A Court of Stags and Night

Aelin

The next few days passed quickly.

When I wasn't spending time with my family and friends, I was training. Rowan hated it, but I'd told him off and he let it be. Yes, my body was still healing, but it had been through worse under Maeve. I needed to train, both with and without magic.

Our allies, of sorts, usually gathered to train with us, though none of them had been particularly interested in fighting with me, after I'd lost it in Adriata. Though, to be fair, it hadn't necessarily been my fault.

It had been over a year since Maeve had been in my head. While I'd grown strong enough to keep most valg out of my head, I still struggled with someone as powerful as her. And since Rhys had killed Lysandra, my defenses had weakened.

Aedion still refused to talk to me. Anything we did was fight. With words, on the mat, over dinner. It grew tiring.

But I couldn't find it in myself to blame him. I'd let her die on my watch. Something that would haunt me for the rest of my days. Evangeline didn't hate me for it, but she still struggled with the two of us being at odds.

"Aelin."

I turned to see Rhys coming my way. The rest of my family was out with Mor and Cassian. "What is it?"

He seemed nervous, like he had some bad news or something. It wouldn't be a surprise. With the valg, everything was bad news.

"There's been sightings of valg in both the Day and Dawn Courts," he spoke, clasping his hands behind his back. "Which comes as a surprise to me, considering what you've mentioned."

"Because of Helion's ability to break curses and wield light? And Thesian's ability to heal?" He looked at me like I'd grown two heads. "I have my own ways of retrieving information."

"I don't want to know, do I?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. "But why there, when both High Lords could kill them almost instantly, or heal them as you say?"

I wasn't going to give him that answer. If he wasn't smart enough to figure it out on his own, then he was of little use to me, but I would take that information and file it away for later. And send some of my court down to investigate.

"Aelin, you can't keep holding my mother against me," he growled, throwing his hands in the air in exasperation. "When are you going to realize I am on your side, not hers, even if I still don't really believe you?"

I scoffed. Males. Hard-headed and stubborn. If Rowan were here, they'd probably end up in another fight, which was useless at this point. I knew Maeve was trying to split us up and turn us on each other. Rhys and Feyre were the two strongest fae in Prythian, yet still didn't match my court in magic or strength.

Perhaps it was something about the magic in this world, even if we felt stronger here. Amren had mentioned something about a cauldron and what it had done to Nesta and Elain. It seemed like something of strong magic, but it had been sent away.

The two sisters would know if it had been taken. Nesta in particular, considering her abilities seem to be of a similar nature. And while she seemed to be at odds with everyone in her life, I feel she would at least tell Amren, who would tell us.

But, considering the cauldron's abilities, it would make creating soldiers more efficient. Perhaps it was being used, right under everyone's noses.

A problem I could sort out later, if need be. For now, I had to stick with the plan.

"I can if I wish, Rhysand," I answered, baring my canines at him. "I hold grudges for years. And your mother is the worst of them all."

"Is that right, Aelin?"

Fire burned under my skin, but I kept a level head as I looked up into her violet eyes. She stood next to Rhys, though a few feet away. He looked at her in disbelief.

"How did you pass through the wards?" He stuttered, barely able to conceal his shock and anger.

"Wards are nothing to me, boy," she smiled broadly. She'd yet to reveal her valg nature, but I knew it was simmering under her skin, ready to come to life when she willed it. "And because we share the same blood, you're going to have to try much harder than that to keep me out."

He lunged for her, but she merely stopped him without moving a muscle. Darkness poured out of him, and she stopped that, too. It was a game for her, and she enjoyed it.

"Haven't you told him he cannot hurt me?" She laughed, walking away from him and towards me. "Why haven't you summoned your fire, Aelin?"

"You've given me no reason to, as of yet," I replied tightly. It burned under my skin, begging to be released. I was sure Rowan felt the surge of panic. He'd be here shortly, which I was sure she knew. "What is it that you want? You haven't come here to gloat. You still need something."

"Always clever, fire-bringer," she responded with a slight dip of her head. "And what is it that I need?"

I knew she needed me out of the equation, but that wasn't the main reason she was here now. Only a mere piece. And I suspected she already had what she needed, and was just toying with me.

I also knew that she wasn't alone. It would be unwise of her to risk it, knowing I could kill her single handedly. It would take all of my power to do so, but I could do it.

"You already have what you need in your possession, so why bother coming to me at all?"

"Oh, Aelin, don't you know already? While you may be able to kill me, you won't do it today," she purred, stepping even closer. My fire reacted in kind, lighting up my hands. Her eyes grew wary, but she did not stop. "Not when your family is in danger down in the city. Such a lovely city, Rhysand. It would be a shame if it were to burn under Aelin's fire."

Her eyes gleamed gleefully as dark magic slid up from the ground around me, locking tightly around my neck. Unlike the coil she'd wrapped around my neck a few days prior, this one was similar to the time Fenrys and I had to watch Connall kill himself.

Unrelenting pain slithered through my veins. I clenched my teeth together as she slammed darkness against my shield of fire. We'd been in this deadlock before. Many times.

She knew my weaknesses as I knew hers.

I cried out as the tether pulled tighter, barely leaving me enough space to breathe. Metal clamped down on my wrists, and my shield of fire wavered. I wrestled against the metal, knowing exactly what it was.

Fear shot through my system. There was someone else I hadn't noticed in the training room. And they snapped a collar around my neck.

My fire was immediately snuffed out. The chains on my wrist were yanked down until I was pulled to my knees. A position I'd grown familiar with when dealing with her.

She was always trying to break me.

Maeve released Rhys with a flick of her wrist and vanished.

"Aelin?" He asked nervously, stepping forward cautiously. His hands were out in front of him.

I looked up into Rhysand's eyes. He immediately drew back, and darkness swirled around his hands.

"Come now, High Lord, why so nervous?"