Queen of Thorns and Roses

chapter 4

Months passed. Tamlin still tried to shamelessly impress Aelin, and both she and Dorian and Aedion let him with amusement. There were many attacks all over the kingdom. When she asked questions, they usually said it was the night court, or the Blight.

One day Aelin caught Tamlin and Lucien in conversation.

"Time is almost up, Tamlin. We only have a few more months." Lucien didn't sound like his usual annoying self. He sounded worried.

"I know," Tamlin said, sounded worried as well. Aelin felt a little bad. She knew she wasn't giving Tamlin much of a chance, but well, he annoyed her. But she wondered if they let her overhear.

Another day, Dorian, Aelin and Aedion found about a monster called a Suriel. If trapped, it would answer their questions. Between the three of them, it didn't take long in capturing the suriel.

"You have traveled a long way," stated the suriel.

"Do you know how we got here?" Dorian asked, looking like the king he was.

"My knowledge does not extend to your land," she didn't even sound apologetic.

"But- what? You know that we're from another land!" Aelin exclaimed. Dorian put a hand on her elbow, trying to calm her down.

"Well, yes and no," the suriel said. Aelin looked at Dorian.

"Aelin, I know what you're thinking, and no," Dorian said immediately. She had been thinking of torturing the monster.

"i'll do it then," Aedion mumbled, wanting answers himself.

"What about the Blight? Why's everyone lying about that?"

"It is something i am forbidden to speak of," the suriel said, "can you let me go now?"

"useless!" aelin exclaimed, storming off to let Dorian deal with it.

a few days after that, the four of them were having lunch, when the three fae's looked towards the door suddenly.

"someone's coming." Lucian said. "aelin, dorian, Aedion, you need to leave."

"i know that scent." aelin murmured, standing up and approaching the door. Four bodies walked in, as lucien pulled a bow and arrow out of nowhere and took a shot at the male in front. aelin sent a ball of fire towards the arrow, but missed it.

Rowan Whitethorn caught the arrow before it landed in his chest.

aelin whirled around to them, as quick as a feline. "Lucien, i swear on your stupid rusty cauldron, if you shoot my husband i will end you before you realize it."

"Husband?" both males looked rowan up and down as he waved the arrow.

"id believe her. the last guy to kill her boyfriend isnt here to tell the tale." he said, a cocky smirk on his face.

"i'm going to ignore that you brought up sam, because oh gods i missed you so much." rowan dropped his own bow and luciens arrow when she hugged him tightly. Just as Aedion pounced on Lysandra, and Dorian embraced Chaol as anything other than friends.

"wait, aelin. you have magic?" tamlin interrupted, infuriated to find out she'd been lying to them again.

"oh, aelin. you have magic?" a new voice at the door interrupted the reunion. aelin pulled away, as the men and woman took battle stances at this newcomer.

aelin pulled away from Rowan and lit her arms on fire, really missing her sword. rowan and lucien nocked an arrow. dorian sorta stood, waiting for a threat to use his ice. lysandra and tamlin shapeshifted, both of them a little surprised at the other's power. lysandra was a ghost wolf, tamlin took the shape of the horrid beast he found aelin with. that left aedion and chaol with swords. and a girl who aelin couldn't identify.