THE GREAT PRETENDER ¬ ACOTAR

chapter xix.

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CHAPTER XIX

MUSIC TO MY EARS

THE DAY OF THE SECOND TASK came and Callaghan was scared. She knows this would be harder than the Wyrm.

She watched as Feyre struggled solving her puzzle task, especially with Lucien's life once again on the line. There were no doors or windows she could escape from. She had to finish the task.

Callaghan saw and heard the gold being passed around again. If she could, she would've taken it all and threw it at their greedy faces.

The spy also caught sight of the Autumn Vanserra's. Lucien's brothers, who took great joy in seeing their younger brother suffer. It made Cal sick to her stomach. If it were Vik in there, she would rather lose limbs than listen to his shouts.

As the mortal stared into the inscription on the wall, Cal realized Feyre couldn't read. Fear creeped up her veins for both Feyre and Lucien.

Lucien begged at her to just pick one, but his voice seemed to cause more panic on the mortal. The moving spikes grew closer and closer hoping to touch flesh.

Cal wanted to pray to all the gods when she saw Feyre move her hand on the three levers. She couldn't choose.

"Feyre, please!" Lucien's voice was strained, still begging.

Rhysand's spy closed her eyes upon seeing the nearing metal spikes. She didn't want to see their gruesome deaths.

But then the noise stopped. Cal opened her eyes to see that Feyre won her second task.

Rhysand was quiet, she noticed. When she turned to look at him, he kept a blank face but stared at the mortal. He was in her mind, keeping her from breaking.

Incredible, she thought. Slowly, the High Lord she knew was returning. His caring heart showed through in true Rhysand fashion.

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CALLAGHAN WAS SCRUBBING THE DUNGEON FLOORS when she heard the music in Feyre's cell. The sound alone made her slump on her knees. It was from home.

Years. Decades. Forty-nine dreadful years, she had been under this once sacred mountain. And this was a taste of home.

There she sat on the ground, keeping her sobs to a minimum as she listened to the music. The beats strummed her very being. Every note made her remember her family, how it felt to be there with them, how it felt to be loved, how it felt to be cherished.

She'll be with them soon. She and Rhysand will be with them soon.

Thank you for that, she opened her mind to Rhys.

It wasn't for you, but you're welcome, I guess, he joked with her.

She dared herself to smile, they will be home soon.

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[ notes! ]

NeXt chapter's gonna be longggg

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