I tried not to think about rowan. How he must be feeling, losing Aelin. It was impossible not to. Tamlin brought me into the garden, (the opposite side of the castle) and put a hand on his hip. "What do you feel in your head right now?" I closed my eyes and took a breath in, I heard a heartbeat, mine. And then another heartbeat. "I hear two heartbeats." I kept my eyes closed and listen for the flutter of wings, they weren't there. "No wings. Nothing, just two heartbeats." I felt a breeze that indicated that Tamlin was in front of me. He put a hand on my stomach and stilled. "You're not pregnant. That heart beat belongs to Amarantha."
I went raged and pulled away from him, "how do I get rid of it!" I yelled. "You will just need to leave this world." "And that will stop it?" I asked, my eyes still closed. "I believe so. She cannot leave this world, like you and your friends can." Tamlin lifted a hand to my face, and gently opened both my eyes, one at a time. He could see I was scared. "What is different between her and us?" I asked. "Your world must be different. Ours has rules that keep us in Prythian." His hands trailed down my arm to my hands, he grasped them tightly. "If it doesn't work, can I trust you to take care of her?" he asked, pleading in his eyes." I nodded. "I will." Rowan walked up to me. "Aelin… Aelin would want us to go home." He stuttered for the first time. "Rowan, I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me." he lifted a hand to silence me, "its fine." he said. "We need to leave." I turned to Tamlin as rowan walked back into the castle. "Thank you." I said. "You're welcome. But do me a favor; don't ever come back to this world. If you do, I don't think I can see you without killing you on sight." He growled. I smiled brightly. He said a quote! Tamlin said that to Rhysand in the third book. "Everything will be fine. You will not be alone." I kissed him on the cheek and walked into the castle.
Rowan had the portal set up, two big figures were wrapped in thick fabric. "They need to go back home." He said sadly. "I agree." I picked up one of the packages, hoping it wasn't Locke. Light, it was Aelin. I held my mouth shut from the rising bile that emerged. Rowan held Locke, with the walking dead on top of him. I turned my head quickly and walked through the portal, this time it let us through, when i saw the light at the end of the darkness, or maybe it was the beginning, I jerked my head to tell rowan it was there. He nodded and ran past me. I followed him.
We were on the floor of a castle, I wasn't sure if it was Aelin's or not. "Mom!" my daughter ran up to me. "You've been gone for weeks! I thought you'd…" she trailed off when she saw the things rowan and I carried. "Dad?" she looked at the one rowan held. I nodded. "He was killed. I'm sorry Lithia." Lithia burst into tears and slumped to the ground. Aedion walked in behind her. "Rowan? Peyton? Where are…" he saw the package I sat down. "Is that Aelin?" he asked. Rowan nodded this time. "Who killed her?" Aedion yelled at me. I turned my head in shame. Aedion caught my look and ran towards me. Rowan intercepted him, "Peyton was possessed. Like Dorian, but by an evil woman." I kept my head down. "And she doesn't deserve to live!" Aedion protested. "Just because she… Peyton wasn't herself when Aelin fell. She is not to blame." Rowan said to Aedion. Lithia was still in a heap on the floor, her eyes stained with tears. I sat down next to her and wrapped my arms around her, she was shaking furiously. "It's ok my darling. Everything will be fine." my fae senses sharpened as I breathed in her scent. "Lithia. What the hell have you done?" I growled and stood. Her scent, I could tell something was off. Her hand automatically went to her stomach. My head lurched towards Aedion. "You bastard!" I growled and launched at him.