Throne of Glass and ACOTAR Crossover (complete)

Chapter 33 - Aelin

Feyre hasn't spoken in days. Not a single word. 

I mean, sitting in a prison cell isn't exactly the optimal place for chit chat, but still. For the first while she at least spoke from time to time. 

Her silence is worrying me. Silence usually goes hand in hand with one of three things, fear, secrecy, or shame. The first two don't seem to make sense. Of course we are all scared and we all have things to hide, but no more so then when we first arrived here. That only leaves shame. And in this situation, shame is a dangerous thing. 

Shame could mean that she's given in. Shame could mean that they broke her. 

I know it's the only thing that could make me feel ashamed in here. 

"Feyre" my voice is soft, and slightly raw. My throat still hurts from screaming at the guards last time they came for me.

Feyre doesn't reply. She doesn't even look at me. 

"Feyre" I say again, my voice a touch louder, more forceful, "Feyre what's going on".

Again nothing. 

I sigh through my teeth and shoot a glance at Rowan. His eyes are closed, but they open to meet my gaze. I flick my eyes towards Feyre, and Rowan follows my glance. After a moment his face screws up in concentration, then pain and sympathy flash across his features. For a moment I'm confused before I actually think for a moment. Smell. He smelled her, I can't believe I didn't think of it before. I have been so focused on my lack of power that I forgot to use the tools that I still have. 

I sink into concentration, trying to smell anything beyond the damp and mold and piss. There, it's faint, but definitely there ... 

I jerk backward when I finally understand, causing my chains to rattle. 

Oh Gods. 

I shut my eyes and try to will the realization away. I don't want it to be true. I don't want to know that when they take Feyre away they aren't beating her, aren't whipping her. They're hurting her in a much crueler, much more personal way. 

Even after everything, all the horrors I've been submitted to, I've escaped that. And I thank the Gods for it every day. 

I'm about to open my mouth again, to try to find any words that could help, when the door opens. For once it doesn't bang, its softer, more of a click. That click is somehow more ominous. 

There are multiple figures in the doorway, and from their approximate size I would guess Hybern, Erawan, a few of our regular guards, and a stranger. Or maybe not,

Tamlin. 

Words begin falling out of my mouth almost against my own volition. By now my string of curses to throw at bastards has become almost second nature. I can spew them without even thinking. But this time, this time they are specifically directed at the blond haired bastard with the smug smile. 

Tamlin lets out a giggle, a deranged sound, so different from the cool cultured voice I heard in the Spring Court. From the corner of my eye, I see Feyre shiver. 

My tirade is cut off quickly, as I knew it would be. It never takes Hybern long to shut me up. I've spent the last while dreaming about the day when I get out of these chains, and I can watch him burn. 

Erawan chuckles. "Hello dear guests! Have you been enjoying your stay?"

Since my voice isn't working, the best I can do is spit in his direction. Erawan pouts "Now that wasn't very queen like your majesty, aren't you supposed to behave with decorum?"

I want to tell his where he can stick his decorum, but I can't. Instead I have to sit in silence while Hybern says. "Enough, Erawan." he turns to us "We haven't come here to torment you dears. We've come to invite you to a party!"

A party? What the hell?

"Come on" Hybern says, a sickly smile on his features "You're the guests of honor!"

"And you don't have a choice" That's Tamlin, singing from behind his master. 

The guards move forward and unlock our chains from the wall, but leave them attached to our wrists and ankles. Slowly, agonizingly slowly, I rise to my feet. I back screams in protest at being bent for so long, but it feels so good to be on my feet that I don't even mind. 

Rowan is beside me faster than I can think, but he's only there for a moment before an invisible force knock him back several steps. He whips his head towards our captors, a snarl on his lips, but a single look at me calms him. We cannot afford to waste this chance. It might be our only one. 

Feyre is also on her feet, but she hasn't moved towards the door like Rowan and I. Instead, she has back even farther into the corner. She has her eyes closed and is breathing very slowly, as though she has to try and remember how. I want to go to her, to comfort her, but all that would do would be to draw focus onto her. I cannot do that. So instead I just stand in my forced silence, waiting. 

Our captors seem to waiting as well, for what I don't know. Perhaps for Feyre to fall apart. Instead, to my surprise as well that of the king and his group, she seems to come alive, her back straightening, her chin lifting. A mask, she's putting on a mask. Despite everything, she is not going to let these monsters drag her out of here like a damsel in distress. My respect for the girl, already high, triples. A queen isn't always brave, but she always looks it. 

Feyre walks forward, head held high. When she speaks her voice is slightly rough but strong and commanding. "You said we were going to a party Hybern" she can't quite bring herself to look at Tamlin, but she meets Hybern's eyes squarely "Lead the way."

Hey all!

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Quick little shout out to @chloel911l, your awesome comments helped get me off my ass to actually write this chapter, so thanks!