𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟒

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙙

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╰┈˚ · ° .  THE AIR WAS MUCH COLDER WHEN WE stopped in the hollow between two hills where Alis had led us.

"All dark and miserable roads lead Under the Mountain," Alis commented so quietly that her voice was nothing more than the rustling of leaves. She pointed to the cave before us, "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 anyway." I mumbled, somehow, containing an eyeroll. Oh I knew I was dead the moment Braken would learn that I was not in the Mortal lands anymore. My back ached at the thought, it was healing slowly but a lot of the wounds were still open, fortunately not bleeding anymore.

My two companions turned towards me with furrowed brows. Both of them not understanding what my words meant.

"I will free him." Feyre stated. She nodded almost as if to give herself the courage.

"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." She stalled for a few seconds before finally continuing, "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, her eyes soft as she looked at the faerie that had been her maid for all the previous months, "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 with pursed lips.

"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 before leaving us there.

"Do you have a plan?" I asked my sister as soon as Alis was far enough away.

"No." Feyre answered with a sigh.

"Getting out of here alive seems like a good one to me." I said, trying to lighten up the tense mood. "We can't do nothing from the shadows. If she is as strong as Alis said she is, the best way to do this is upfront."

"You mean getting caught?" My twin asked, swallowing the lump of uncertainty stuck in her throat.

"Yes, it's the only way. I'll make a deal with her." I said, my hand resting on the pommel of the sword sheathed to my side, fingers tapping the hilt.

"No. If we have to make a deal for this to work, then I'll be the one to make it." Feyre looked at me, clear eyes filled with inner strengths. "I have to do it."

"It won't be easy."

"I know."

And I knew she was right. As much as I would've loved to be the one to shoulder this weight, it wasn't up to me. And as much as I would have wanted her as far away from this, in the end, it was her choice.

"Thank you for everything you have done for me. For everything you still continue to do. I love you so much Mai."

I touched my sister's cheek softly before bringing the girl into her arms. For all we knew it could be the last time we hugged. Oh, how I wished that I could say those three words back. My heart begged for me to tell her that I loved her too but my mind was at war with itself. It whispered all those words that were said to me over and over again when Braken broke my spirit only to build me up again to his liking. Love is weakness.

So I said nothing, not knowing if I was going to regret it for the rest of my life.

I raised the hood above my head covering my golden-brown hair that were in a tight braid that resembled the form of a crown, and I placed back up the veil until only my forehead and eyes— the color that I would only describe to be as a dull gray without any hint of light or life— where visible. I unsheathed my sword and without looking back, I walked forward into the cave.

────༺☽༓☾༻────

╰┈˚ · ° .  Darkness surrounded us the more we inched onwards, as a landmark, since our human eyes could only see much, we kept 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. We pressed ourselves against the cave wall, but the sounds passed and faded.

We crept toward the light, blinking back the blindness once we found the source— a slight fissure in the rock. It opened onto a crudely carved, fire-lit subterranean passageway. But we still 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.

I was the first to go through, easing toward the tiny opening as my weapons scraped against the stone. Feyre followed quickly after.

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. Steps, almost completely silent, came from it.

I looked at my twin, nodding my head at her signaling that it was time. Someone was here. She squeezed my arm, and with a determined look on her face, Feyre walked past. And just as she was about to turn the corner, long, bony fingers wrapped around her arm, stopping her from going further. The Attor, the same creature that had appeared one day at Spring Court.

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 is doing here?"

Following the plan, I unsheathed my sword, faking an attack, and just like I thought, the Attor saw my movements and held Feyre closer to its leathery body.

"Ah ah. None of that." It tutted with arrogance.

Feyre was shaking, probably regretting the plan already, but she held on tightly onto her bravery as the Attor's grip on her tightened even more. I made a show of looking very annoyed before unsheathing back the sword to my side.

The Attor kept its icy grip on Feyre's upper arm as it half dragged her to the throne room, making sure to keep me in front of them, always in his sight.

We strode through two ancient, enormous stone doors and into a vast chamber carved from pale rock, upheld by countless carved pillars. The room held the same darkness of The Temple. An assembled crowd took up most of the space, some of them dancing to strange, off-kilter music, some milling about chatting—almost like a party of sorts.

The Attor hurled Feyre down, making her slam onto the cold marble floor.

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

Kneeling. Something that I did too often. But only for him. I kneeled only for Braken.

Apparently the Attor didn't like that. He kicked the back of my knees until I was next to my twin, kneeling on the floor. Not that I wasn't expecting it anyways.

Pain erupted through my back as my body collided with the cold marble, but I didn't flinch. I didn't voice out that pain. I 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 us. 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, replying to his queen, his 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, the plan so far going as smoothly as it could in this dark and viper infested cave.

"Oh?" Amarantha said, leaning forward. Sparks of amusement lightning her eyes.

"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 viscous laugh that resembled the caw of a raven.

