The Ends of the Earth

Chapter 28

His head felt heavy. Like there was a hand on the back of it just pushing it down, whispering in his ear it's over now. He didn't want to believe what his eyes were seeing. Coldness, not hatred, but pure ice in her eyes. Ice so different from the fire she used to carry. Rowan thought of when Fenrys broke the blood oath, she can do it, he subconsciously reassured himself.

She can do it. She can do it.

"I think your mates' are done here," Maeve said. "Why don't you two escort them out?"

Rowan's heart twisted as Aelin bowed her head. "This is not the end," Rowan said before he registered what he was saying to his head. No, this isn't the end. This is exactly what Rowan had feared when Aelin was taken by Maeve that day on the beach, that his wife become her eternal servant like he once was.

"Oh but I believe it is, both of you take your mates out now, and if they try anything funny, you are to kill them."

He looked over at Rhys who had his head slung low. It was when Rowan looked down at the floor below his face that he saw the tears on the floor splashing. Rowan blinked and realized he too was crying.

Aelin walked over and effortlessly got him to rise up off his knees.

Feyre walked over, hands on Rhys' arms and got him to stand  up.

"Hang in there Aelin," He whispered to her, but she just stared ahead at the door that she was commanded to get him out of.  He realized then the complete and utter control Aelin had over him, he would give her his heart on a platter and watch as she step on it. Exactly what she did when she swore the blood oath.

He hadn't noticed when the reached the door as his thoughts were consumed by the female in front of him. He was standing beside Rhys, the frame of the door now separating them from their mates.

He looked up and saw Maeve, and swore to be the cause of her complete destruction.

Then the door shut on his face.

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Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Out. In. Out...

Rhys wasn't sure if this was his final descent into hell or an awful nightmare. Or a combination of both. All he could hear were waves crashing on a distant shore until one of the evil queens, he wasn't sure which said, "Oh but I believe it is, both of you take your mates out now, and if they try anything funny, you are to kill them."

His head drooped further as he pushed the tears out of his eyes.

The memories of Feyre, in the Rainbow, Under the Mountain-the first time-, and in the townhouse laughing with the inner circle flashed through his mind rapidly as his mate came into view.

"Feyre," He whispered to her. But nothing. Nothing remotely humane in her eyes as she grabbed his arms and yanked him up and started walking to the door.

If they try anything funny, you are to kill him. Was the only thing reigning Rhys in from snapping. Because he knew that in a fight with Feyre, he would let her win, let her kill him. And if that happened there would be no one to tell Cass, Az, Mor, and Amren where she is and how to save her.

So Rhys remained quiet until he was shoulder to shoulder with the silver-haired male. He looked over and the male was staring Maeve down. Rhys' eyes traveled to Amarantha, and he then and there vowed, "It may have been Tamlin who ripped your throat out the first time, but I will leave you so bloody, there won't be any resemblance to you now."

Author's note - I hope you all are having a splendid Christmas eve/Christmas (depending on where you are in the world) or any other holiday of any religion!