After Empire of Storms

Chapter 3

"Maeve." Rowan's voice had taken on an inhuman snarl as he grabbed a knife off his belt and threw it, his aim straight and true towards the queen's head. Rowan used the last of his dwindling powers to guide the knife's flight, directly into Maeve's forhead. 

As the knife was about to make contact, Maeve's body rippled and the knife went straight through her forehead. She barely shifted, her black gown billowing in a lost breeze. Maeve laughed, high and cruel. "Fools. Do you think that I would bring Aelin here? So close to Adarlan. You must mistake me for an idiot." She snapped her perfect fingers as Fenrys appeared to the side of the throne.  "Though I must say how much fun Cairn might have had with her here." The queen snapped her fingers again and a slight shift in the air outside had Rowan turning around to view the bloodied mess again. 

The mess of blood was gone, or significantly lessened. The only remaining blood was the puddle that Rowan had fell in just beyond the doors. "A small illusion to get you here, away from my...prize. Just have Aelin pull on the right mental bonds, a few bloody trails, and here you are. Following the scent like animals." Maeve gave each of them a pointed look. Rowan thoroughly thought through every word, every letter, of Maeve's sentences. 

He refused to give up any scent of emotion as he turned back to the queen. She was smiling at Gavriel who was staring back, eyes full of hatred and sorrow. Rowan looked to Fenrys who was standing so still he hardly appeared to be breathing. Fenrys stared back at Rowan, eyes widening in warning. "Rowan, don't-" 

"Quiet Fenrys. You will not speak or move until I have given you permission to do so." Maeve turned her gaze back to Gavriel and Rowan. "You think I took Fenrys just to spite him?" A laugh, high and mocking. "His powers are far too rare to give up." Another laugh from Maeve had Rowan's grip on his weapons tightening. "Don't worry. You mate is far away from here." Maeve practically spit the word at Rowan. "Fenrys has been very helpful in transporting myself and subjects around Erilea." 

Rowan growled. "For a female who considers herself smart you don't seem to have any issues revealing your plans." Rowan felt a slight sense of triumph as Maeve scowled back, ruining her mocking smile. 

Maeve brushed her hand through her throne. A blink of shock was all Rowan allowed to show. "I am not even here young fae. You still have yet to see the true extent of my plans."

Gavriel stepped forward, palms facing Maeve. "Majesty, please. What do you want?" Gavriel's voice was soothing, and Maeve leaned back into the tall throne, her curling smile returning. 

"What do I want? Oh Gavriel, always the peace-keeper. I want the wyrd keys, but I have those and your queen." Her smile widened. Gavriel and Rowan's breathing hitched and flattened out again. She didn't know who really had the keys yet. Aelin must still be in the iron box, and Maeve had not yet opened the coffin to take them. Rowan's back flared in pain, as if in response to the anger barely contained beneath Rowan's skin. He slowly calmed his heartbeat, aware that the other fae in the room could hear just as much as he could. Fenrys ragged panting was the loudest, overlying the slight scent of fear coming from him. And underneath all of that, a subtle rotting smell...stale. Rowan's eyes darted back to the queen as she narrowed her eyes. 

"In fact, everything is going perfectly according to plan, but I can't have anyone attempting to ruin those plans, now can I?" Maeve's smile grew until it warped the bottom half of her face as she examined her immaculate nails. "Fenrys, your previous order is revoked. Please pull the lever behind you then come join me-- Immediately." She shot a mocking glance at Rowan and Gavriel before vanishing, the apparition of her body slowly dissolving into mist that quickly dissapeared in the evening light. 

Fenrys looked at Rowan and Gavriel before stepping backwards. A small lever had appeared to the side of the large throne. "I'm sorry." He fought every step, struggling against the invisible restraints of the blood oath. Rowan and Gavriel slowly approached Fenrys, hands away from their weapons belts, in case a hidden command from Maeve may set Fenrys off.  

"Please," Rowan said. "Tell me anything. Where is Aelin? What are Maeve's plans?" Rowan let a hint of desperation cloud his voice. 

Fenrys shook with the effort of restraining himself, barely a step away from the wooden lever that had seemed to appear. "She threatened to kill Connall...I can't do that to him." And with those final words, Fenrys lunged for the lever.

Gavriel saw his intentions a moment too late, and lunged, the powerful muscles in his back shifting as he launched himself at his old friend. The sad look had never left Fenrys eyes, even as he quickly shoved down on the lever. 

Gavriel pushed the lever back up, but it was too late. A loud shaking vibrated through the building. Rowan and Gavriel swayed on their feet as the ground started rolling. Fenrys lowered his head, the complete opposite of the cocky male Rowan had come to know. "I'm not giving up. Aelin is alive." And with a look of despair, Fenrys steeped into the shadows of the throne and vanished. 

A loud screech echoed through the stone walls, where a dark opening was slowly expanding behind the throne. Rowan and Gavriel slowly exchanged glances and shifted as they sprinted back towards the bloodied courtyard. 

The wooden doors slammed shut, trapping Gavriel and Rowan inside with the slowly growing darkness. Rowan's feeble powers shook the doors, but could do no more as the screeching behind the warriors grew.  

Gavriel's magic had always been able to regenerate faster than the rest of the cadres', whether from his unique healing powers or strength of the male. As the wooden doors slammed shut Gavriel sent a fist of power towards the center of the doors, and a large hole, just big enough for the sleek bodies of the animals, tore through the weak wood of the entryway. 

Rowan quickly took to the skies, his wings aching but somehow managing to keep up his journey towards the ship. Gavriel followed the hawk, quickly making their way back to the ship as the stone fort creaked behind them. 

A sudden, piercing scream once again echoed through the air as the fortress behind the escaping fae caved in on itself.