𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟔

"𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘮."

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╰┈˚ · ° . ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ ꜱᴛᴏᴘᴘᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴏʟʟᴏᴡ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ᴛᴡᴏ ʜɪʟʟꜱ. The air was cold—far colder than the air at the top of the hill.

"All dark and miserable roads lead Under the Mountain," Alis said so quietly that her voice was nothing more than the rustling of leaves. She pointed to the cave. "It's an ancient shortcut—once considered sacred, but no more."

"I reckon you two are regretting your hotheadedness right now."

"Not really. I'm already a dead woman walking" Maiven mumbled. Oh she knew she was dead the moment Braken would see her again.

The faerie and the older twin looked at Maiven with furrowed brows. Both of them did not understand what the girl was trying to say.

"I will free him." Feyre stated

"You'll be lucky if she gives you a clean death. You'll be lucky if you even get brought before her. A few rules to remember, girls. Don't drink the wine—it's not like what we had at the Solstice, and will do more harm than good. Don't make deals with anyone unless your life depends on it—and even then, consider whether it's worth it. And most of all: don't trust a soul in there—not even your Tamlin. Your senses are your greatest enemies; they will be waiting to betray you."

"There was one part of the curse. One part we can't tell you. Even now, my bones are crying out just for mentioning it. One part you have to figure out ... on your own, one part she ... she ..." Alis swallowed loudly. "That she still doesn't want you to know, if I can't say it," she gasped out. "But keep —keep your ears open, girl. Listen to what you hear."

Feyre touched her arm. "I will. Thank you for bringing us."

"It's a rare day indeed when someone thanks you for bringing them to their death. I'll wish you luck nonetheless," Alis added.

"Once you retrieve them, if you and your nephews need somewhere to flee," Feyre said, "cross the wall. Go to our family's house." She told her the location. "Ask for Nesta—our eldest sister. She knows who you are, knows everything. She will shelter you in any way she can."

"Stay alive. Both of you" Alis said.

"Do you have a plan?" Maiven asked her sister

"No," Feyre answered.

"Yeah me neither. But getting out of here alive seems like a good plan." The youngest Archeron said, trying to lighten up the tense mood.

Feyre swallowed the lump in her throat "Thank you for everything you have done for me. For everything you still continue to do. I love you so much Mai."

Maiven touched her sister's cheek softly before bringing the girl into her arms.

She wished that she could say those three words back. Her heart begged her to tell her that she loved her too but her mind whispered all those words that were said to her over and over again. Love is weakness.

So she said nothing. Maiven raised the hood on her head and the veil on her face. She unsheathed her sword and walked forward into the cave.

•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•

╰┈˚ · ° .   Stumbling through the frigid dark, the twins inched onward keeping close to the wall. After what felt like an eternity, a crack of orange light cleaved through the dark. And then came the voices.

Hissing and braying, eloquent and guttural—a cacophony bursting the silence like a firecracker. The human girls pressed themselves against the cave wall, but the sounds passed and faded.

They crept toward the light, blinking back the blindness when they found the source: a slight fissure in the rock. It opened onto a crudely carved, fire-lit subterranean passageway. They lingered in the shadows.

The crack in the cave wall was large enough for one person to squeeze through—so jagged and rough that it was obviously not often used. A glance at the dirt revealed no tracks, no sign of anyone else using this entrance. The hallway beyond was clear, but it veered off, obscuring the view.

Maiven was the first to go through, easing toward the tiny opening as her weapons scraped against the stone.

Feyre followed quickly after her.

Another hallway carved out of the mountain's pale stone, lined on either side by torches. No shadowy spots for concealment, and at its other end, the view was yet again, obscured by a sharp turn.

As Mai started to think of a better plan to walk through the hallways, Feyre walked past her with a determined look on her face. But just as her own hand reached forward to stop her, long, bony fingers wrapped around Feyre's arm.

A pointed, leathery gray face came into view, and its silver fangs glistened as it smiled "Hello," it hissed. "What's something like you two doing here?"

Maiven quickly started to attack but the Attor saw her movements and held Feyre closer to its body

"Ah ah. None of that" It said arrogantly

Feyre was shaking as the Attor's grip on her tightened. Mai clenched her jaw under her veil and unsheathed her sword.

The Attor kept its icy grip on Feyre's upper arm as it half dragged her to the throne room keeping Mai in front of them.

They strode through two ancient, enormous stone doors and into a vast chamber carved from pale rock, upheld by countless carved pillars.

An assembled crowd took up most of the space, some of them dancing to strange, off-kilter music, some milling about chatting—a party of sorts.

The Attor hurled Maiven forward as Feyre slammed into the cold marble floor.

And here, lounging on a black throne, was Amarantha. Beside her Tamlin. No claws, no fangs, his mouth didn't tighten. He just stared. Unfeeling—unmoved. Unimpressed.

