She heard the sound of the chains.
She knew what will happen; it has been like this everyday.
The coffin opened and the figure of terror appeared. Cairn yanked her out of the dark coffin and sitting on throne of the abandoned castle was Maeve. Her raven black hair behind her pointy fae ears.
"Will you talk or should we start with the first round of lashes?" Maeve said with a hideous smile that is spread from ear to ear.
"Go to hell" the words were barely audible, but the dark queen could hear them loud and clear. "Cairn dear, start with her and remember if she talks you'll get a treat." Cairn made a moan/chuckling sound and raised the whip over his head.
" Where is it." Her voice was determent and and filled with agitation. "I don't know." Aelin replied.
Maeve gave Cairn one look and the whipping started.
With every tens of lashes a face of one of her friends and lovers appeared in front of her.
A figure with dark curl hair and a pair beautiful icy blue eyes appeared before her.
"We destroyed hell and created hope." The voice of her best friend made her quiver and a soft moan of longing came out.
She lost count of the number of lashes. With every couple of lashes they stop and wait for her fae powers to kick in and help the wounds heal.
Aedion.
Elide.
Manon.
Nehemia.
Rowan.
Tears formed in hear eyes, with each face they grew more and more.
She started crying not because of the pain, but because of the people she missed.
A pool of blood started forming beneath and around her, and no face appeared after what felt like a thousand number of lashes.
"Another set of lashes will do. The bitch queen clearly needs more." Maeve commanded.
The sound of whip in skin was satisfying to the dark queen.
The whip met her back and all her body vibrated in answer. She bit back a scream of her pain and her body became numb when his face appeared.
His body was there and life like. His brown eyes were staring into hers. His brown hair were over his eyes, just like every time he finishes training in the keep.
Sam.
Sam was here and and was looking at her. She couldn't stop the tears rolling down her face and and forming a pool on the ground. She didn't care about the pain or Maeve. Because Sam was here and it was enough, even if it was just a hallucination.
"My name is Sam Cortland and I will not be afraid." The words struck home and she knew what she had to do.
After being locked up in her iron coffin, Aelin waited for hours before setting her plan into action. She touched her back and she could feel the blood covering her hand. She drew on the coffin wyrdmarks that would take her to her friends and family. She began to recite the words she said a year ago in Adarlan's library. The wyrdmarks glowed and in an instant the portal opened.
Aelin stepped through and the portal closed behind her.
Summoning the portal took away her energy, and just before she became unconscious a man with beautiful dark wings and covered in shadows stood before her.
She wasn't home.
