Realm Of Ashes (Throne of Glass #7)

Chapter 19

Aelin inhaled the scent of pine and snow, stretching on the mattress. It had been three days since Maeve's first round of torture. Three days since she had slaughtered that poor bird in place of Rowan. And although she had promised herself that she would never take to his bed, never go that far in accepting her fate, the last night had been too painful for her and she'd been so utterly exhausted that she couldn't force herself to lay on the floor. Instead, she had let the bed comfort her in its warm embrace.

A weight pushed on her chest, restricting her movement, and she struggled so desperately to breathe. It was if the weight of the world had suddenly became too much for her and she was struggling, like Atlas, to hold up the heavens before it crushed everyone beneath the skies. At least it was distraction, to stop her wandering too near that plague of darkness in her mind, the one that would consume her eventually.

Everyday Maeve had taken her from Rowan's room and tried similar methods of breaking her. It was psychological warfare. It had been different beasts to make her think of her friends, her court. She would never admit it, but it was slowly starting to crack her. She hadn't been able to hold back the fissure in her heart, to hold back tears as each one of those innocent creatures had died in their places. Especially as the strange man - an innocent slave perhaps - in a black cloak had dragged out a bigger animal, a ghost leopard.

You deserve this.

That’s what Maeve had said as she  brought a knife against the creature’s neck and Aelin watched the life drift from its eyes. She could still hear the thud as the beast hit the ground.

Those three words hammered through her brain, threatening to break her as she lay there, roasting under the heat of an unforgiving sun. She closed her eyes to forget. It was a gift, she reminded herself, to still have her life even after everything that had happened. She still had a chance to escape.

There was a tap at the window. She smiled. Her mind, even in its weakened state, wanted to make her happy. It wanted to build the hope back up by offering the illusion that she could be saved. It was like a bird pecking at the door; a rapping of a beak against glass. Her lips were tugged up, reminded of the freedom an open sky offered.

She opened her eyes, bracing herself for the disappointment; but it was still there.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Coming straight from the window to her right. Her heart sped as she twisted her head towards the glass, squinting against the harsh sunlight. On the windowsill sat a white tailed hawk, proud and tall. Her heart stopped. She faltered momentarily before she ran to the window, placing her hand against the cold glass just as a flash blinded her and her eyes were forced to readjust. The fae male before her was one she could never forget; he was etched into her brain and into her heart and into her very soul.

Standing In front of her was her mate.

Rowan Whitethorn.

Pain and heartache staggered her as everything came rushing back to her. So many months away from him - to an immortal it was just a blink, but that blink was full of agony and tears - was like a knife twisting in her chest.

Her tongue was like lead and her throat was raw and dry as she choked out; “what are you doing here?”

He smiled. Gods, that smile. It was like he could read every single thought racing through her head.

“I’ve come to take you home… to whatever end, my love.”

And she swore those were the most beautiful words she had ever heard.

A/N
It's me again... I'm not dead xD

~your horrible author