Heart of Flame

《1》

Feyre
~~~

(On the ship while/ after Maeve puts Aelin into the iron coffin. Tamlin and Feyre are waiting on the ship.(How they got here, I will explain later on. For now, they are just there))

From my vantage point on the ship, I could see no further than a few feet past the prow. From the screams, both from the battle raging on the water and on the beach, I wasn't entirely sure that I wanted to see what was happening.

Tamlin stood a few feet ahead of me, and I just new, from the set of his shoulders, or the air around him, I didn't know, but something in his magic allowed him to sense what was happening on the beach below. And whatever it was it wasn't good.

'Tamlin?' I whispered, too afraid of whatever he was sensing to raise my voice, 'what is it, what's happening down there?' I wished I was back with my mate, in our court, our own realm and not... where ever this was.

'I don't know,' he whispered back, 'someone's in pain, a lot of pain,' he took a few steps back towards me, pulling himself out of range of what he was sensing, 'as soon as we for fill the deal with Maeve, we leave.' I nodded my agreement, his arm came around me, and I genuinely wanted to lean into his touch. To feel something, anything, familiar.

I reached out through the bond that connected me, deep down, to Rhy, the mating bond, stroking a mental hand through the void that now occupied the space that the bargain once sat. And I could have sworn that I felt a shudder laced with pure relief and outrage in response. But I had no time to deal with such feelings as a ripple of hushed noise spread down the ship, as Maeve boarded the ship, followed by her entourage.

And between them, oh gods, was a coffin. Made out of what looked like iron, carved with symbols.

My back stiffened because whatever, no, whoever, was in that box was still alive. The heart beat was faint but it was there. Waves of cold undulating terror rolled through me as I heard the faint pulse. And the smell. It was blood a lot of blood twined with something else. It was hate and rage. Pure boiling rage, laced with agony.

Tamlins nostrils flared as he scented the same thing as I had, and his arm tightened around me.

Following behind the entourage came another two fae males. I recognized one as Cairn, who held himself like the victor of a battle while the other, I did not know, had a mixture of rage, pain, and disbelief across his face.

Cairn was staring at the coffin like it was a new toy gifted to him by his queen.

Once the coffin was securely stored away Maeve approached us. The gait of the queen like a predator approaching its prey, ready to devour at a single wrong move.

'Are you ready to for fill your bargain?' She asked Tamiln, her voice like steel wrapped in silk. 'Of course, majesty,' Tamlin answered, his voice giving no indication of emotion or feeling. A wicked smile spread across the queens face as she said,'Good. You will begin when we reach my kingdom.' And with that, she turned on her heel and walked to her cabin.

Begin? Begin what? My mind spun with the questions. Who was in that coffin?