Aelin woke up with an odd mixture of dread and weightlessness. She couldn't think of a better way to die, besides maybe the effect it would have on Rowan and Aedion. That would be a downside, but they would get over it. She had woken up late morning, thanks to her midnight adventure. Rowan had already gotten up. From the sounds coming from the kitchen he was probably arguing with Aedion about strategies. Which was useless. Today was it.

Rowan had been arguing with Aedion for hours while his queen slept. The Prince was hopelessly naive.

"If we were lucky, we could slip in there-"

"We won't be lucky." Rowan growled for the hundredth time. If there was one truth it was that if things could go wrong, they did. Aedion sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. Just then the queen walked in, meeting neither of their eyes.

Soon after Aelin had emerged, Aedion dove straight into his plan. Which was pointless, she already had a plan. But she let him talk, if only to delay telling them of it from another hour. She stood staring at the table, avoiding both of their eyes. Aedion didn't seem to notice, but Rowan was burning holes into her, trying to catch her eye at every moment.

Aedion's plan had some major holes in it, and relied mostly on hopes and luck. She glanced out the window, it was around noon. In two hours she would meet Abroynn's man, who would give her the ring. The ring was a replica of the Ashryver King of Wendlyn's ring. The man she was suppose to kill. She would waltz into the castle, claim she had returned from her mission, use the ring as proof. At two thirty Abroynn's men would explode the tower, freeing magic. Then she would burn the king, and if she had a choice, she would slit Dorian's throat, rather than let him burn in agony. She knew she wouldn't make it out. Aelin never planned to. It would be a good way to die, maybe freeing the empire from the king's rule would earn her a place in heaven. She would never grow old, but she had never planned to. She would leave the kingdom in the hands of Rowan and Aedion. Aedion would be king, Rowan would hopefully stay by his side. And Aelin would finally be free, which was all she ever wanted. She fiddled with the letter in her pocket.

Rowan and Aedion were arguing again, "You can't rely on luck." he insited.

"Well what's your plan?"

Rowan didn't get a chance to open his mouth, "It doesn't matter, I have a plan." She proclaimed, still staring at the table.

Just like that the aggression was gone from the room, "What's your plan?" Rowan prompted.

She look up and smirked, finally meeting their eyes, "You're not going to like it."

They had moved to the living room, she had told them the plan, with only minor interruptions and no uproar. Yet.

Rowan was stood face blank, but she could see the storm in his eyes, Aedion look as if he didn't quite believe her, and his eyes kept flickering to Rowan as if he was waiting for him to say something. Rowan was staring at her so intensely it made her want to cower, but she stared back, shoulders back head high, distant.

"It's suicide." He stated. His demeanor not changing in the slightest.

I know.

The damn broke and Rowan slammed his fists on the table, teeth barred, "You want us to wait here, while you waltz into that castle with no hope, or intention of returning?"

Aelin said nothing, she did not flinch, or grimace, she meet those eyes has he straightened, crossing his arms, and with a grim no short of savage, taunted "Do you really think we would let you?"

Aelin let her eyes wander to Aedion who looked like he was preparing to pounce, on her or Rowan she did not know.

In the level voice of Queen she responded, as her eyes returned to his " I don't think you have a choice."

Rowan's grin grew wider, fully exposing his fangs, and his eyes grew darker, Oh, is that so? He was going to rip her apart.

Aelin's lips tugged upward in an equally savage and cruel smirk, "You're bound to me. You don't have a choice." If he hadn't already regretted binding himself to her, he sure would now.

And then his demeanor crashed. For in that second all his walls broke, his grin melted and the look on his face was one of pure horror.

"I'm not bound to you." Aedion growled.

Fighting past her shock, she swiveled to him and clicked her tongue, "I'll guess I'll have to be more creative then."

Her head snapped back to Rowan when she heard a thud. He was on his knees only a few feet away from her, he had done nothing to mask the horror in his eyes. It was the first time Rowan had ever bowed or kneeled to Aelin, and she despised it. It was wretched.

"Don't go. Please. I'll do anything." His voice was hoarse and raw, and it killed her.

Aelin could feel the pressure build behind her eyes, but she would not cry. She stooped down in front of him, they were inches apart, but she did not touch him, for fear it would break both of them. She reached inside herself and found the bond that chained him to her.

"Stay in the house. Do not follow me. Keep Aedion in the house with you. Don't hurt him- severely." She commanded, tugging the bond. Rowan gagged, his face was white and he wouldn't look away from her, like he was trying to sway her but didn't know what to say or do. She dropped the queen act and really looked at him, "And please, please, stay with Aedion. Help him. For me?" she looked away as she pulled out the letter from her pocket, handing it to him, "Open this when I die."

"If." Rowan croaked. Aelin offered him a small smile and looked away.

"Who will rule?" Aedion frantically questioned. He was in denial, that the cousin he had lost and just refound was going to be taken away again.

Aelin looked away from Rowan and met his eyes, "You will."

"I'm not a king."

"I was never a queen." she admitted. Aelin was waiting for Aedion to try and stop her, physically, to ensure that bound thing had worked.

Sure enough Aedion took one step forward and before he could even lift his foot to take another, Rowan had him pinned to a wall.

She didn't risk looking at Rowan's face who was streaked with tears, as she grabbed her weapons and left. Before closing the door behind her, she looked at them over her shoulder, "I'm sorry." Aelin then look only at Rowan, To whatever end.

Even through the closed door she could hear them both roaring her name.

PLEASE LIKE IT *CROSSING MY FINGERS* I BEG YOU

I'm going to write the next chapter now, but I'll probably post it tomorrow. And it will probably be the last chapter for the story.