I am sorry it has taken a while to upload but I have been busy with many things, I am going to start posting regularly, possibly weekly so you wont have to wait as long for the next chapter. Next chapter will hopefully be coming on the 5th April xx
Celaena's PoV
She could hear Galan bounding after her, following her into the dense forest. A bird flew overhead and she caught a glimpse of snow white feathers. The bird had helped her once, what if it was trying to help her again? So with that in her mind, she raced towards the strange hawk. Behind her, she could hear Galan's horse slowing down to avoid the trees. She slowed down to a halt when she spotted the bird on a branch up ahead. This place didn't feel right, it felt like death and she slowly realised why as she looked around. This was the burrow of a Wight, although she felt another presence there that was unnervingly like the creature down in the chambers underneath the library. The hawk flew away and the something stirred in the bushes behind her. Praying silently that it wouldn't be a creature like the ridderak or worse, she drew her daggers. For whatever reason, the gods blessed her with luck as a Fae male walked out instead. This male was no doubt a warrior who could take her down the moment she moved but se gathered as much bravado as she could be bothered to muster at that moment and swaggered over to him.
"Now, who might you be?" she purred as his eyes narrowed.
"Rowan and you're coming with me, princess" Rowan grabbed her wrists, both wrists, including the broken wrist which she had no doubt that he was well aware of as a result of whatever Fae abilities he had. She was at a disadvantage, she could tell that he already had information on her – including her name – yet she new nothing about him except from his name and that he was a warrior of some kind. She connected the dots and guessed that he was in fact taking her to see Queen Maeve of the Fae. Celaena fumbled over her original plan in her mind, it could still work, she could have the answers she need from Maeve and be out of Wendlyn and heading back to Adarlan within a week.
Rowan dragged her miles in silence leaving her to drown in her own thoughts. Too soon they had reached one of the fortresses signalling the half way point to Doranelle. It was beautiful. The stones were dark and ancient – hewn from something other than the abundant granite. Magic wards sent a zinging current snapping against her skin as rowan led her towards the three towers with many sentries patrolling them. As Rowan wordlessly led her into the dim fortress, up a set of narrow stairs and into a small office, a feeling of dread washed over her in a wave as she realised why the whole place seemed to be holding its breath. There, sat behind the cramped desk, was Maeve, Queen of the Fae. Her aunt. And then, after all the long years she had spent running and hiding from them, Maeve spoke the words that had haunted her from that very day 10 years ago, "Hello, Aelin Galathynius"
Rowan's PoV
He watched as the girl slowly backed away from his queen, expecting to be able to get out, get away but instead slamming into him as he closed the doors behind them. He could feel her shaking and knew that she would not bother going for any of the weapons within her reach as she would likely not be able to keep her grip on them. Not only that but she was no match for him and she knew it. Aelin paled as she took in his queen, the room and the owl perched next to his queen. Then quietly she spoke "Aelin Galathynius is dead", he could hear the dread and hate laced between the words. He knew of how her parents had died but what had broken this girl so completely that she thought herself dead. After his mates death he was utterly broken, swallowed up by his grief but even then he had not thought of himself dead, he had not become another person entirely, he had not taken on another name and tried to cover up who he was. Maeve smiled as she stated "let us not bother with lies".
Aelin started to sweat and he could smell her fear of his queen. The girl looked so similar to the descriptions of Mab that it was like the dark sister and the fair-headed sister were once again facing each other and standing in the same room. He stepped away from her only to lean against the door to ensure she would not have any chance of escape. Rowan wondered why Maeve had wanted to see the pathetic girl, she seemed so fragile and frankly not worth any of his time and yet Maeve had assigned him to this task. Fenrys had pleaded his queen to take on the princess, had even gotten on his knees and yet Maeve had thought that he was better suited to this task, handling a spoilt little princess. Aelin bowed low as she should when greeting the queen of the Fae, though she was still unsure and uneasy at the sight of Maeve watching her like a spider watched a fly caught in its web.
"I suppose that with a proper bath, you'll look a good deal like your mother" he could see the girl tense and he knew that Maeve had hit a sore spot even though the girl tried to bury the pain and retort. Smiling weakly the girl answered "had I known who I would be meeting, I might have begged my escort for time to freshen up". This girl had a wicked tongue on her, trying to dump the blame on his shoulders, as if that would ever work, she didn't know what Maeve was like. He did. Maeve flicked her eyes to his for a second with approval clearly shown in them. Had he been in his hawk form he might have puffed out his feathers. Might have. If he could be bothered to show any emotion to Aelin.