With just her gray eyes visible Maiven glared at The High Queen refusing to kneel in front of her. The Attor moved forward, kicking the girl's leg from under her, making her fall hard to the floor.

Pain erupted through her body but she didn't flinch. She didn't voice out that pain. She just continued to stare at Amarantha with ice cold eyes.

"What's this?" Amarantha said, her voice lilting despite the adder's smile she gave the twins. From her slender, creamy neck hung a long, thin chain—and from it dangled a single, age-worn bone the size of a finger.

"Just some human things I found downstairs," the Attor hissed, and a forked tongue darted out between its razor-sharp teeth.

"Obviously," Amarantha purred. "But why should I bother with them?"

The Attor chuckled "Tell Her Majesty why you were sneaking around the catacombs—why you came out of the old cave that leads to the Spring Court."

The Attor kicked Feyre, and she winced as its claws bit into her ribs. "Tell Her Majesty, you human filth."

"I came to claim the one I love," Feyre said quietly.

"Oh?" Amarantha said, leaning forward.

"I've come to claim Tamlin, High Lord of the Spring Court."

A gasp rippled through the assembled court. But Amarantha tipped back her head and laughed—a raven's caw.

The High Queen turned to Tamlin, and her lips pulled back in a wicked smile. "You certainly were busy all those years. Developed a taste for human beasts, did you? But," Amarantha said slowly."It makes me wonder—if this one is the human girl that claims to love you..." Her eyes sparked. "Oh, you are delicious. You let me torture that innocent girl to keep this one safe? You lovely thing! You actually made a human worm love you. Marvelous." She clapped her hands. Her sharp eyes then landed on Maiven "And what about you?" She asked with a wicked smile

"I'm just the guard" Maiven answered flatly

"You didn't do a good job at that" Amarantha pointed out

"Thanks, I know," the human said, rolling her eyes.

"Show me your face." Amarantha demanded with a raised eyebrow

Maiven waited for a second before she pulled down the veil that concealed her features and the hood covering her golden-brown hair that were styled in a tight braid.

"And here is the other twin. Lovely!" The High queen exclaimed

"Let him go," Feyre said

Amarantha laughed again. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't destroy you where you stand, humans."

"You tricked him—he is bound unfairly."

Amarantha clicked her tongue and looked at one of her slender white hands—at the ring on her index finger. A ring set with what looked like... like a human eye encased in crystal.

"You human beasts are so uncreative. We spent years teaching you poetry and fine speech, and that is all you can come up with? I should rip out your tongue for letting it go to waste."

"We could say a lot more but it doesn't change the fact that you tricked him and all the High Lords." Maiven commented

"I'm curious: What eloquence will pour from your lips when you behold what you two should have been?" The High Queen said ignoring the previous comment from the girl.

Amarantha pointed behind the twins. There, nailed high on the wall of the enormous cavern, was the mangled corpse of two young women. Their skin was burned in places, Their fingers were bent at odd angles, and garish red lines criss crossed their naked bodies.

"Perhaps I should have listened when they said they'd never seen Tamlin before," Amarantha mused. "Or when they insisted they'd never killed a faerie, never hunted a day in their life. Though their screams were delightful. I haven't heard such lovely music in ages." Her next words were directed at Maiven "I should thank you for giving Rhysand their names instead of yours."

Clare and Ava Beddor.

"Come now, precious," Amarantha said. "What have you to say to that? Do you still wish to claim someone who would do that to an innocent?"

"Yes," Feyre said. "Yes, I do."

Her lip curled back, revealing too-sharp canines

"Well, Tamlin, I don't suppose you ever expected this to occur. What do you have to say, High Lord?"

"I've never seen her. Them. Before. Someone must have glamoured them as a joke. Probably Rhysand."

"Oh, that's not even a halfway decent lie." Amarantha angled her head. "Could it be—could it be that you, despite your words so many years ago, return the human's feelings? A girl with hate in her heart for our kind has managed to fall in love with a faerie. And a faerie whose father once slaughtered the human masses by my side has actually fallen in love with her, too?" She let out that crow's laugh again. "Oh, this is too good—this is too fun." She fingered the bone hanging from her necklace and looked at the encased eye upon her hand. "I suppose if anyone can appreciate the moment," she said to the ring, "it would be you, Jurian." She smiled prettily. "A pity your human whore on the side never bothered to save you, though."

Jurian—that was his eye, his finger bone.