The High Queen turned to Tamlin, who still looked unfazed as ever, her lips pulled back into 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, having so much fun with the events playing. Her sharp eyes glanced away from the High Lord on her side and landed directly on me, "And what about you?" She asked, her wicked smile returning. "Are you here to claim someone too."

"No, I'm just the guard." I answered flatly.

"You didn't really do a good job at guarding." The Fae pointed out, motioning for my twin with her slender hand, looking too amused for my liking.

"Thanks, I know." I replied with a scoff that definitely didn't feel right to 'the queen'.

"Show me your face." Amarantha demanded, concealing the annoyance not very well in my opinion.

I waited for a second, knowing that those few moments of stall would hit her more than my refuse as I pulled down the veil that concealed my main features, soon followed by the hood covering my golden-brown hair.

The High Queen let out a sound of enjoyment as she took in the too similar features that I shared with my sister. "Oh! I guess we found the other twin! Lovely! "

"Let him go." Feyre stated.

The command felt more like a joke to Amarantha as she laughed again. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't destroy you where you stand, human. You and your sister."

"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.

Beautiful. I couldn't help but think sarcastically.

"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."

"I'm sorry to say that we were a bit preoccupied with other matters to learn poetry and fine speech. " I commented, letting my tongue click the roof of my mouth.

"I'm curious." Amarantha went on dismissing what I had said, "What eloquence will pour from your lips when you behold what you two should have been?" She pointed behind us, and 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 me "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?"

Feyre dared a look in my direction before again addressing the female. "Yes, I do."

"I never made the mistake of calling myself innocent." I said, took my eyes off the dead twin, looking as unbothered as ever. "I guess... better them than us."

Amarantha looked amused there for a second, before she turned to the Spring Court High Lord. "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. Fantastic.

"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."

That was exactly what we wanted, a bargain. A way in.

"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 me. We knew that something like his was for sure to happen. I glanced at her and nodded my head telling her to accept.

"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, her eyes traveling from me and to the Queen.

"Don't worry about me. You do your part, I do mine." I answered without looking at my twin, my eyes were only trained on Amarantha. Her smile widened ferociously at my words. Her eyes glinted as she watched me with too much fascination.

"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, quickly losing her patience.

My sister glanced at Tamlin, eyes sad and desperate before she could only say, "Agreed."

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

I looked straight at the High Queen. My eyes, cold and void and unfeeling. Behind me and Feyre, I could sense the faerie preparing to pounce.

"Give them a greeting worthy of my hall," Amarantha commanded. Her eyes founded mine, a look that said 'well? '

That was when I understood that she knew. Who I was. What I was. And I couldn't help the smirk that curled my lips.

Time to do my part.

My body moved fluidly at un impressionate speed, twirling on my knees and unsheathing my sword. I was quick enough to evade the faeries' first attack, my weapon cutting cleanly through one of their legs. The room fell into a collective gasp covering the creature's screams of agony as I took that moment to stand up. One look at the High Queen, and my hood and veil was raised again.

It was a show.

The Faerie was now on the ground, groaning in pain. Its features were similar to the Attor's but its skin was blue, and on the side of its head there were two horns that curved on themselves.

My sword was drenched in its blood when I approached the second creature. It had prepared from an attack with my sword that they had completely missed the way my hand reached for two of blades stacked in my corset, only seeing them once they appeared emblemed in its neck. Bleeding furiously a dark liquid as it slowly died, not being able to do much to save its life.

I looked at the High Queen, on the throne she was already watching the entire scene with a wicked smirk on her features and too much amusement.

The first faerie was clutching its leg, it was slowly healing but there was nothing left beyond its knee. And I had no mercy as I performed the last hit. One last, strong blow, that cut its head off.

I sheathed my sword, uncaring of the blood coating it. My partly gloved fingers reached for the decapitated head, wrapping around the horns of the faerie without much decor. My back was screaming in pain, I could feel the wounds reopening with all the movements that I had done. And still, cold and unfeeling like a statue made of marble, I walked forward till I was just below the steps of the dais of the throne where Amarantha sat.

No one dared speak around me. The throne room had become an echo of only heavy breaths.

Not looking away from the heavy stare contest with the female, I threw the head right at the High Queen's feet.

And then a loud laugh echoed into the hall. Head threw back, almost in tears, Amarantha clapped her hands.

"That was awesome." Amarantha smiled a too large smile. "I know that we will have a lot of fun together, assassin." She commented, sending me a feral grin. "My friend really did an amazing job with you, didn't he?"

✎

˗ˏˋ 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞 ˊˎ˗

Hello everyone!

I hope you'll like how I changed the plot slightly. I really do. It's different and speaks more for Maven's character with all her training.

She is a bit heartless, but we can't really fault her much. And I love her anyways sooo.

So much more is going to happen soon!

Anyways, thank you for reading this chapter, I'll see you on Tuesday!

˚ · ° . 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐞 . ° · ˚

𝐓𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲

𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞!

– 𝐋𝐨𝐥𝐚 ☾