Chapter 7

First Task

Holly stood with Rhys in the cavern. They stood with the High Lords as Amaratha sat on her throne. There were tunnels down below and Holly didn't like what was going to happen. Holly stood in pants and a sweater. Her long black hair was pulled back into a ponytail. Eris was somewhere with his brothers, but Holly didn't care. Freye was brought to the wooden platform that Tamlin and Amaratha were on. The crowd was getting crazy as Holly watched Freye.

Amaratha raises her hand and the crowd goes silent.

"Well, Feyre." Amaratha rested a hand on Tamlin's knee. "Your first task is here. Let us see how deep that human affection of yours runs." Feyre looked like she was grounding her teeth. " I took the liberty of learning a few things about you. It was only fair, you know. I think you'll like this task." She waved a hand and the Attor stepped forward to part the crowd, clearing a path to the trench. "Go ahead. Look." Freye walked forward. The trenches were twenty feet deep, slick with mud. Hands slammed into Freye back and she falls forward. The Attor grabbed her and flew her over the trenches. It dropped her right into the mud.

Amaratha's platform floats to the lip of the trench. People moved closer to the trench to look out. Rhys and Holly stood with the other High Lords. Feyre turned to look at Amaratha.

"Rhysand tells me you're a huntress." Amaratha said. Amaratha flicked her fingers in Freye's direction. "Hunt this." Faeries cheered. Holly saw gold be passed with gold. Holly knew Rhys had bet already for her to survive.

"I don't like this." Holly said.

"It's either this or she dies." Rhys said. Shadows move up Holly's arms. Ella suddenly appeared next to her.

"What are you doing here?" Holly looked at her best friend.

"Your father wants me to watch." Ella said.

"Least it means I don't have to head home after this." Holly said.

"Release it" Amaratha called. Holly's head turned as a slithering, swift-moving noise filled the chamber. Holly's eyes widen when she saw what was coming. It was a giant worm, or what might have been had its front end not become a mouth filled with ring after ring of razor-sharp teeth.

"Cauldron Boil Me." Ella breathed as Feyre went running. "That's a Middengard Wyrm."

"And Feyre is it's dinner." Holly said. Feyre slipped and slide through the mud as she ran down the length of the trench. The roar of the crowd was loud. Holly watched as the worm stayed on Feyre tail. Feyre kept a good distance between them. Rhys was watching, closely as well. She kept taking left, trying to get it off her tail. Ella leaned over and Holly listened as she kept her eyes on Feyre.

"Your father is having our spies not search for the Cauldron." Holly's eyes turn on her friend. Rhys was listening, but not looking at them. "I think he found it." Holly swore. "What do you want to do?"

"Call them back but keep two out there and follow the guards." Holly whispered. Ella nodded. "Keep the two out there father doesn't know about."

"I know the two and I'll do that." Ella said. Feyre slid into a slender opening in the side of the trench. She got stuck in the gap. It was small for the worm. The worm was closing in on the human as she pulled on the mud, trying to get through to the other side. She pulled at the wall. She finally fell through the crack and into the mud. Rhys let out the breath he was holding.

"She's not out of it yet." Holly whispered as Feyre launched herself farther into the labyrinth. Holly saw that the worm had overshot her.

"It's going by smell. It's blind." Ella said. Holly remembered her studies on creatures. Feyre kept hitting walls. Some of the crowd looked disappointed and the worm had to slow with turns with its size. Feyre gasped as she fell into an enormous pit. She landed in ankle deep mud. Holly watched. Feyre spun around, trying to find an exit, but found herself trapped. She stepped on bones. "Is that..."

"The worms food." Rhys said. Holly shook her head.

"Feyre." Amaratha taunted. "You're ruining everyone's fun! Come out!" Feyre moved to the walls and tried to pull herself up. She kept sliding to the ground. Faeries were taunting her, but Holly tuned them out as they watch. Feyre turned towards the piles of bones as she pushes her hands against the walls. Feyre rabbed two strongest bones, testing them.

