A Court of Ash and Fire

Chapter Four

Everyone stood, hands on their weapons. Aelin arched a brow at them, chucking her shackles at Rhysand's feet. "Gods, calm down. It's not like I can escape in these bandages." She gestured down at her body, where her fine tunic and pants were stained with dried blood. Her blood. "Though..." She gave them a wicked grin, subtly pulling a small, hidden glass bottle from the cuff of her sleeve. "That doesn't mean I can't try."

So fast that even the Fae couldn't detect it, Aelin smashed the flask onto the table, causing a massive cloud of grey smoke to rise up. The Fae shouted, yelling for someone to grab her as Aelin vaulted over the table, leapt over the decapitated body of the Valg, and sprinted off into the mansion.

Her wounds screamed at her to stop, bile rising in her throat as she half-ran, half-limped down marble corridors. She heard shouts and fast feet heading towards her, but she didn't dare stop.

She jumped up the stars, taking them two at a time. It was so peculiar being back in her human body; she had forgotten how awkward it was, how heavy. But even as she felt her half-healed wounds rip open, she didn't even pause to take a breath. When she reached the top of the stairs, she emerged onto a large and spacious balcony. She whirled around, panting, trying to find a way out of this wretched place. But she appeared to be about five floors above the ground, and surrounding her for miles and miles were black, snow-topped mountains.

There was a flash of darkness behind her, and Aelin twirled around and found all of the Fae standing behind her, looking exceptionally pissed off. Rhysand stood at the very front, his palms raised before him. "Stop. There's nowhere to go."

Aelin snarled at him, feeling fresh blood leaking down her skin. "Don't come near me."

His violet eyes glowed. Suddenly, Aelin felt a claw of darkness latch onto her conscious, her mind.

She stumbled back, a scream tearing from her throat as that claw dug deeper. She gabbed at her head, wishing it away, wanting it away. The cool bar of the baluster dug into the small of her back.

Maeve

Cairn

Erawan

She staggered back another step, summoning a wall of flame before her mind, burning that claw to ashes. Rhysand's eyes widened. "How did you do that?" He whispered.

She squeezed her eyes shut as that darkness lingered, and she retreated another step...

...And went straight over the railing.

~

Aelin screamed again, her hair whipping around her face as she fell. She heard the shouts of those Fae, felt the harsh push of the wind against her back.

All of a sudden, she slammed against a hard surface, and a wail poured from her mouth as she felt multiple bones crack... again.

Her head slammed onto the hard air, and she blacked out.