Saviour of Ashes

Chapter 24

Aelin hurried to the healer's rooms. The electric pull raging through her bones. She knocked once on the door before she barged in. Yrene was sitting at a desk, she lowered the book she had been reading.

"Majesty," Yrene got to her feet and bowed her head.

"I want it out," Aelin ordered. "This thing inside me. It will ruin everything we have worked for."

"But Majesty-"

"You will do as I say, healer," Aelin snapped. "Darrow was right." She paced back and forth, shaking her head.

Yrene nodded and headed towards the door. "I will ask the guards to fetch me some essentials." The healer closed the door behind her.

Out, out, out. Her blood screamed. Aelin had been in the middle of organising things for the ball in two days when it hit her. The child would be a threat to her kingdom. She would not have the strength or the energy to go through another war with her own child. Better to get rid of it before she gets attached.

Yrene walked back into the room and headed towards her glass cabinet. "Are you sure, Majesty?"

The threat to Terrasen would be destroyed before it could be allowed to grow. Aelin growled at the healer.

The doors flung open as Rowan rushed into the healer's foyer. He gripped Aelin's forearms and was snarling in her face.

"What are you doing?"

Aelin snapped her head towards the healer. "You disobey my orders." Yrene bowed and moved to the furthest wall. "You will be punished for this."

Rowan searched her eyes. "This isn't you, Aelin. You do not want this."

"You're right," she said softly. "I don't want this child."

Rowan growled and then he bit her right between her neck and shoulder. Aelin roared as the electric current running through her burned out. She panted her way through the pain. Her mind went foggy again. She shook her head and stumbled backwards. Strong hands steadied her. She looked into green eyes. "Rowan?"

"Fireheart," he said and pulled her into his chest. "Don't ever do that again."

"Do what?" Aelin pushed away from him, she looked towards the healer hiding in the corner. "Why am I here?"

"You-You wished me to..." Yrene stammered, clearly scared.

"You wanted her to get rid of our child," Rowan said, his voice hard.

Aelin shook her head. No. She wouldn't do that. She didn't need to look at Rowan to know what he was thinking. The magic wielder had done this.

Yrene took a step forward. "Majesty?"

Rowan turned to the pale woman. "Don't worry about it, Yrene. Thank you for getting me."

"If I ask again...please disobey my orders," Aelin begged the healer. "Restrain me, if need be. Get Rowan - or one of the others." Whoever would be closest.

The healer nodded and Aelin headed towards the door.

"This matter is confidential," Rowan warned her and followed after Aelin.

.

.

Aelin stormed down the hallway. Someone was targeting her and her child. The question was why? Why and who?

Rowan was quietly following after her. She wasn't ready to hear what he thought of her actions. But- They weren't her actions. They were the magic wielder's actions. She had no idea what was happening. Just as she was about to whirl on Rowan and tell him that she was ok now - and wasn't in danger of losing their child...screaming was coming from round the corner.

Aelin ran to the end of the hallway and turned left. Dorian held a knife against Aedion's throat. It had been Lysandra who was screaming. Blood trickled down Aedion's neck. Nesryn was leaning over Chaol, pressing on a wound in his arm.

"What the rutting hell is going on?" Aelin demanded. She met Nesryn's eyes. The woman nodded and that was all Aelin needed to know he was alright. She turned to Lysandra who's eyes were wide and fear staining her face.

"He just attacked Chaol," Nesryn answered. "Lysandra came to get me and when we showed up Dorian was fighting Aedion."

Aelin turned to face Dorian. "Where is Manon?"

Dorian let out a bitter laugh, his hand holding the knife shook. "Why don't you ask your beloved Captain." Aelin edged closer. "He stole you from me...but that wasn't enough. He's trying to take Manon as well."

Aelin didn't take her eyes off the knife. "No, Dorian. I chose him. But he has Nesryn now. Look, he is married. His wife is taking caring of him right now." Dorian's eyes flickered to the couple on the floor.

"That's nothing," Dorian spat. "Many married men have mistresses. He always wants what he can't have."

Aelin put that aside. Her priority right now was to get Aedion away from that blade. "Why involve Aedion?"

"He got in the way," Dorian laughed. "He wanted to protect the Captain - wanted to help him take Manon from me."

"Aedion stopped you from killing your friend," Aelin pleaded.

Dorian shook his head. "You're the King's Champion..."

"No, I am not." Aelin said flatly, "You killed the King of Adarlan, remember? I am the Queen of Terrasen now. Lysandra and Aedion are engaged." Dorian shook his head. "Nesryn and Chaol are married." Another shake. "Manon is going to help you rebuild Ardalan."

"No, she loves him." He gestured to Chaol.

"Rowan and I are with child - you said you will visit us to see how it is doing?" Anything to jog his memory.

"Lies," he hissed, but he lowered the blade from Aedion's neck.

She could breathe again. Lysandra rushed to her fiancée. Aelin showed Dorian her bump to prove she wasn't lying. Dorian stumbled and shook his head.

"What's going on?"

"You love Manon, right?" Aedion asked, his voice rough. Dorian nodded. "You and Chaol...You're friends?"

Dorian frowned. "Why wouldn't we be?"

Aelin sighed with relief. She shut her eyes and said, "this is becoming a serious problem."

Manon's pounding footsteps could be heard before she could be seen. "I tracked the magic as far as I could but it vanished." She assessed everyone and frowned. "What happened?"

"I think I know why they want our child gone," Rowan said to Aelin. "They seem to be manipulating us by mixing the past and the present." Dorian called Chaol Captain. He called you the King's Champion. "The stuff you were saying could have easily been a lie, but the bump..."

"It was proof," Aelin finished. It would be their protection from the wielder. But why did Rowan have to bite me?

"Pain is also effective if it is safe enough to get close," Manon answered for her. "This magic is ancient."

A guard ran towards them. "Majesty!" He paused to give Aelin a brief bow. "News from Perranth. Lady Lochan and Lord Salvaterre's carriage was found upturned on one of the roads."

Aelin gripped Rowan's arm. "Are they ok?" Rowan asked for her.

The guard opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it to say, "They have not been seen since they left the castle last night."