High School Diaries (A Throne of Glass Fanfiction)

Chapter 51

^^^^Art by Coralie Jubenot

It was a tiring day for Connall normally, especially since Maeve had been on edge because of Perrington. And as he was one of her 'lackeys' as Fenrys put it, he was on his toes running around, following people, trying to get information, threaten investors giving up on Maeve and then being with her when she was in the police station being interrogated. It was enough, they all were tired.

Or so he thought.

Until Maeve texted him to come to her house with Fenrys.

He had barely gotten out of the car and climbed up the stairs. He looked at Vaughan who just met his glance, then at the mobile in his hand and then looked away. Gavriel rang the bell but no one opened the door. Strange. Even if Fenrys (who never slept before 2 as he was up reading fan fictions) had slept like a log, Rowan and Lorcan were alert sleepers. They would open the door. Unless they weren't home.

Maeve was with them and as far as he knew, they weren't given any task. His mind started whirring, all the possibilities and their consequences zipping past his eyes, hyper aware of everything in his surroundings when he noticed Gavriel's hand falter, for a mere second, before he started to sift through his pocket for keys.

And that was the moment he knew. There was something fishy and all the other guys, except Vaughan maybe, are involved. His breath came heavier, his hand clawing around Gavriel's elbow before he realized it, voice coming out in heavy rasp, "Where are they?"

"Where are whom?" A voice came from behind but he saw Vaughan imperceptibly stiffen.

He turns around, blue eyes glinting with barely hinted sadism meet his own. The first thing he notices is a bag by the male's feet. He looks up again, the man having noticed his line of stare.

"Oh, Maeve asked me to come in. The mess seemed to be way out of your control for her to call me."

"Cairn." Gavriel started.

"Looks like there is some shit even she isn't aware about."

Cairn pursued his lips, but the worry didn't reach his eyes, which gleamed with amusement.

They were so, so screwed.

***

"It has been a week!"

"I know!"

"One week since my cousin was freaking kidnapped by your pedophile mother! What do you mean you know?"

Aedion and Lorcan had been going at it for hours, Lysandra and Elide trying to calm Aedion, Dorian and Chaol awkwardly trying to haul Lorcan away from Aedion. Aedion's eyes were burning with anger. Turquoise eyes. Same as Aelin's. His fireheart. Rowan's hands tightened around the arms of the chair he was sitting in.

They were all caught up in the schemings again. Maeve had just wanted to make sure that he and Lorcan stayed away from the school and they both just fell into her trap, too high, drowning in few of their successes to remain cautious. He had literally searched every hotel, every hostel, every house he could in this city, with some help from Sheriff Westfall as Aedion registered the case, but Aelin was nowhere to be found. They hadn't broken this news to Arobynn yet, who was too busy cleaning up his business and regular interrogation with the police. He hadn't given up hope yet and he knew Maeve had taken Aelin as a bait, she wouldn't harm her, ever. But Rowan was running out of places to search without any leads. No phone to track. Chaol had seen to it that his father checks all CCTVs and every checkpoint, but nothing. Nothing beyond the footage in the school parking lot, which he was sure Maeve left on purpose.

Cairn. That was all his mind had zoomed on to. Cairn, the beast he could never tame. Fenrys was a brat and Lorcan too had his share of angry decisions, but they never enjoyed or drew pleasure in torture, not in the way Cairn did. His breath had hitched when he saw a half-dead Gavriel, and his throat had completely parched when he spotted Cairn. His nails dug into his palms tight enough to draw blood. His fireheart, in that monster's hands. She was strong, and cunning. Her survival instincts were unparalleled. But so was her need to be a hero. She would never resist or try to run away, as long as it involved Fenrys and Gavriel. Fenrys wouldn't resist because of Connall, and Gavriel was too injured to try anything.

This was such a mess. His mind was screaming and so were people around him. He couldn't tell which was louder.

Something buzzed in his pocket. His phone. He ignored it. Once. Twice. Then it suddenly got too silent around him that when it buzzed again, everyone looked up at him. Rowan sighed, taking out the phone. His eyes widened at the name flashing across. He gestured to Dorian, who went behind the computer to track the number.

"Hello, Rowan. I am assuming you are with your little clique so put your phone on the speaker." He followed. "And don't track it. It is pointless."

"Where's Aelin?" Aedion snatched the phone from his hands, voice low enough to let a ripple of fear course across the room."

"She's right next to me. But she is not conscious enough to talk." A shuffle sounded and after a beat of silence, they heard it. Aelin's low mumble, like in sleep. Goosebumps ran through his arms and he saw Aedion flinch.

"Stay. Away. From. Her." Rowan said, a silent promise of utterly painful bloodshed passing between him and Aedion.

"I am away from her. It's Cairn doing most of the work, now that you both aren't her."

"Get to the point already." Rowan said, when Dorian shook his head morosely, shifting the computer screen to show the signal bouncing off between several cities across, not staying at one location.

"Now you have to do some work for me. You played blame games for quite a while. Good move. I trained you well." Maeve continued, smirk evident in her voice.

"What do you want?" His eyes suddenly found Lorcan, who was still as a stone.

"I am hurt that you would talk to me like that for a bimbo you met a few months earlier." Condescension oozed out of her as she continued. "Blame all the illegal shit, murder, kidnapping, drugs everything on Arobynn. Tip the police that Perrington and Vernon worked for Arobynn and have them all arrested. The proof should be enough to get that headmaster out of prison. I will give back your girl after that."

"Aelin, Fenrys and Gavriel. Even Vaughan and Connall. All of them, safe and free." Rowan corrected. He heard Maeve click her tongue.

"Now that is their decision to make. You have one more thing to do." Rowan just let out a shuddering exhale, but Maeve picked up on that.

"Give me Lorcan." 

***

My exams are finally, finally over after dragging on and postponing for months. What a relief. But I got in for my masters and classes begin from 24th. That being said, the countdown begins. The last few chapters of this fan fiction start. :')

Stay safe everyone. <3