After the Empire (Complete)

4 - Rowan

The orange glow from the fireplace lights the small room, casting long shadows against the wall. She stands before the grate, staring in. I can't see her face, but I can imagine the way that the glow lights her eyes. I've seen it before, the way that the fire makes her into a wild creature, more powerful than even the gods.

I want to go to her, to wrap my arms tight around her and kiss her. Let her wildness infect the both of us. But when I reach for her, I find the way blocked by a barrier as invisible as the air. I press against it, tearing at it with my fingernails, but it doesn't budge.

"Aelin!"

I scream her name, hoping that she will turn around, because now I can tell that there is something very, very wrong. The fire isn't dancing in the the grate, it is roaring, blazing, reaching out to entrap my Aelin.

As though my call has registered with her, Aelin turns around. Her face, once I can see it, is blank and cold. There's no spark of humor there, no love, no emotion at all. And her eyes, her beautiful blue eyes are gone, leaving nothing in their place but twin, glowing flames.

I scream at her again, throwing myself at the wall keeping me from her. But it's no use. I can't move. And so all I can do is watch as Aelin's flesh begins to peel from her bones, a whip of fire tearing her to shreds.

And then there is no more whip. There is no more blood. There is no more anything as Aelin burns.

I wake screaming.

I whip my head around, throwing myself forward. Still halfway in the dream, I try to reach my burning mate, try to pull her from the flames.

"Rowan!"

The voice is Lorcan's, and he is yelling. His shout seems to break whatever tether was holding me in the dream world, and suddenly I can see again. There are no flames. There is no Aelin.

I pause for a moment, merely staring a Lorcan's cold face, before I fall to my knees, retching into the dirt.

I must have fallen asleep. I was supposed to be on guard, watching the trees while Lorcan slept and Gavriel scouted ahead. But ... it has been days since I last slept. I must have drifted off.

Once my stomach has calmed I look up. Lorcan is watching me, his hard face unreadable. I stand shakily.

"Apologies for waking you Lorcan."

I reach for my water canteen, and take a long swig. I can't push the dream from my mind, the image of Aelin, bleeding and burning. A shudder works its way through me, and I swallow against another wave of nausea. I can't let this rattle me. It was just a dream. Nothing more.

A horrible dream.

A dream that might very well be coming true.

I push the thought from my mind and instead focus hard on the reality of my situation.

"Is Gavriel back yet?'

Lorcan doesn't reply for a long moment. Then, finally, he shakes his head. "No."

His voice is as cool and uncaring as the rest of him. He might as well be made of stone. I don't particularly care. I have no inclination to have a long chat with him. In fact, I wish he weren't here at all. Seeing his face reminds me of the fact that it was him who called for Maeve, he who sold out my mate.

Finally the silence has stretched too long for even Lorcan to maintain.

"What, Rowan? What do you want from me?"

I don't have a response. I don't really know what it is that I want from him. No apology he could ever offer would be enough. Nothing would ever be enough. Because no matter what he did to atone, Aelin has bled because of him.

When I don't respond Lorcan goes on.

"Weeks. Weeks we have spent together in these woods. You don't sleep, you don't eat. When you aren't searching or brooding, you're glaring at me. Have I not proven my regret? Am I not here instead of ... instead of elsewear living my own life?"

I snarl, my fragile grip on my temper finally shattering. "Your own life? Do you have one? You no longer have the queen, your precious queen, you are not welcome in Doranelle, so were would you go Lorcan? To follow that girl you brought? The one who flew off with witches and told you to never speak to her again? Is that the life you want to be out living?"

I'm breathing heavily, the vicious words still searing my throat. I can't bring myself to regret them, but there is something on Lorcan's uncharacteristically white face that tells me I may have gone to far. Touched a wound still raw and throbbing.

Perhaps even as much as my own.

There is silence now, in the forest. As though even the birds and the animals have halted their nightly wanderings, holding their breaths and waiting.

Lorcan opens his mouth, and I brace myself for the words about to hit me.

But just as his throat begins to move, there is a rustling sound and Gavriel nearly falls out of the trees into the clearing.

His face is white, his eyes wide and bright. He sobers some when he sees the expressions on our faces, but it doesn't dampen the underlying feeling of excitement radiating from him.

"What is it?"

The question sounds strangled coming from Lorcan's throat, as though he's forcing it out.

Gavriel looks between us, then focuses his glance on me.

I know what he is going to say before he does, and it fills me with a painful kind of hope.

Gavriel's face breaks into a smile.

"I found her"

Hey all!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Just as a heads up, the next few chapters will be from Rowan's POV, probably the next 2 or 3, maybe even 4 depending on how it goes.

Also...

NO TOWER OF DAWN SPOILERS IN THE COMMENTS! I HAVEN'T READ IT YET AND ALSO I DON'T WANT TO START A WAR!

Sorry, had to put that in. In my last book (Throne of Glass and ACOTAR Crossover) a couple of people put ACOWAR spoilers in the comments and some readers got really upset. 

Don't forget to vote and comment below!