A Court of Ash and Fire

Chapter Sixteen

"Rhys, I don't think this is going to work," I said. "All of your other methods haven't been effective, so why should this succeed?"

Rhysand sighed, staring down at his hands. I frowned a little, sitting down beside him on our bed. "What's wrong?"

"The things she's been through... She's so young."

I ran a hand over his back. "I know." Rhysand had shown us all through our minds what he had seen in Aelin's head. The amount of love and death and torture... It was too much.

"There's nothing else I can do," he said quietly, looking at the floor. "This is the last option."

"Rhys," I breathed. "Do you have to do this? I don't want her to break any more than she has."

"She won't," he replied. "She's strong."

I grasped his hand as he winnowed us into that cushioned cell, summoning a ball of flame in my palm. Aelin sat with her back against a wall, her head resting on the padding. "What do you want?" She spat. We had returned her here after Rhys had entered her mind. Though it was obvious she hadn't wanted to, she went quietly, which was unusual.

My flames cast dancing lights over her face. "I am about to enter your mind again," Rhys said, taking a step towards Aelin. She growled at him.

"Like hell you are," she hissed, but before she could move, Rhysand had his hands either side of her head. She gasped, and then I was instantly transported into her conscious.

~

Aelin gaped at Rowan, who stood across from her with a gentle smile on his face.

"Rowan?" She breathed, sure this was some trick.

His hard face softened slightly. "Fireheart."

A sob choked out of her, and she sprinted towards him at full Fae speed. She threw herself into his arms, and his strong hands came around her, pulling her into his chest.

"I've missed you," he onto her shoulder, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "We all have."

Aelin swiped a finger under her eye. "Is this through the mating bond? How am I seeing you right now?"

Rowan shrugged, and his smile turned into a fierce grin, distorting his tattoo. "I have no idea. However this is happening, I'm so thankful. I haven't seen you since our wedding. You've been missing for ages."

Aelin froze.

That mother-

"RHYSAND!" Aelin screamed, shoving the fake Rowan away from her. They had probably thought that her coronation-mistaken for a wedding- was her most recent memory of home. "YOU ASSHOLE, YOU PRICK, YOU SON OF A BITCH, YOU-"

She inhaled sharply as she returned to that padded room, the fantasy gone. She lunged for Rhysand, who stood in front of her, but was met with an invisible wall of hard air. Feyre was next to Rhysand, her hand out, obviously magicking the shield.

"You had no right!" She screamed. "How dare you use him against me, you sick-"

You do not yield.

Like hell she was going to let him get away with this.

She paused, taking a deep breath. Rhysand and Feyre studied her closely.

In the span of a nanosecond, Aelin shifted and exploded into fire.