Kingdom of Ash (Throne of Glass, #7)

by Sarah J. Maas

One blink for yes. Two for no. Three for Are you all right? Four for I am here, I am with you. Five for This is real, you are awake.

She counted his blinks. Six. He’d made that one up. Liar, or something like it. She refused to acknowledge that particular code.

Fireheart, why do you cry? And from far away, deep within her, Aelin whispered toward that ray of memory, Because I am lost. And I do not know the way.

You do not yield.

But it was the sound that came out of her as Cairn hurled her into the chest of drawers where Fenrys had watched him arranging his tools, the sound she made as she hit the floor, that shattered him entirely.

Let it kill him, wreck him. He would not serve. Not another heartbeat. He would not obey. He would not obey.

Insert Goblet of Fire, "That's my booooyyyyy" GIF here

And slowly, Fenrys got to his feet.

With a roar, Fenrys leaped. And with it, he snapped the blood oath completely.

“Two months, three days, and seven hours.”

Compare to AB - the time noted in Rolf's office is an hour over...and they were late...

Fenrys just turned to the queen. “If I tell you he’s a prick and a miserable bastard to be around, will it change your mind?” Lorcan snarled, but Aelin snorted. “Isn’t that why we love Lorcan, though?”

“What’s so funny, exactly?” she hissed. Rowan smirked. “That for once, you are the one who gets knocked on your ass by a surprise.”

“On that lovely parting note, we’re going to finish up our dinners. Enjoy your evening, we’ll see you on the battlements tomorrow, and please do rot in hell.”

“I’d rather fight on land,” Fenrys grumbled. “Because no one likes the smell of wet dog?” Aelin asked over her shoulder. Fenrys laughed. “Exactly because of that.”

“Courtesy of the Lord of Anielle.” Lorcan gave him a look that said he knew Rowan was full of shit, but began efficiently donning the armor, Gavriel doing the same.

“It’s been a while since I was so gravely injured. I’d forgotten what an inconvenience it is.”

“You think a letter could do that?” “It was strongly worded.”

“You think that everywhere I’ve gone for the past three hundred years, whispers haven’t followed me?” She rolled her eyes, but he chuckled. “This is far better than Cold-hearted bastard or I heard he killed someone with a table leg.” “You did kill someone with a table leg.” Rowan’s smirk grew. “And you are a cold-hearted bastard,” she threw in. Rowan snorted. “I never said those whispers were lies.”

“I’m going to start a rumor about you, then. Something truly grotesque.” He groaned. “I dread the thought of what you might come up with.” She adopted a harsh whisper as they passed a group of human soldiers. “You flew back onto the battlefield to peck out the eyes of our enemies?” Her gasp echoed off the rock. “And ate those eyes?” One of the soldiers tripped, the others whipping their heads to them. Rowan pinched her shoulder. “Thank you for that.” She inclined her head. “You’re very welcome.”

“Just needed to rest.” Aelin jerked her chin at Rowan. “He requires frequent naps in his old age.”

She passed through a world where a great city had been built along the curve of a river, the buildings impossibly tall and glimmering with lights.

She passed through a world of snowcapped mountains under shining stars. Passed over one of those mountains, where a winged male stood beside a heavily pregnant female, gazing at those very stars. Fae. They were Fae, but this was not her world. She flung out a hand, as if she might signal them, as if they might somehow help her when she was nothing but an invisible speck of power— The winged male, beautiful beyond reason, snapped his head toward her as she arced across his starry sky. He lifted a hand, as if in greeting. A blast of dark power, like a gentle summer night, slammed into her. Not to attack—but to slow her down. A wall, a shield, that she tore and plunged through. But it slowed her. That winged male’s power slowed her, just enough. Aelin vanished from his world without a whisper.