A Court of Fire and Ash

Aelin

I could trust them.
I knew it.
But I changed into my human form nonetheless.

Rhys hadn't noticed it.
He couldn't have.
His whole attention had been focused on Feyre.

Nobody talked to me as I sat on the floor in the doorway waiting for news on Feyres condition.
She had to survive.

They had wanted me.
Only me.
Feyre had only been a lucky coincidence for them.
Nothing more.
I had been the target and if she wouldn't survive, it would have been my fault.

Everyone was nervous and anxious and they were scared.
Not for their safety but for the safety of the future of the court.
The heir.

My shirt was still covered in blood.
Mine and Feyres.

My wounds hadn't healed completely and me turning into my human form didn't help them either but I couldn't worry about myself now.

Exhaustion settled in as the adrenalin left my body.
The last time I had run that fast to help someone I had been too late.
But not this time.
Never again.

After a long time Mor came to me with a glass of water and silently looked after my wounds.
She cleaned them and bandaged the ones that needed more attention.

I didn't tell her that it was pointless to waste her time like that on me because I could just become Fae and heal in a short amount of time.

She needed a distraction and so did I.
If Feyre didn't survive would they blame me?
Would they still help me to get home?

I didn't even want to think about it.

After Mor was gone I fell asleep for a while and when I woke up relief filled me.

I heard screams.
Not terrible screams or screams in pain or agony.
Screams of a baby.
A beautiful little creature.
Seeing the world for the first time.

Relieved gasps filled the room next to me as if everyone had held their breath until now.

Mor ran past me and she was gone for a while and when she came back she had a baby in her arms.

If she had it that probably meant that Feyre wasn't able to care for it yet.

I hoped she just needed rest and I knew that I needed some too.
I hadn't been hurt as bad as her but I needed to be prepared for everything that was too come.

Even if Rhys hadn't noticed anything Feyre had and she wouldn't just leave this topic alone.

And I knew how to get home now.
I just needed something from my world.
How could I not have thought of this?
It was so obvious but no one had considered that option.

No one stopped me as I went to my room and as soon as I laid down on my bed it didn't take long for me to fall asleep.

When I woke up this time the sun was shining.
I didn't know how much time had passed since I had fallen asleep but it must've been more than ten hours.

I got up and went downstairs and when I entered the dining room Azriel was the only one who was there.

„How is she? Is she alive?”
„Yes she is. She is awake and  everyone is with them now and they want to eat soon.”
„Why aren't you there?”
„I don't know I was with them earlier but it just didn't feel right. I don't know I just kind of wanted to leave them their privacy.”

After that I didn't talk to him anymore but as I stood up to leave the room he stopped me.

„Thank you, Celaena.”
„What for?”
„You saved her life.”
„What?”
„Our healer told us that she wouldn't have survived if you hadn't stopped her bleeding.”
„Oh.”