A Court in Flames

Chapter 11

Rowan's POV

It had been a month since Aelin had died and I still woke up reaching across the bed for the female that would never be there again. I could still see her face. Still hear her laugh. And feel her lips on mine. Still see that gorgeous smile. Still feel the broken bond. Feel as if it had snapped again.

Every. Gods-damned. Day.

And every day I wanted to join her. But I had promised her that I would take care of her kingdom. Make it as beautiful as she had dreamed it would be. And every day I brought stones to her grave.

The funeral we had for had been something almost all of Terrasen had come to. 

Fleetfoot had been listless since she'd heard the news. Somehow understanding what death meant. She waited by the door every day.

I sang for her every night, since.

The Kingsflame had continued to bloom. I didn't quite understand it. There was no way it was blooming for me.

"Aelin. Why did you have to leave?" I asked the heavens, not for the first time and certainly not for the last time.

Fleetfoot let out a low whine and damn if I didn't love the dog even if before I had only thought that she'd stolen Aelin's attention.

"What is it, girl?" She just let out another whine. Well. I guess I have to take you to a healer.

I picked Fleetfoot up and marched off to the healer's wing.

Feyre's POV

Aelin had become more at ease around Rhys and I had finally gotten the courage to tell her that I was also Daemati and she'd just told me that she had thought so and that she was an assassin and Queen.

Which I had not seen coming.

Now she and Cassian were sizing each other up. She had picked up two steel swords while Cassian had two iron swords. They were circling each other and ultimately Cassian was the first to make a move. Aelin easily dodged and blocked his other sword and then ducked under his sword.

Cassian whirled around and he was just a bit too slow to miss the hit.

Aelin jumped back and circled him. She was a panther eyeing her prey. Then with a move so fast that I didn't even see it coming she whirled and slid under his first sword and jumped over his second. She stood up and blocked the swords that came for her. 

Then they began to dance. She twirled and side-stepped his blows and he only blocked hers. They both had dried blood all over their clothes when Cassian disarmed one of her swords she just smiled and threw the other out of the ring.

Rhys looked at her confused before two knives slid out from her sleeves. I blinked in surprise and so did Cassian. That was all the distraction she needed because a second later she had the knife at Cassian's throat. "Surrender?" She asked, her voice like honey-coated venom. Cassian just dropped his weapons. She took that as a yes because she walked to the edge of the ring and bowed. "Thank you. Thank you."

"Damn! Cassian! She kicked your ass!" Mor shouted at him while applauding. Rhys sputtered as he saw this and Mor said, "Pay up!" Rhys just muttered something under his breath and handed Mor whatever he owed her.

Aelin flipped her hair and walked out of the ring right over to her glass of water. After drinking heavily she asked. "What? Haven't you seen a female fight before?"

"Well, the Illyrian warlords don't exactly think females are equals. So not really. I mean I've fought with my magic and I've seen Amren and Mor fight but besides that..." I told her. She just gaped at me.