I hope everyone is very excited to read the next chapter! I won't keep you waiting, so here it is:
I whirled around to see the ugly face of the Suriel. I stared at its disgusting body of veins and bones, and happened to notice that it needed a new cloak. The one it was wearing was torn in many areas and covered in dirt.
"Please!" I screeched at it. "How do we avoid Tamlin so that he doesn't find us?" Alis sprinted over to us, staring at the Suriel. Her golden brown skin was flushed from running so much.
"Tsk tsk," it taunted me. "Are you sure that is what you want to ask me? You freed me once, yes, so I shall return your favor. Two questions. You may ask two. I shall not answer any more than that. Make them good."
I started at the Suriel. Two questions. Two questions in exchange for his life? But he just clicked his too long fingernails at me, waiting for an answer.
I had to think fast. Tamlin only had about three more hills to get over, less than a mile away. He would be here in seconds. I needed to figure out how to get away from him. But the Suriel made it sound like a stupid question. My words were lodged in my throat.
"How do we avoid Tamlin?" Alis asked for me, her mind completely made up. As soon as the last word left her mouth, Tamlin's figure came over the horizon. The Suriel only glanced at him once before answering.
"You cannot." My heart skipped a beat as the huge wolf changed into a man and crushed me with a huge hug.
"Feyre. You're back!" Tamlin pulled me closer to him, but with the little bit of energy I still had, I winnowed a few feet away from him next to the Suriel, who was still standing and examining his nails.
"My Cauldron Tamlin!" I gave him my best glare. "What is wrong with you?" Inwardly, I shrieked to Rhys, WHERE ARE YOU?
Tamlin's brow furrowed. "Feyre? Are you―"
"Am I what? Okay? Fine? Yes, actually I was all of those things until I accidentally winnowed here!"A lie. Sort of. I wasn't exactly in the best spirits when I left Velaris.
Tamlin closed his eyes and pressed his hand to his forehead. What was he thinking about. I carefully slid into his head and searched through the thoughts that came hurtling toward me.
She's obviously still under some mind control. That bastard. He's ruining her. How can I free her from the spell? I need to get her into our house. If she sees everything again and remembers, then maybe… she'll be mine again. I must summon Ianthe. Maybe she'll be happy to see her.
I flew out of his mind, hissing.
"You are a complete idiot! If you think I would just go with you…" I shook my head slowly. Tamlin looked hurt. Fine. Let him feel that way. I didn't care.
"Feyre…" Tamlin studied me very carefully. He thought that if he lunged again I would winnow away. He didn't realize how physically drained I felt. But I wouldn't let him drag me away.
Then Rhys' voice bounced in my head. I'm trying to find you, but Tamlin reinforced the walls so that you can't see in them. Only out. I'll try to break them as quickly as possible, but it might take a while.
"This is… a lot," the Suriel sighed from my left. "Two former lovers separated. One still deeply in love with the other, and the second only filled with hate and disgust for the first." Tamlin finally seemed to notice the ugly creature standing next to me. He did a double take.
"I never thought," he began slowly, "That I would ever get to see one of your kind in my lifetime." The Suriel just snorted.
"Of course. Everyone I have ever met has always thought that. Until her." He motioned to me with a slight bend in his head.
Tamlin just returned to staring at me. "How do I get her to return with me?"
The Suriel let out a small chuckle. "You are very bold, little High Lord. But what gives you the idea that you can make me do as you say?" Tamlin smiled a little, his eyes never leaving my face.
"I do happen to be the ruler of these lands. Not to mention, I do know that you are trapped here unless I bring down the walls." The Suriel's expression didn't change. I wanted to creep into it's mind and find out what it was thinking, but I didn't dare do it to a creature as wise as him. "Now tell me how to break the spell the High Lord of the Night Court has put on her and how to win her back."
When Tamlin looked from me to the Suriel, I sneaked a look at it. He was staring down at me, obviously deciding if he should tell Tamlin what he wanted to know for his freedom. But I had saved him once before. Would he do the same for me?
Please, I silently begged him. Don't tell him my powers are weak right now. You can use that as my second question.
Tamlin stared the creature down, daring him to lie.
"She…" the Suriel started, "Is not under a spell." Tamlins shoulders sagged with disappointment. The truth, so far. I held my breath, trying to calm my beating heart. He wouldn't tell, would he?
"And her will is very strong. There is nothing you can do to win her back." The Suriel nodded down at me, once. He had understood. His debt was repaid. He had saved me. I took of my cloak and handed it to him. As a gratitude of my thanks. The Suriel raised his eyebrows but said nothing as he took the warm cloak out of my hands and put it on. He looked ready for his next adventures. More prepared.
But nothing would have prepared for the hideous roar that Tamlin let loose next. I covered my ears and the Suriel ran away at lightning speed, towards the forest. Alis, who had been invisible to us the whole time, ran to me and covered me with her arms. I was confused at first, but then realized what she was doing and I quickly threw up my own shield around us an squeezed my eyes closed. A huge bang rung throughout the land, and when I finally opened my eyes, Alis and I were crouched in a perfect green circle of grass, surrounded by fields of dead plants.
Tamlin was standing perfectly still in front of us, his head bowed and fists clenched at his sides. As soon as I was sure he wasn't going to ponce on me, I lowered my shield.
Feyre! What happened? Rhys sounded very frantic. Now that everything was very quiet, I could see I figure high up, pounding on the wall. Rhys.
Alis and I are alright. You're right above us. It was all I said to him. It was all he needed to know. I could see faint cracks starting where Rhys was. I was so focused on him, I didn't realize what Tamlin was doing until it was too late.
Springing forward, he shoved Alis away from me and grabbed my arm. Before I knew it, I was against his chest and winnowing away.
I started struggling, but I knew that it wasn't worth it. Tamlin was too strong. And angry.
We ended up right in front of mansion stairs. I sprinted away from him but before I knew it he was right in front of me grabbing my waist and pulling me up into the place that I had once adored. Now I looked at it and only felt disgust.
"Let me go!" I screamed at him, knowing that it was no use. Servants stopped and stared at my struggle through the halls with wide eyes. A lot looked pitiful. But most seemed relieved. It was only then that I realized all of the scars on them. And the walls… there was no way I could even begin to describe their condition.
Next we passed Lucien. He wouldn't look me in the eye. "BASTARD!" I screamed at no one particularly.
As Tamlin pulled me into my old room and forced me onto the bed, my only comfort was knowing that I had been in this position once before only a few hours ago with another fae. With the High Lord of the Night Court. My love. My mate.
I always run on reviews, so the more I get from now, on quicker I'll write each chapter. And make sure to visit my blog (directions to get to it are at the bottom of chapter 2). Thanks for reading! XOXO