Worlds Splitting

You don't change, do you Rhys?

"Rhysand." A grating voice grunted from behind them. They turned to see a hunched over fae with over-grown matter blonde hair and mud splattered all over his striking face. He might have been handsome if his face had not been twisted into an ugly gape of surprise.

Cassian stepped defensively in front of Rhys as the stranger neared. How had he managed to sneak up on them so easily? 

"Do I know you?" The high lord asked, drawing himself up to his full height.

"Ha." The stranger's laugh spattered blood onto Cassian's shoes. "It's not the time for games."

"Tamlin?" Rhysand asked, stepping out from behind Cassian and smirking. "Is that you?" 

The lord of the spring snarled. Cassian recognised him too, now. The ragged good looks turned ugly by a hideous personality. The fae who had tried to steal Rhys's mate from him and lock her in her home like some damsel in distress. Everyone in the night-court would need little encouragement to separate Tamlin's head from his body. Cassian might have done just that if Azriel's calming grasp wasn't still resting on his forearm.

"Oh yes, him." The witch sneered. "He's been wandering around here for days. Won't stop moaning. You know him?" 

"Unfortunately." Answered Rhys, not taking his eyes off Tamlin. 

"What's happened? Where are we?" Tamlin's scratched claws hung loosely at his sides. Cassian noticed smugly that they were shorted than the witch's iron fingernails. 

Aelin strode forwards, looking coldly at Tamlin. "Someone has created cracks that run between worlds that you and your friends here-" Azriel coughed pointedly "-Have fallen through. We are trying to open a gateway between worlds to get you home." 

Tamlin's demeanour changed. He twitched upwards, his claws vanishing and his dishevelled hair falling out of his face. His expression was bright with hope. "You can do that? You can send me home?" 

Aelin smiled back at him. "And it seems we have a test subject." Both Rowan and Aedion laughed. 

"Test subject?" It took Tamlin a moment to get into his brain what Aelin was implying. "You mean you aren't sure if this is going to work?" He began to back away, snarling. "You don't change, do you Rhys? No wonder you're mates with that bitch. I can see why you're equals." 

Rhys opened his mouth but Aelin spoke over him. "Elide, deal with him would you? I need to get on." The witches had returned with Aelin's ingredients and were in the process of landing their wyverns. 

Tamlin turned to snarl at Elide. Cassian would have wondered what such a small girl could do to a fae male, but he knew Amren. Indeed, Elide was someone Amren would be immensely proud of. As soon as Tamlin took a threatening step towards her she brought her foot up between his legs. She accompanied the movement with a truly spectacular eye roll. 

Tamlin fell to his knees, spewing an impressive range of insults at Elide. Cassian moved forwards to shut him up but Elide beat him here. Her fist connected with the side of his face, slamming him sideways onto the ground and ensuring he don't open his mouth again.

"I hate people with annoying voices." Was all she said as she rubbed her bloody fist on her shirt. 

Cassian laughed increasingly. It turned out most of the females in this world were just as kick-ass as the ones in his. Elide had already turned her back on Tamlin's crumpled body and was watching Aelin. The queen was using the ingredients the witches had supplied her with to trace out an elaborate symbol on the ground.  Every now and again she would stop and mutter some words so quietly Cassian couldn't make out what she was saying. 

Her mate was watching her intently. Rowan seemed just as shy as he did dominant. If someone threatened his queen or his friends he would sink his teeth into them before they could run, but Cassian got the impression that he had built himself a family based on trust and if they denied him of something or introduced a potential threat it seemed to Cassian that he would have enough confidence in the ones around him to allow them to continue on whatever dangerous path they were treading across. 

 Aedion, on the other hand, trusted no one. He was loyal. There was no question of that. He would throw himself off a cliff for Aelin and didn't bother to hide it. But it was clear that he was constantly worried about the safety of his friends. He was biting his lip as he watched Aelin draw on the ground, his brows bushed low over his eyes. He didn't want to do this. He didn't trust Aelin to do the spell and not hurt anyone or herself in the process. But he knew it wasn't his job to question his queen. 

Cassian noticed that Aedion had a habit of glancing to his right with his mouth opening, as if he meant to say something to someone. Perhaps his missing wife. A dark cold seemed to settle over him every time he realised no one was there. 

Aelin had finished drawing her spell. It spiralled across the ground like a huge spider web composed of tendrils of powders, thick liquids and colourful rocks. Cassian didn't have much time to admire it before Aelin began to chant and it began to change. Certain sections of the web fell away first, opening into chasm of complete darkness. They all watched and listened as Aelin chanted, louder and louder. Rowan had an arm on her shoulder, his eyes full of complete faith. Aedion just watched the chasm, his expression growing more and more severe. 

Finally, the last segment of Aelin's web fell away and she stopped chanting. There was utter silence. They all stared at the hole. It was so black - blacker than a starless night. It was hard to look at, like no light wanted to go near it. Even Tamlin had pulled himself to his feet.

Elide's hand grabbed the spring lord's tunic and thrust him forwards so he was hanging over the hole. Cassian had no idea how she was managing to hold him up. 

"If it makes you fell any better," She spat at the snivelling male, "No one will miss you if you die. And if you meet my husband on the other side don't piss him off." Then she let go. Tamlin screamed as he fell. Aelin, Rowan and Aedion all watched calmly, waiting. Rhysand breathed quickly. Azriel's arm still rested on Cassian's, distracting him from worrying about anything else. 

Bang.

They all jumped. It had been so silent before the thundering boom had shaken the ground beneath them. 

Bang.

All the witches were watching the skies. Cassian turned too. 

Bang.

A wyvern, smaller than the others and with glistening wings, was moving through the air at splitting pace. It was heading straight for the hole Tamlin had just vanished through. Cassian had to duck as it soured over his head with an ear splitting bellow and dived straight into the chasm. 

It left silence in it's wake. Cassian looked over at the gathered witches. Each of them were holding two fingers to their brow. 

________________________________________________________________________________

Only three more parts to go guys! I really hope you're enjoying : )