"What's it doing?"

She put the bones into the wall. She grabbed another bone and impaled it deep into the bone as high as she could reach. Feyre grabbed a fourth bone and strapped it onto her back. She steps onto one of the bones. It held. She pulled herself up and stopped. Holly raised an eyebrow as Feyre jumped back onto the ground.

"She's got a plan." Holly whispered. Rhys nodded. Feyre breaks the bones on her leg, having two sharp ended spikes. Feyre moved to the middle of the pit opening. She plunged the two bones into the ground. Feyre returned back to the mound of bones and continued breaking bones and putting them at the opening of the pit. Feyre finishes what she's doing and climbs her bone latter. She secured the three bones on her belt. She ran to the wall and grabbed some mud. Feyre started to paint her body with the mud and then rolled on the ground till her whole body but her eyes were covered in mud.

"What's it doing?"

"She's building a trap." Rhys said. Holly smiled.

"But the Middengard…"

"Relies on its scent to see. And Feyre just became invisible." Rhys smiled down at Feyre. Feyre flipped him off and Holly smiled.

"I like her more and more." Holly said. Rhys elbowed her as Feyre ran to find the worm. She placed the remaining bones at the tight corners. Feyre found the worm with the help of the crowd. Some were holding what looked like an arm out to the worm.

"Are they nuts?" Ella asked.

"They are bored." Rhys said as Feyre craned to look at the worm. They drop the arm into the waiting mouth of the worm. Feyre cuts her hand open with the bone. Everyone goes silent as the worm disappears as it catches the scent of the blood. Feyre looks around the corner.

"To your left!" Lucien yelled out. Feyre runs as the wall behind her exploded, mud spraying as the worm burst through the wall. Feyre was running, through the trenches, heading towards the trap she had set.

"Go. Go." Holly whispered, grabbing Rhys's arm. Both were hoping that Feyre survived. Everyone knew if she completed the tasks and freed Tamlin. There might be a chance all of them could be freed. Holly hoped it but she still had a bad feeling about it. Feyre ran with the worm right behind her. She made the final turn to where her trap was. Feyre leaped into the pit and landed in a spot. Feyre cries out in pain as she lands on something and she scrambles out of the way as the worm plummeted into the pit. It hit the earth and lashed its massive body to the side. A crunching noise filled the air and it stopped moving.

"Is it dead?" Ella asked. Holly and Ella leaned over to see that it was impaled on the bone spikes.

"Looks like it." Holly looked at Rhys, but he was looking at Amaratha. Holly looked at her. Her lips were a thin line and she looked pissed. Feyre gripped the bone in her hand a little tighter. She was shaking.

"Well. I suppose anyone could have done that." Amaratha said with a smirk. Holly clenched her fists. Feyre took a few running steps and hurled the bone at Amaratha. Holly's eyes widen as it embedded itself at Amaratha's feet, splattering filth onto her white gown.

'Cassian would like her.' Rhys said in Holly's mind. Holly smiled and nodded slightly. Holly knew he was right. Amaratha stared at the wobbling bone as Fae gasped.

"Naughty." Amaratha tsked. Holly turned to Ella as Amaratha talked and the Attor brought her out of the trench.

"Walk with me." Holly whispered. They disappeared out of the tunnels. "Let father know she completed the task and how it went. He's still not happy what she's doing?"

"You know how pissed he was when she cost him the war 500 years ago. Your father feels like she will pull the same thing." Ella said. Holly knew she was right. "I will pull our spies but keep two out there looking. I'll try to see where he found it. When is the next task?"

"In a month." Holly said. Ella nodded and winnowed away. Holly stood with her arms crossed. A frown was on her face. Some stuff wasn't adding up, but she worry about it another time.

AN: Sorry for the wait. I'm ready for her to get back to Azriel. I got plans all the way to book 5 so don't worry. Till next time.