Locked in the Dark // completed

Locked in the Dark

Rowan's POV

The sun danced across her golden hair, a small smile playing across her lips. She is Aelin Ashryver Galathynius. She is my fire breathing bitch queen. She is my Fireheart. And I will bring her home.

Aelin's POV

The darkness had engulfed me. I panted through my teeth as I desperately tried to stay conscious. Blood dripped from my ravaged back. The wounds gleamed like a gaping cave of cursed rubies. Maeve had won. But I let a sliver of hope reside within me. A sliver of hope that I would escape this god forsaken iron box, and return home to Terrasen. Terrasen. Terrasen. The word echoed in my head, intending to lift my spirits, but all it did was put a weight on my heart. For the darkness had engulfed me. And there was no turning back.

Rowan's POV

As I flew, memories of Aelin burned in my mind. The time we went to the Assassin's Guild to have dinner with Arobynn. When I took an arrow for her, that day at Temis's temple. The days that she had trained at Mistward, when we had cursed and screamed and beaten each other to a bloody pulp. My body shuddered and I threatened to break down and let tiny droplets of salty water drip down my face. Tears. Nevertheless, I kept going.                

Many would say that a King's duty is to rule the people. Many would say that I should've returned to Terrasen. But I chose to do this, not as a king, but as a blood-sworn, as a carranam, as a mate.

Finally, the majestic buildings came into view. The place I used to call home, and the territory of a heartless, cold, evil goddess. I had reached Doranelle. I had reached Maeve.

Aelin's POV

I knew we were in Maeve's fortress the moment the silence turned into cheering. Those fae assholes didn't know who was in the box. I could turn them into ashes with a blink of an eye if I chose to. I could burn them into oblivion. I could boil their innards. If I was out of this gods damned iron prison.

Wallowing in self pity and grief, I didn't sense him. My mate. My carranam. My husband.

Rowan's POV

I was so close. Aelin was suffering somewhere here, in Doranelle. And I was here. Captured and locked in a dungeon. I could feel the iron manacles around my wrists and ankles rejecting my magic. It was no use struggling. I would be here forever. Never seeing her smiling face. Never hearing her laugh, tinkling like wind chimes. Never stroking her hair at night. I closed my eyes and let out a harsh cry of sorrow. Aelin. My Fireheart. Locked in the dark.

Aelin's POV

I jerked my head up as I felt a tug from somewhere deep inside me. Rowan was here. But...no. He couldn't be. He had to have stayed in Terrasen. He had to. I dismissed it as a hallucination born of grief.

No one was coming for me.

I was a monster.

I was a creation of hell.

I didn't deserve to live.

Rowan's POV

The dungeon door opened.
I looked up, eyes adjusting to the sudden light.
Quick, light footsteps, the gleam of a dagger-
The chains snapped. And I saw the faces of Lorcan, Fenrys and Gavriel.

"What the rutting hell are you doing here?" I growled at them. My former cadre. "and you," I glared at Lorcan. "You betrayed Aelin. And Fenrys, you know what Maeve will do to you if she finds out you're aiding us, don't you?!" - he responded with a subtle nod.