Saviour of Ashes

Chapter 25

Aelin grabbed her father's weapons belt.

"Aelin," Rowan said, sheathing his own knives. "Stay here."

"No."

The horses wouldn't be fast enough. Aelin shifted into her fae body. They would have to run.

They met Aedion, Lysandra, Dorian, and Manon. Abraxos was waiting for them.

Manon petted her winged beast. "He just showed up. He had been in Asterin's care but he came here." Manon shrugged.

The beast knew she needed him. Aelin nodded. "You and Dorian take the skies."

Aedion cocked his head at Aelin. A silent question to stay behind. She ignored him and looked to Lysandra who had shifted into a ghost lepoard.

Dorian helped Manon onto Arbaxos' back. Aelin looked at Rowan who was frowning. She gave a sharp nod and broke out into a run.

She felt every brush of the wind, heard every creature calling to their mates. She ran like wildfire.
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Aelin skidded to a halt. She could smell Elide. The others stopped beside her. Abraxos and the other two circling above.

"There!" Manon shouted.

They ran for another mile and found the upturned carriage.

Rowan placed a hand on Aelin's back. Something was stirring inside her. She breathed slowly.

Lysandra's big nose sniffed along the path and towards the woods. Aelin looked inside the carriage and found the Eye of Elena discarded on the floor. She picked it up and prayed that Elide was safe.

Rowan took the necklace and placed it over her head, letting it dangle between her breasts. It wasn't for her. He knew she could protect herself. It was for their child who's magic was slumbering inside her.

Aedion called to them, "This way!"

They followed Lysandra as she tracked the scent into a dense part of the woods. Woods that smelt so much like Rowan's pine (and snow in the colder months). How had she not noticed?

Abraxos swooped low and Manon said quietly from the beast, "there is a wooden house across a field. Something wicked is in that house."

Aelin nodded and drew out Goldyrn from her back. Aedion and Rowan did the same.

The house looked abandoned. The wood looked burnt and rotting. They made a silent agreement for Dorian and Manon to watch from above in case the attacker escaped.

The windows had been boarded up and there was only a single door to the building. Aelin reached for it but Rowan grabbed her arm. Aedion pushed the door open.

She should have gone first. Aelin grinned at Rowan. She would not allow Aedion to be attacked. She rushed in after him, Rowan on her heels.

No one ambushed them. They rounded the hallway into a set of long connecting rooms. There was no door except for the last room.

Aelin pushed Aedion aside and rushed through the archways. She didn't look too long at them to avoid letting the fear of them collapsing stop her from reaching that room. As she passed through each one she felt a familiar tingle.

Aelin kicked open the door and swung her sword for anyone waiting for her. No one was there.

There was a small cot for someone to sleep on. Aelin moved towards it and the floorboards creaked. She knelt down and knocked on them. A few were hollow.

Aelin sheathed Goldryn and pulled out a knife. She started to remove the first floor board and saw an eye looking up at her.

It was a brown human eye.