Maeve's Daughter ~ Throne of Glass

Chapter 2- Connall

"Do it"

My heart stopped.

Connall walked towards Fenrys knife outstretched  between them and Aelin whimpered -the first sound she'd made- from fear for her loyal companion.

If only she knew.

Silence, the blade glinted, and then he turned it inward plunging it into his own heart.

Silence.
Inside I was roaring, screaming, wailing, crying.

But I could not make a sound, not even a whimper.
Fenrys opened his mouth in a silent scream as he tried to lunge for his brother. Halted, like me, by Maeve's bond.

I flapped my wings once, as much as I would dare, anything to try and show my horror, to show I cared I CARED.

To let Fenrys know I'd watched over Connall whenever Maeve didn't have him in her clutches- that despite never sharing a word I'd cared for the lonely dark-haired twin.

To let Aelin know I was there, it was ME who tried to ease her suffering when Maeve didn't see and that I hated to see her suffer with my entire heart.

Then Maeve yanked on the bond and I became still again, fury slowly coating my insides.

Fenrys was whining , crawling towards Connall. Gods now he was howling, I could barely hear Maeve's threats to Aelin over that haunting sound echoing around the throne room piercing my ears.

Suddenly Aelin moved, stabbing Cairn in the neck with a wicked shard of mirror and launching one right at me, no, at Maeve's head.

It missed by a hairsbreadth scraping Maeve's pale cheek.

I shrieked in approval- pride coursing through me, there was the Queen of Terrasen. The Queen Who Was Promised.

Aelin was dragged away, Fenrys whimpering in tow until we were alone with Connall still lying there lifeless.

I felt the tight hold of the bond relax and immediately flew down,  shifting midair to land kneeling beside his body.

Slowly, I reached a pale shaking hand to gently brush a dark silky curl off of his bronze forehead; my tears fell onto his face but I quickly wiped them away. Slowly I closed his eyes carefully before turning to look up at her.

Her cruel smirk taunted me, marring that the familiar, beautiful mask  of hers , revealing her true face.

Pathetic" she sneered , "He didn't even know who you were."

I turned my chin up, staring into her dark eyes with my own, defiantly. I would not allow her to see me weak , "He knew, he saw me, we were both stuck, bound to you for all our miserable lives"

She cackled her eyes narrowing "Remember your place daughter, you're are not just bound to me you are mine. I allowed you to silently spy on my warriors all these years when you didn't think I was looking to improve your mood so you didn't infect me with your constant world-ending misery and self-pity."

As close as she ever got to trying to be a loving mother I suppose.

I stood up and scoffed "You bi-" a whip of darkness lashed out at me so I came crashing down to my knees .

"I killed him to punish you just as much as Aelin, you foolish girl I know you've been watching over them both, after all these centuries you still haven't learned have you"

"You will not use your magic to protect her mind from me again. You will not shift in her chamber. You will not speak to her"

I stiffened at the commands unable to disobey but already furiously working to find any ancient loophole to defy her words using the Old Ways.

I wiped my face into a well practiced calm serene mask, "Yes Mother". With a glimmer of light I shifted into my owl form hovering before her.

Her smirk shifted into a satisfied smile then without another word she vanished, leaving me alone to listen  Aelin's fading broken sobs.