Lorcan set Aelin down on a grassy slope in the forest where Elide had waited, to rest until Rowan's return.
She did nothing, just curled up on the ground, body wracked with silent sobs, her fire extinguished.
Rowan arrived half an hour later. "She hasn't moved" murmured Lorcan.
Rowan placed a hand on her head, her mask, ready to roll her over, and flinched, pulling back with a hiss at the heat.
As he directed a cooling breeze at her, she at last stirred.
Relief washed over him when she turned towards him.
And then disappeared, replaced with a horrible dread, when her eyes widened and she pushed herself away.
He reached for her, but she placed her head in her hands and rocked herself, whispering. "It's not real. You're not real. It's just an illusion. They're not really here. It's a trick."
He sat back, helpless, watching her with his heart breaking.
What had they done to her?
Fenrys dragged himself over, and Rowan watched numbly as he nudged at her with his muzzle.
She squinted up at him.
Three blinks from the wolf. Two in reply.
Three blinks from the girl. One in reply. Six.
The wolf blinked four times.
Aelin looked searchingly up at Rowan and then nodded.
Lorcan said, "We need to go, they'll be searching by now."
Two blinks. As if that meant something. She gingerly held out her arms. The chain on her hands.
"Off." She whispered.
Rowan stepped forwards, and, gripping the chain, pulled. It would not snap.
Lorcan came and they tried pulling together, but to no avail.
The rising panic in Aelin soon gave way to more broken, heart-wrenching sobs.
"TakeitoffTakeitoffTakeitoff"
She began scrabbling blindly at the mask, shaking.
"Aelin, we can't" He choked.
"TakeitoffTakeitoffTakeitoff"
So Rowan held her pressed against him until the sobs subsided and she fell asleep.