A Court in Flames

Chapter 16

Aelin's POV

I had frantically tried to close the portal as that thing. Crawled through.

I turned to find Feyre behind me her eyes were just as round as mine.

I let her into my mind. Even though I flinched at the intrusion, but I knew I needed to do this.

Feyre. Feyre. Feyre. I called to her, reaching out with my mind.

Aelin? Came her answer.

I need you to back towards the door, slowly. When you get there can you drop some of your blood there?

She slowly did as I asked. I followed her and when I saw blood at my feet I started drawing the wyrdmark that had trapped the Valg in the dungeon and Manon.

It started coming towards me and I saw its nails dragging along the floor.

Feyre. I need you to block it for a minute I'm almost done. A second later air forced the creature back. Then water poured on it, but it blocked it with its own water.

Done! Let it come at us!

Are you insane?

Just do it!

Her attacks ceased and the creature leaped for us and Feyre jumped to the side while I waited for it to hit the spell.

I lifted the sword I made from fire and as the creature froze I sliced its head off and then proceed to stab it until it fell limp to the floor.

"Quickly!" I shouted and ran past it to the portal, where more creatures were starting to walk towards it.

I started drawing the close symbol from my blood over each symbol and Feyre followed suit. One of the tentacles made its way through the portal right as I drew the last symbol and the portal closed and cut the tentacle off.

The creature that I thought I had slain started to move I used my remaining magic to burn it to ashes.

I fell to my knees and cried. I knew then and there that I would either have to go through every world to find mine again or never see it again at all.

Feyre's POV

I didn't know why Aelin was crying. She'd just halted and slain a creature and closed a portal.

"Aelin?" I asked her tentatively because there were flames spewing off of her.

"I'm never going to see them again, Feyre." She said and I was taken aback.

She'd opened a portal and closed it. How could she say that?

"Aelin, you don't seem like the kind of person to give up. So why...?"

She pointed at the wyrdmarks behind her and looked at me through her tear-streaked face, "That's why. Because I'd have to go through every damn world to find them. And what if he's-" Her mind was still open and I knew she wasn't able to voice the terrible word.

Dead. What if he's dead? What if he decided he would die so he could be with me?

"Aelin the bond is still there. How could he think you're dead?" She was shaking her head.

"It snapped the second I entered this world." I just stared at her. I couldn't imagine how that must feel. "I didn't even realize it until I woke up because of Elentiya and you."

"Aelin... We're going to get you home. I promise. Maybe it's time we took you to one of our meetings with the other High Lords." She looked at me and I could see the hope in her eyes.

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"Okay... So let's see if I remember this correctly... Tamlin is the High Lord of Spring Court and can shape-shift. Beron is the High Lord of Autumn Court and wields fire. Tarquin is High Lord of Summer Court and can manipulate water. Kallias is High Lord of the Winter Court and Viviane is High Lady. Kallias can manipulate ice. Helion is the High Lord of Day Court and can manipulate air and light and is a curse-breaker. The High Lord of the Dawn Court is Thesan and he has healing powers in his blood," Aelin said and I nodded. "Who exactly am I going as?"

"Well, you could go as an assassin, Queen, or part of our court," I told her. "You'd have the most protection if you are part of our court, but the most say as a Queen."

"How about Fire-breathing bitch Queen who happens to be allied with you?" She asked me.

"We're allies?" I asked her. I had started seeing her like that, but I hadn't thought she had seen us as the same.

"Aren't we? I mean it's not official or anything, but I feel like it's an unofficial alliance."

"I guess it is," I replied with a small smile. 

"So Fire-breathing bitch Queen it is! Let's go!" She grabbed my hand and we winnowed off to Day Court. The most neutral of all of the Courts.

Wait! I turned towards Aelin. Ever since the creature had nearly killed us she had let me in her mind.

What?

We have to make the most epically dramatic entrance ever!

You're kidding, right?

What! Why would I be kidding? Drama is my specialty.

I groaned.

Shhh! So here's what we're going to do-

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I had to admit. Aelin's idea was pretty funny.

I was supposed to make my water so she could burn it and create steam.

By the time the doors flew open revealing even more steam all of the High Lords were already looking at us.

Then I used a gust of air to blow the steam out of the way and Aelin had crowned the both of us in flames.

"Thank you! Thank you!" Aelin said while 'bowing'.

You forgot the spotlight! She told me.

Oh yeah! Sorry!

I created a beam of light down on us.

"Now... That is one hell of an entrance!" Viviane said as she applauded. "Yours was nothing compared to that." 

Beron just grumbled something.

"Who the hell is this?" Tamlin asked. "Did you finally decide to give up Rhys? Oh, come here, Feyre. I'll protect you."

"Ya. He's worse than you made me believe, Feyre," Aelin told me and there was a rumble of laughter as Tamlin sat down, embarrassed. "So. Rhys wasn't able to make it. And I am Queen Aelin Ashryver Whitethorn Galathynius. But you all can call me Fire-breathing bitch Queen or Aelin. Whichever you prefer."

Beron stood up. "Fire-breathing bitch Queen? Ha! I'm the only fire-bringer here!"

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, Beron," Aelin said with a sickly sweet smile and breathed fire in his direction. Aelin and I sat down in the seats usually reserved for Night Court and she said, "Now... Down to business."