A Court of Ash and Fire

Chapter Seven

Aelin squeezed her eyes shut tight as darkness engulfed her, drowned her. Rhysand's hand was a vice-like grip on her arm. As quickly as it had come, light appeared, and she landed again in that dank cell. She ripped her arm from Rhysand, stumbling away from him.

He lowered his head. "You fight well."

Aelin snorted, watching in fascination as her shackles began to bend around her limbs of their own accord. "I would hardly call that a fight."

His violet eyes glowed. "Food will arrive soon."

"Please tell me there's chocolate cake."

Rhysand disappeared without another word.

Sighing, Aelin rested her head against the cool stone, sliding into a sitting position on the dirty floor. She attempted to wriggle her fingers, but they didn't budge. There was no way out.

Settling on her last resort, Aelin tested out her theory. "YOU MIGHT WANT TO COME DOWN HERE," she screamed at the top of her lungs. "I'M ESCAPING!"

Nothing happened.

So, if they couldn't hear her, did that mean they couldn't scent her?

Taking a deep breath, she punched through that inner veil, shifting into her Fae form. Her senses instantly sharpened; she could scent the Fae upstairs, could taste the musk in the air. She ran her tongue along her newly elongated canines.

So, so carefully, she heated the very tips of her fingers, getting used to the familiar sensation. The metal around her hands began to melt, dripping into a pool of ore at her sides.

Once her hands were free, she started on her ankles and her middle's chains. Within seconds, they too were steaming piles of silver. She slowly stood, careful not to make a sound. Gently, she unwrapped her bandages from under her tunic and pants. Miraculously, they were fully healed, but...

Her scars were back.

She felt like she couldn't breathe as she studied her scars, which she thought she had lost forever. It was like greeting an old friend.

Taking a shuddering breath, she turned to face the smooth stone wall behind her. She brushed her fingers over it. Should be easy enough to break.

Wrapping her unravelled bandages around her fists, she took a deep breath...

...And threw her fist into the wall.

The stone smashed easily on impact, and a stream of light entered her cell. Drawing her fist back, she punched again, dust cascading from the hole to her feet.

She kept working at the hole, her enhanced hearing warning her if anyone was coming. Luckily, no footsteps came even close to her.

Three minutes passed, and the hole was big enough for her to climb through. Shifting back into her human form, she wriggled through the sharp hole, the melted stone warm against her sides. The fresh air stung her sweaty face, both a curse and a blessing.

Pulling her feet from out of the cell, she landed on her feet on the rocky mountain side. She was surrounded by bushes of night jasmine, and black mountains for as far as the eye could see. It was going to be a long journey.

So she began her trek down the steep rock, leaping and bounding over lumps and ditches. No-one came after her.

~

The tray in my hands clattered to the ground of the cell. "Shit," I whispered, staring at the hole in the cell.

She's gone, I said down the bond, winnowing into the cell and inspecting the human-sized gap.

What?

There's a hole in the wall. She's escaped.

Rhysand was at my side in an instant. He swore softly. "Gather the Illyrian forces. We have a criminal on the loose."