The Princess of Terrasen

Ch. 15

Helios-Elio- Galathynius smiled at her tightly.

Salkhi curled around her neck, hissing softly at Elio, Aecis growled, crouching with his hackles raised. 

"I-I need to ask you something." he looked at her nervously, and just like that, his calm facade fell away and his eyes darted to Aecis and Salkhi.

"Don't worry about the guard-dogs. Aecis, stand down."

Aecis prowled over to her and sat at her feet as Aella sunk into a chair.

"You came to Terrasen the other day." he blurted out, then winced

"I did." she laughed a little "and here's a tip, Helios. If you sneak out of your kingdom to come see a sworn enemy, make it seem a little less obvious."

He flushed

"I don't think you're an enemy." he said quietly and Aella's interest sparked

"Why not?"

"I mean you're- it's just that-"

She raised an eyebrow, wondering how exactly she had ended up with such an adorable mess for a brother. He blanched. Salkhi hissed in a way that sounded like laughter

He bit his lip and stood quickly, disappointment rolling off his posture in waves, even as his eyes darted toward the open window

She rolled her eyes.

"Elio, sit and tell me what you need."

He sighed.

"Do you know where my sister is?"

Aella closed her eyes for a second in exasperation.

"Ilona? She's in Terrasen I would imagine."

"No, I mean..." he hesitated "Aiyra."

"She was kidnapped thirteen years ago and no one had heard from her since." Aella kept her face blank, disinterested as she sat back down and slung a leg over the arm.

"Don't you know anything about her? Please, General Astern."

"I was only a child when she was taken."

"How come you have the same magic?" he cocked his head at her

"Coincidence, I suppose." she shrugged

"Where'd you get your magic from?"

Aella leaned back in her chair, smirking slightly

"Why do you ask?"

"Because it's too much of a coincidence. You emerged as one of the most powerful magic users of all time a few years after Aiyra was taken. Maeve had said only Aelin and Rowan Galathynius' children would be so powerful."

"Are you saying I'm Aiyra Galathynius, Helios?" she raised a brow, cutting him a scathing look.

"I am." he said, glaring at her even though she could see his hands shaking like leaves, even as she could see the hope in his eyes.

Aella laughed in his face.

"You think I'm- God, Helios!"

She could see the hope in his eyes fizzle out entirely as she straightened

"Now, Elio Galathynius. I will let you leave here with your head intact, and you will tell your parents it would be foolish to fight. There will be no one to give the empire back to."

Elio narrowed his eyes

"Why do you care."

She exhaled slowly, thinking over her words

"Because Terrasen is the reason we don't live in a demon infested world and I'm not entirely keen on blasting it off the face of the world."

Helios stared at her for a minute and then there was a flash of light as he shifted and flew out the open window. Aella sighed and flopped bonelessly back onto her bed. She had used more magic than she had ever used before and exhaustion pulled her into a sleep so deep, she wasn't able to see the warning signs.

She would have stayed asleep if Aecis hadn't woken her up by nipping her foot. She heard breathing directly outside her door and fought off the waves of dizziness. Slowly, she got off the bed, breathing evenly so whoever was outside would still think her asleep. Arondite made no sound as she pulled it out of it's sheath, the black metal glinting dully in the moonlight. She sent out a probing tendril of magic and found five people- Fae- outside.

She free fell into her well of magic, pulling up as much as she could. She didn't stop where she normally would have. Attacking was all instinct, defending was anticipation. And something told her this would be the fight of her life. She soared down, past the marker where she usually stopped and here, her magic became wilder, fiercer. 

A female opened the door with a kick, smirking when she found Aella standing defensively in the centre of the room. She was short and wide and had stockier muscles as compared to Aella's leaner ones. But she held her daggers with expert precision and her stronger arms meant she had a larger throwing distance.

"Shana?" Aella frowned. Shana worked for Deanna independently and if she was here, it meant that it was under Deanna's orders. But she made no move to attack. 

"General."

"What are you doing here?"

"Deanna asked me to give you a message."

"Alright." Aella didn't move from her defensive position, Shana too, stayed just as tense.

"She told me to say that she remembers all those murders your third committed. She says she remembers how he helped that family escape from Rosk."

Aella's hands tightened on her sword.

"So?"

"She says treason can't go unpunished." Shana's smile was wide.

Before Aella could say anything, Sebastian walked in, surrounded by Fae guards Aella recognised as Deanna's personal guards. Perhaps the only Fae in the world who could match her in a fight without magic. 

Aella knew what Shana had been ordered to do, so heart beating in her ears, she ran towards her mate, feet barely touching the ground. She had to get him out of there before they could react. Her fingers had just brushed his shirt when the sword stabbed into him from the back. He rasped in a wet breath.

Every thought and sound eddied from her head.