Feyre

From the sounds of it we are pretty screwed. Aelin had buried her head into Fenrys's furry neck, and he looked like he was ready to just go somewhere dark and quite to fade away.

"You belong to me now Fenrys, she can't control you anymore." Aelin whispered to the wolf.

"She can't get you either Aelin." Rowan said, frowning at his mate.

"Does your offer to train us still stand Feyre?" Aelin was looking at me with so much hope.

"Of course, it does, is there a particular reason?" I asked.

"Maeve has your power, the worm that I told you about, that was her, we all need to be protected against her." Aelin replied.

"Rhys, we need to strengthen Elain's shields as well, Alana should learn too." I told him and he nodded in agreement.

He started talking again but I felt a single talon stroke the outside of my mental wall.

I let Rhys in, expecting him to begin asking me a whole bunch of questions but a familiar female voice spoke to me.

'This is just a dream Feyre, wake up.'

I opened my eyes and saw my mother smiling down at me,

"Come Feyre, it is almost time for your birthday ball." She told me.

"Ok Mother." I replied, getting out of bed and walking over to the dress she had hung out for me to put on.

I slipped in on and turned to look at myself in the mirror, I was the perfect teenager, polite, beautiful and skilled at not just painting but sewing and cooking, this ball was for me to find a potential suitor.

A servant pressed my hair into neat curls and wove a small tiara into my hair before I went to make my grand entrance.

As I walked down the stairs, I saw a flash of black in the crowd, but it was gone in an instant.

I gave an elegant curtsey at the bottom of the stairs and then made my way to my parent's side, they gave a quick speech then I was allowed to roam around, although I had to dance with as many of the rich men as I could.

"Do you care to dance?" I got over and over, we had just finished a particularly fast waltz when a voice sounded from behind me.

"There you are, I have been looking for you." I turned to see a stunning man with violet blue eyes, he looked vaguely familiar, but I couldn't work out why.

"Why were you looking for me?" I asked as he took my hand and led me away from the dance floor.

"Because you are being confined here." He replied.

"I'm here to find a suitable husband." I replied coldly.

"Then tell me Feyre darling, why are we the only two wearing black?" He grinned, and I looked down, my blush pink gown was now black, just as he said.

"How is that even possible?" I whispered to myself.

"You are dreaming Feyre, come back to us." He said, taking my hand.

"But this is my life." I said, confused.

"No, Feyre, it isn't, this is an illusion, the life you would have led if your mother hadn't died." He replied, crossing his arms.

"You must be crazy, have a good day." I replied, walking back into the crowd, my gown once again pink.

I made it all of three steps when my arm began to burn, I looked down but there was nothing there.

I couldn't focus on anything other than the burn, the pain, until the room began to ripple, and I blinked, I was in a beautiful sitting room, then I was back in the ballroom.

I shook my head, trying to clear the fogginess out of my head, the ballroom melted away and I felt a pressure leave my mind, I snapped my shield shut and collapsed against Rhys.

I looked down to see the skin on my arm covered in burns, Mor gently took it and healed me quickly, my tattoo stayed thankfully, I'm assuming that is because it is magic.

"What on earth?" I looked at all of the concerned faces around the room before closing my eyes and leaning fully into my mate, my head hurt.

"It's ok Feyre, you're safe." He whispered into my hair.

"Was that Maeve?" I dared to ask.

"Yes." Aelin replied.

"But it felt like Rhys, a talon, not a worm." I whispered.

"I think she did that so you would let her in, from the sounds of it your mind is extremely well guarded, she couldn't get in unless you let her." Aelin told me.

"We all need to build shields like the one you have Feyre, and we need to do it soon." Rowan spoke this time.

"I'll start you on it tonight, it is something that needs to be constantly worked on, I'll keep trying to get through at random points through the day" Rhys carried on talking, telling them about mental shields and then he let them begin as he carried me up the stairs and lay me on the bed.

"Sleep well Feyre." Was the last thing I heard before sleep claimed me.