"Things have been awfully boring since Clare and Ava decided to die on me. Killing you outright, humans, would be dull. But Fate stirs the Cauldron in strange ways. Perhaps my darlings had to die in order for me to have some true amusement with you. You came to claim Tamlin?" Amarantha said "Well, as it happens, I'm bored to tears of his sullen silence. I was worried when he didn't flinch while I played with darling Clare, when he didn't even show those lovely claws... But I'll make a bargain with you, human," she said "You complete three tasks of my choosing—three tasks to prove how deep that human sense of loyalty and love runs, and Tamlin is yours. Just three little challenges to prove your dedication, to prove to me, to darling Jurian, that your kind can indeed love true, and you can have your High Lord." She turned to Tamlin. "Consider it a favor, High Lord—these human dogs can make our kind so lust-blind that we lose all common sense. Better for you to see her true nature now."

"I want his curse broken, too," Feyre blurted. She raised a brow, her smile growing "We complete all three of your tasks, and his curse is broken, and we—and all his court—can leave here. And remain free forever," Feyre added.

"Of course,"Amarantha purred. "But it will be just you that will complete the tasks. I have something else in mind for your sweet sister"

Feyre's eyes turned towards her sister. Maiven glanced at her and nodded. She would be fine. She always is.

"I'll give you a way out, girl. You'll complete all the tasks—or, when you can't stand it anymore, all you have to do is answer one question. A riddle. You solve the riddle, and his curse will be broken. Instantaneously. I won't even need to lift my finger and he'll be free. Say the right answer, and he's yours. You can answer it at any time—but if you answer incorrectly ..." She gestured to Clare and Ava.

"And what if I fail your tasks?"

Her smile became almost grotesque, and she rubbed a thumb across the dome of her ring. "If you fail a task, there won't be anything left of you for me to play with."

"What is the nature of the tasks?" Feyre asked

"Oh, revealing that would take all the fun out of it. But I'll tell you that you'll have one task every month—at the full moon."

"And in the meantime?"

"In the meantime," Amarantha said a bit sharply, "you shall either remain in your cell or do whatever additional work I require."

"If you run me ragged, won't that put me at a disadvantage?"

"Nothing beyond basic housework. It's only fair for you to earn your keep." Feyre nodded, "Then we are agreed."

"What about my sister? What is going to happen to her?" Feyre asked

"Don't worry about that. You do your part I do mine" Maiven answered without looking at her twin

Amarantha's smile widened ferociously. Her eyes glinted as she watched Maiven. She knew something.

"If I complete your three tasks or solve your riddle, you'll do as I request?"

"Of course," Amarantha said. "Is it agreed?"

Feyre still didn't answer

"Well?" Amarantha demanded.

The older twin glanced one last time at her sister than at Tamlin before she said "Agreed."

Amarantha gave her a small, horrible smile, and magic sizzled in the air as she snapped her fingers. She nestled back in her throne.

Maiven looked straight at the High Queen. Her eyes, cold and void of emotions.

Behind her and Feyre, she could sense a faerie preparing to pounce.

"Give them a greeting worthy of my hall," Amarantha commanded. Her eyes founded Maiven's

And then the human girl smirked. Her hand gripped the sword on her side. Unsheathed it in a second.

Her body moved fluidly at un impressionate speed as she twirled on her knees. With her sword she cutted a leg off from the faerie before rising to full height. The Fae in the hall gasped at the sight. The Faerie was now on the ground, groaning in pain. Its features were similar to the Attor but its skin was blue, and on the side of its head there were two horns that curved on themselves.

The assassin approached it slowly. Her sword drenched in its blood.

She looked at the High queen on the throne who was already watching the entire scene with a wicked smirk on her features.

And with one last, strong blow, Maiven cutted the faerie's head off.

In the hall no one dared to talk or even breathe too loudly. No one dared to make a rumor.

Maiven sheathed her sword and took from the ground the severed head.

The assassin walked forward till she approached the steps of the dais of the throne.

Maiven glanced at Tamlin for a split second before turning her attention back to Amarantha.

And then, she threw the head right at the High Queen's feet.

With a last glance, the human girl turned on her feet. She walked towards Feyre, who was still on the floor, watching with wide eyes her sister kill a faerie with meticulous precision.

Dark blood stained the pale skin of her face and neck. Her gray eyes cold and unflinching.

Maiven helped Feyre to her feet as the older twin still trembled with fear.

Feyre's hands sneaked up her arm as she held into her sister with everything she had.

A laugh laugh echoed into the hall followed by the clasp of hands

"That was awesome" Amarantha said "I know that we will have a lot of fun together" She commented sending the girl a feral grin "Escort the girls to their rooms." She commanded before glancing at Mai with a sly grin "I'm sure that you will feel at home, little assassin" 

✎

˗ˏˋ 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞 ˊˎ˗

Hello everyone! New chapter!

And here is the second chapter for today because the previous one was almost the same as in the books.

Anyways thank you for reading this and if you'd like, please, let me know what you thought of this chapter with a comment and a star.

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞!

– 𝐋𝐨𝐥𝐚 ☾